The Criminalization of Earth Defenders with Paul Paz y Miño & Amy Westervelt (RICO Part 2)

This conversation with Amy Westervelt and Paul Paz y Miño examines and condemns the extreme charges that have been used against Cop City protestors, Steven Donziger, and others for defending people and the planet.In the first half of the discussion, we talk about Chevron’s brutal legal assault against those who have tried to hold the company accountable for its deliberate pollution of Ecuador, focusing on the use of the RICO Act against Steven Donziger.We then shift our discussion to the insane domestic terrorism charges for 42 protestors involved in the Stop Cop City movement and potential RICO indictments in the coming days, explaining how these charges are part of a dangerous trend of escalating legal tactics that the state and corporations use to suppress dissent. Paul Paz y Miño is the associate director of Amazon Watch, an environmental org that  works with Indigenous communities in the rainforest. They were listed as a non-party co-conspirator in the RICO case against Donziger.Amy Westervelt is an investigative climate journalist who hosts a number of amazing podcasts including Drilled, Damages, Rigged, and Hot Take. These shows shine light on the crimes of the fossil fuel industry.Also discussed:-The Green Scare-Standing Rock-Charges for Standing Rock protestors-Criminal infrastructure laws-The Patriot Act-The legality of these insane charges-Chilling effects on the climate movement COCKTAIL PAIRING:The Forest Defender           2 oz    White Rum½ oz    Lime Juice¼ ozSt. Germain Elderflower¼ oz    Celery Juice¼ ozSimple Syrup⅛ tsp   Matcha powder         Cucumber wheelAdd all ingredients into a shaker, muddle a cucumber, and shake hard with ice. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a thinly-sliced cucumber wheel.RESOURCES:Atlanta Community Press Collective, article on upcoming indictmentsUnicorn Riot article on RICO chargesAl Jazeera articleAtlanta Solidarity Fund statement on possible RICO charges. Support them hereGuardian articleSupport the showCocktails & Capitalism is an anticapitalist labor of love, but we could use your help to make this project sustainable. If you can support with even a dollar a month, that would really help us continue to educate, agitate, and amplify the voices of those who are working to dismantle capitalism and create a better world.https://www.patreon.com/cocktailsandcapitalismFollow us on Instagram and TwitterSome episodes on YouTube. Subscribe & enjoy! Cheers!