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Medea Benjamin

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Jodie Evans (born September 22, 1954) is an American political activist , author , and documentary film producer .

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68-590: Medea Benjamin (born Susan Benjamin on September 10, 1952) is an American political activist who, along with Jodie Evans and others, co-founded Code Pink . She also co-founded, along with her husband Kevin Danaher , the fair trade advocacy group Global Exchange . Benjamin was the Green Party nominee in the 2000 United States Senate election in California , running under the name Medea Susan Benjamin. Susan Benjamin

136-455: A 2023 article, The New York Times wrote that Evans was now a strong supporter of China and regards it as a defender of the oppressed and a model for economic growth without slavery or war. In 2021, Evans described Uyghurs as "terrorists". When asked if she had anything negative to say about China, Evans initially replied, "I can't, for the life of me, think of anything", but later said she had trouble using China’s phone-based payment apps. In

204-591: A March 2023 interview with the Chinese Communist Party tabloid Global Times , Evans stated that Americans "have been watching US propaganda, which drives hatred and fear around China." In a podcast for China Global Television Network , Evans stated "China took everyone out of poverty." She was married to Max Palevsky until his death on May 5, 2010. She currently lives in Venice, California . In 2017, Evans married tech entrepreneur Neville Roy Singham who

272-511: A daily protest at the hotel where President-elect Barack Obama was staying, and then visited Gaza to see the immediate effects of the bombing. She brought humanitarian aid and helped put together six other delegations to Gaza. She was one of the lead organizers of the Gaza Freedom March , where 1,350 people from dozens of countries came together in Cairo to try to march to Gaza. Benjamin criticized

340-579: A delegation of prisoners' family members to Guantanamo Naval Base prison camp in Cuba, demanding its closing. In 2007 as well, she continued to protest weekly outside the Justice Department concerning water boarding and indefinite detention, and called for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. She was arrested many times for protests in Congressional hearings. On October 31, 2009, Benjamin led

408-443: A government, assuming that they retain their seats which by convention is usually considered a prerequisite to serve in the cabinet. However, the consistency with which parties assuming power appoint shadow ministers into the actual roles in government varies widely depending on such things as jurisdiction, the traditions and practices of the party assuming government, the exact circumstances surrounding their assumption of power and even

476-424: A group of Code Pink protestors at a protest aimed at military families queued up for a White House Halloween Party hosted by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama . The event raised controversy when a Reuters News photo showing the protesters (dressed as wounded soldiers), including one identified as Benjamin, were described as "taunting" the children. In 2009, Benjamin began her efforts to bring attention to

544-419: A key part of the party's manifesto , and will be largely if not wholly implemented if the opposition party subsequently forms a government (especially if it wins an outright majority). In many jurisdictions, third parties (who are neither participant in the government nor in the official opposition) may also form their own parliamentary front benches of spokespersons; however, parliamentary standing orders on

612-459: A maid in a major Las Vegas hotel as a teenager—as her coworkers organized, she marched in favor of a living wage. Her CODEPINK protest actions include disrupting Sarah Palin 's speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention , and a 2009 protest in Santa Monica against Israeli cosmetics company Ahava . Upon returning from Afghanistan, she delivered signatures from women in that country and

680-617: A member of the International Socialist Organization , responded: Medea Benjamin ... and many other liberal and progressive leaders tell us that a Kerry regime "would be less dangerous" than Bush ... But, even if Kerry is "less dangerous", he will be more capable of wreaking havoc on Iraq, Palestine, Venezuela, abortion, gay rights, civil rights and unions if we sacrifice our political movement to getting behind him ... any movement that ever aims to win, must learn to stand up for itself precisely when it

748-604: A public fast in Islamabad in sympathy with alleged drone victims. In 2012, she authored Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control , published by OR Books , and toured the country speaking out against drone warfare. As part of Code Pink's mission, Benjamin helped organize many International Women's Day Marches and Mother's Day Calls for Peace, the latter to bring back the original intent of Mother's Day as women mobilizing against war. These included bringing women from war torn countries such as Iraq , Palestine and Afghanistan to

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816-539: A quote from Benjamin was published by the New York Times , which implied that she was calling for the arrest of those who destroyed property during the protests. Benjamin later clarified that, while she did not approve of the tactics of destroying property, she did not want the arrest of those responsible. Benjamin has been criticized by some Greens for her support for "Anybody But Bush" in 2004. Explaining why she supported this movement, she said that "maybe it's time for

884-629: A shadow cabinet is not compulsory or common, several shadow cabinets have been formed. In Hungary, a shadow cabinet under the leadership of Klára Dobrev was established by the strongest opposition party, the Democratic Coalition , for the first time, in 2022. In Japan, the term " Next Cabinet " was coined for the de facto shadow cabinet, though it has only been used by the Democratic Party of Japan and its successors. SDF Shadow Cabinet In 2024, Congressman Wiley Nickel proposed that

952-512: A sign that read "Build bridges not walls". She joined other activists on the 2024 Gaza freedom flotilla . During the 1990s, Benjamin focused on countering what she believed was un fair trade as promoted by the World Trade Organization . She participated in an anti-sweatshop movement , initiating campaigns against Nike and clothing companies such as the GAP. In 1999, Benjamin helped expose

1020-555: A speech on United States counterterrorism strategy given by John Brennan at the Woodrow Wilson Center , to ask about civilians casualties of US drone strikes in Pakistan , Somalia , and Yemen . In October 2012, she organized a 34-person delegation to Pakistan to protest U.S. drone warfare. While in Pakistan she allegedly met with drone victims, family members, lawyers, academics, women's groups, and Pakistani leaders, as well as

1088-417: Is also used. The shadow ministers' duties may give them considerable prominence in the party caucus hierarchy especially if it is a high-profile portfolio. Although the salary and benefits paid from the public treasury to shadow ministers remain the same as for a backbencher —they have no executive responsibilities, unlike cabinet ministers—some opposition parties provide an additional stipend in addition to

1156-672: Is darkest. Benjamin writes in The Huffington Post that the U.S. needs to end military interventionism and that the "U.S. military should close all foreign military bases and use our soldiers to protect us here at home." Benjamin also writes in The Huffington Post that the United States never had any "justification for invading Iraq", that there is no "justification for continuing the war in Afghanistan", and that in Pakistan,

1224-418: Is typically a stipulation that such funds must be used for official parliamentary business; however, within that restriction, parties can usually distribute the funds among their elected lawmakers as they see fit and thereby provide the money needed to staff and support shadow ministries. Members of a shadow cabinet may not necessarily be appointed to the corresponding Cabinet post if and when their party forms

1292-498: Is used because, while the role of the opposition is to oppose His Majesty's Government , it does not dispute the sovereign 's right to the throne and therefore the legitimacy of the government. However, in other countries that use the Westminster system, the opposition is known simply as the parliamentary opposition . In most Westminster systems , the leader of the opposition heads the shadow cabinet in person and directly shadows

1360-494: Is wrong." Benjamin responded by telling The Daily Beast , "If he had indeed made significant policy changes, I wasn't going to say anything. I would have preferred that option, but given that he didn't make those kind of changes I was looking for, I was glad to be given the opportunity to speak out." On July 21, 2016, Benjamin heckled Donald Trump 's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention with

1428-509: The 1992 U.S. presidential campaign of former California governor Jerry Brown . Evans co-founded the women's anti-war activist organization Code Pink with Medea Benjamin and others. She is the former board chair of Rainforest Action Network . In 2023, The New York Times published an article detailing the connections between her husband since 2017, Neville Roy Singham , and the Chinese Communist Party , stating that Evans

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1496-533: The 1999 Seattle WTO protests . In 2000, she helped a campaign to pressure Starbucks to carry fair trade coffee in all their cafes. In October 2000, Starbucks introduced whole bean Fair Trade Certified coffee at more than 2,300 stores. For 2001, Benjamin focused on California's energy crisis , assisting low-income ratepayers and small businesses. She headed a coalition of consumer , environmental , union and business leaders working for clean and affordable power under public control. In September 2003, Benjamin

1564-499: The 2004 Democratic National Convention and the 2004 Republican National Convention . On December 4, 2007, she was arrested by plainclothes police in Lahore , Pakistan , detained by the ISI for eight hours, and deported after protesting the house arrest of lawyers (including Aitzaz Ahsan ). In 2009, Benjamin joined the steering committee for the Gaza Freedom March . In February 2012, Benjamin

1632-657: The Cobb-LaMarche ticket. Benjamin has been married twice. Her second marriage is to activist Kevin Danaher . She has two daughters, Maya Danaher and Arlen Gomez, who respectively serve as treasurer and secretary of the Benjamin Fund, an organization for which she serves as president. Benjamin lives in Washington, D.C. , and in San Francisco. Jodie Evans Evans was a Democratic Party political activist who managed

1700-537: The U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan . The delegation made international headlines when they joined a caravan to Waziristan organized by prominent political leader and former Pakistani cricket captain Imran Khan , a staunch opponent of American involvement in Pakistan. (See CNN video, The New York Times , The Washington Post , Al Jazeera , the BBC , and over 100 major news outlet, 09/28 – October 14, 2012). She also organized

1768-808: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization , the World Health Organization , the Swedish International Development Agency , and the Institute for Food and Development Policy . In 1988, with her husband, Kevin Danaher , and Kirsten Moller, Benjamin co-founded the San Francisco-based Global Exchange , which advocates fair trade alternatives to what she describes as corporate globalization. In 2002, with Jodie Evans and others, she co-founded

1836-932: The Venezuelan Embassy in Washington . Benjamin said the group had the permission of the Maduro government to stay in the embassy. In 2010, she received the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Prize from the Fellowship of Reconciliation . In 2012, she won the Marjorie Kellogg National Peacemaker Award and the Thomas Merton Center Peace Award . Also in 2012, she was awarded the US Peace Prize "in recognition of her creative leadership on

1904-529: The War on Terror at the National Defense University on May 23, 2013. After Benjamin was removed for her actions, President Obama then went off script. "The voice of that woman is worth paying attention to," he said. "Obviously I do not agree with much of what she said. And obviously she wasn't listening to me and much of what I said. But these are tough issues. And the suggestion that we can gloss over them

1972-591: The conditions under which enlisted personnel served, and to speak out against the war, in Congress and at the United Nations , in 2003. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Liberty Tree . In 2000, Benjamin ran as a Green Party candidate challenging incumbent US Senator from California , Dianne Feinstein . She advocated a living wage , universal healthcare and delaying genetically engineered foods . During

2040-637: The feminist anti-war group Code Pink: Women for Peace , which advocated for an end to the Iraq War , the prevention of future wars, and social justice . Benjamin has been involved with the anti-war organization United for Peace and Justice . She later created the Occupation Watch Center in Baghdad (IOWC) to monitor the United States military, and the war's effect on civilian populations. Through this center, she brought U.S. military family members to see

2108-700: The New York Times claims has close ties to the Chinese Government. Evans is a member of a number of organizations and boards including: Shadow cabinet The shadow cabinet or shadow ministry is a feature of the Westminster system of government. It consists of a senior group of opposition spokespeople who, under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition , form an alternative cabinet to that of

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2176-614: The Progressive Democrats of America. In 2015, the Green Party created a shadow cabinet , naming Benjamin as the shadow Secretary of State. From 2002 to 2009, Benjamin engaged in numerous protests involving members of the Bush administration (Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ; President George W. Bush ; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ); Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki , and others. Benjamin engaged in protest actions at

2244-550: The U.S. to speak about their experiences. Between 2003 and 2010, Benjamin helped organized anti-war mass mobilizations in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. Benjamin organized the campaign Bring Our War Dollars Home, which fought to divert money from the Pentagon into social programs at home. During the 1999 anti-globalization movement protests against the WTO in Seattle ,

2312-473: The US to President Barack Obama asking him to send no new troops into the conflict there. In March, 2010, during a book signing by Karl Rove , she and other Code Pink members caused disruptions. At one point, Evans charged the stage towards Rove with a pair of handcuffs, declaring that she was making a citizen's arrest. On January 30, 2011, Evans was arrested for disruptive behavior at a Rancho Mirage hotel where she

2380-557: The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 , she created the Occupation Watch Center in Baghdad to monitor the United States military and the war's effect on civilian populations. Through this center she brought Iraqi women to the United States to speak about the occupation, organized delegations of U.S. military family members to see the conditions of their children serving in Iraq, and documented United States abuses, including at Abu Ghraib prison before

2448-659: The United States "drone attacks are only fueling the violence and creating more Osama bin Ladens ". Regarding the killing of bin Laden , she says "Let us not sink into a false sense of triumphalism in the wake of Bin Laden's passing." On March 3, 2014, Benjamin was arrested in Egypt . She had flown there en route to participating in a women's conference in the Palestinian territory of Gaza . Upon her arrival at Cairo International Airport , Benjamin

2516-675: The United States government for passing legislation to send Israel $ 3 billion in aid, lobbied Congress and sailed on the U.S. Flotilla to Gaza in November 2011. Days after Israel launched its Pillar of Defense operation targeting sites in Gaza during November 2012, Benjamin led a delegation to deliver medical supplies to the Shifa hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza. She also helped to organize an annual gathering in Washington, D.C., with

2584-438: The campaign, Benjamin and her Republican rival Tom Campbell participated in joint events, including a joint press conference, touting their opposition to Feinstein (but also disagreeing with each other on many issues). Benjamin garnered 99,716 votes, 74%, in the Green Party primary, and 326,828 votes, 3.08% of the general election total ballots. Since then she has remained active in the Green Party and has also supported efforts by

2652-460: The conference. Benjamin responded saying she was "uncomfortable" with many of the attendees but learned a lot and had nothing to apologize for. Peter Camejo claims that, at the 2004 Green Party of the United States national convention, a supermajority of members had voted for endorsing the Nader -Camejo ticket, but a conspiracy involving Benjamin caused a slight majority of delegates to instead endorse

2720-451: The effects of drone warfare , participating in demonstrations at United States bases where drones are piloted and at headquarters of drone manufacturers. On April 28, 2012, in Washington, D.C., she was responsible for organizing the first International Drone Summit with lawyers, scientists, academics, and activists to kick off an international campaign to rein in the use of drones in the U.S. and abroad. On April 30, 2012, Benjamin interrupted

2788-696: The embassy did not help Benjamin. In January 2019, in a Democracy Now! interview, Benjamin said she was against "US intervention in Venezuela" which had the potential to "create a civil war leading to tremendous violence". In April and May 2019 Benjamin was part of an "Embassy Protection Collective" formed by groups that include CodePink, Answer Coalition (led by Brian Becker), Poor Peoples Army (led by Cheri Honkala), People's Power Assembly (led by Sharon Black), Revolutionary Alliance (led by Al R Suarez) and Popular Resistance (led by Kevin Zeese/Dr. Flowers) which occupied

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2856-681: The front lines of the antiwar movement." In 2014, she received the Gandhi Peace Award from Promoting Enduring Peace "to honor her for her unyielding advocacy for social justice of more than 30 years". In 2003, the Los Angeles Times described her as "one of the high profile leaders" of the peace movement. In 2014, Benjamin attended the second annual New Horizon conference in Tehran , which hosted several fascists and Holocaust deniers. The Anti-Defamation League criticized Benjamin for attending

2924-544: The global climate crisis, where Evans was arrested on multiple occasions along with Fonda. She was an editor of the books Twilight of Empire: Responses to Occupation (2004) (Co-Editor) and Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism (2005) (Co-Editor). Jodie Evans was once critical of China's authoritarian government, making statements such as: "We demand China stop brutal repression of their women’s human rights defenders". In

2992-506: The government, and whose members shadow or mirror the positions of each individual member of the Cabinet. Their areas of responsibility, in parallel with the ruling party's ministries , may be referred to as a shadow portfolio . Members of a shadow cabinet have no executive power. It is the shadow cabinet's responsibility to scrutinise the policies and actions of the government, as well as to offer alternative policies. The shadow cabinet makes up

3060-530: The importance of the cabinet post in question. As well as being potential future ministers, some shadow ministers have held ministerial posts in the past. As a mark of discipline, shadow ministers are expected to speak within and not outside their portfolio areas. In the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, the major opposition party and specifically its shadow cabinet is called His (or Her) Majesty's Loyal Opposition . The adjective loyal

3128-612: The labor and environmental practices of United States multinationals in China. The ensuring Human Rights Principles for US Businesses in China have been endorsed by major companies such as Cisco , Intel , Reebok , Levi Strauss and Mattel . In 2006, Benjamin organized humanitarian aid for war refugees in Lebanon and spoke out against Israeli bombing. In 2008 during the Operation Cast Lead Israeli invasion of Gaza , she organized

3196-586: The majority of the Official Opposition frontbench , as part of frontbenchers to the parliament. Smaller opposition parties in Britain and Ireland have Frontbench Teams . In many countries, a member of the shadow cabinet is referred to as a shadow minister . In the United Kingdom's House of Lords and in New Zealand, the term spokesperson is used instead of shadow . In Canada, the term opposition critic

3264-778: The name sounded, and she had heard a feminist interpretation of the Greek tragedy suggesting that Medea had never killed her children and was only blamed for it by patriarchal traditions ". She also joined the Students for a Democratic Society . Later she dropped out of school and hitchhiked through Europe and Africa, teaching English classes to earn money. She later returned to the United States and received master's degrees in public health from Columbia University and in economics from The New School . Benjamin worked for ten years as an economist and nutritionist in Latin America and Africa for

3332-534: The objective of exposing the "negative influence" of the United States lobby group American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). In January 2018, it was announced that activists from 20 American groups, including Code Pink, were banned from entering Israel because of their support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The Algemeiner reported in April 2014 that Benjamin's charitable foundation, which

3400-563: The opposition party wants to merge or otherwise eliminate. While the practice of parliamentary shadow cabinets or frontbenches is not widespread in Germany, party leaders have often formed boards of experts and advisors ("teams of experts", or Kompetenzteam , in CDU/CSU and SPD parlance; alternate "top team", or Spitzenteam , in Bündnis '90/Die Grünen parlance). In France, although the formation of

3468-421: The party's shadow prime minister ) and is not necessarily expected to become prime minister if the opposition party assumes power. Some parliamentary parties, notably the Australian Labor Party , elect all the members of their shadow cabinets in a party room ballot, with the shadow prime minister then allocating portfolios to the shadow ministers. In other parliamentary parties, the membership and composition of

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3536-400: The people who voted for Bush in 2000, the people who didn't vote at all in 2000, and yes, people like myself who voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, to admit our mistakes. I'll say mine — I had no idea that George Bush would be such a disastrous president. Had I known then what I know now, and had I lived in a swing state, I would have voted for Gore instead of Ralph Nader. Todd Chretien,

3604-439: The prime minister, and the title of "shadow prime minister" is generally not used. Non-Westminster systems that have adopted a shadow cabinet system, however, typically designate its head as "shadow prime minister". Moreover, in these systems, the shadow prime minister is not necessarily coterminous with the leader of the opposition party (for example, in Czechia, ANO 2011 party leader Andrej Babiš designated Karel Havlíček as

3672-432: The problem of indentured servitude among garment workers in the United States territory of Saipan (the Marianas Islands), which led to a billion-dollar lawsuit against 17 United States retailers. In 1999, she produced the documentary Sweating for a T-Shirt about the sweatshop industry. During the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in December 1999, Benjamin's organization, Global Exchange , helped organize

3740-514: The right of parties to speak often dictate that it can only be granted to a party or group if a minimum number of members can be recorded by the party. In Ireland, for example, technical groups are often formed by third parties and independent TDs in the Dáil Éireann in order to increase the members' right to speak against larger parties which can afford the right to speak as front benches in government or opposition. Opposition parliamentary parties which are sufficiently small that they are about

3808-504: The salary they receive as legislators while many at least reimburse shadow ministers for any additional expenses incurred that are not otherwise eligible for reimbursement out of public funds. Moreover, in most Westminster-style legislative bodies all recognised parliamentary parties are granted a block of public funding to help their elected members carry out their duties, often in addition to the budgets individual legislators receive to pay for constituency offices and other such expenses. There

3876-454: The same size as the government cabinet will often appoint all of their elected members to their shadow cabinet or equivalent, with third parties more likely compared to official opposition parties to use this sort of arrangement. If the parliamentary party is only slightly larger than the government's cabinet, its leadership potentially faces the awkward position of embarrassing a small minority of legislators by singling them out for exclusion from

3944-414: The scandal involving it broke in the United States media. She also organized medical aid delegations to Iraq to civilians harmed by the United States military. She testified in Congress and the United Nations against the Iraq War . In 2005, she was involved in the Hammering Halliburton campaign which was concerned with the abuses of United States military contractors such as Halliburton , the goal of which

4012-419: The shadow cabinet is generally determined solely by the shadow prime minister. A related term is the shadow budget , which is often prepared by shadow cabinets (and, when released, usually presented by the shadow finance minister or equivalent) as an alternative to the real budget presented by the government. When prepared and released in an election year, an opposition party's shadow budget will typically form

4080-521: The shadow cabinet. On the other hand, incoming governments in the Westminster system often change the number and/or composition of ministries upon assuming office. Therefore, one solution to such an aforementioned issue when it occurs is to create nominal shadow "ministries" that correspond to currently nonexistent cabinet posts the party actually intends to create once in government. An opposition party can also employ this process in reverse by "merging" its shadow ministries to correspond to actual cabinet posts

4148-421: Was arrested and deported for illegal entry to Bahrain and her participation in an illegal protest. During 2005–2010, she worked to oppose United States threats of a possible impending war with Iran, including lobbying Congress, taking peace delegations to Iran, and bringing Iranian youth to Congress. Benjamin repeatedly interrupted a major speech by President Barack Obama regarding United States policy in

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4216-422: Was born September 10, 1952, daughter of Alvin and Rose Benjamin. She grew up in Freeport, New York , on Long Island , and is of Jewish descent. Her father, Alvin Benjamin (1920-2012), was a wealthy real estate developer, president of The Benjamin Companies. During her first year at Tufts University , she renamed herself after the Greek mythological character Medea . Samuel Moyn wrote that Benjamin "liked how

4284-431: Was critical of China's authoritarian government in 2015. Since 2017, 25% of Code Pink's funding has come from groups connected to Singham. Evans stated in 2023 that she now strongly supports China and regards it as a defender of the oppressed and a model for economic growth without slavery or war. Evans was born and raised in Las Vegas , Nevada . She first became interested in social justice activism when she worked as

4352-429: Was detained by airport police and held overnight, during which time she said she was assaulted by police officers, resulting in a broken arm and a dislocated shoulder. She was later deported to Turkey. Questions arose regarding the role of the United States Embassy in her detention, as embassy spokesman Mofid Deak said that Benjamin left the country following assistance from the embassy, while Code Pink's Alli McCracken said

4420-403: Was in Cancún , Mexico challenging the policies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in November, she was in Miami protesting the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) while trying to bring attention to global peace and economic justice movements. After several fact-finding visits to China, Benjamin co-sponsored with the International Labor Rights Fund an initiative to improve

4488-504: Was leading a protest against David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch over their financial support of part of the Tea Party Movement . She is the co-founder and president of the People’s Support Foundation, a non-profit which was established in 2017 with support of former staff of software company ThoughtWorks . In 2019, Evans joined actress and activist Jane Fonda in a series of weekly rallies and acts of civil disobedience, called Fire Drill Fridays, at Washington DC's Capitol to highlight

4556-432: Was to expose the awarding of corrupt no-bid contracts to corporations with close ties to the Bush administration . Along with this, Benjamin also exposed Blackwater Worldwide 's illegal activities, including protests at the headquarters of the International Association of War Contractors. She was arrested outside the home of Blackwater's CEO. In opposition to indefinite detention in Guantanamo , in 2007, Benjamin organized

4624-476: Was worth $ 12 million, had shareholdings in Caterpillar , a company targeted by the BDS movement, as well as the oil company Chevron and the tobacco conglomerate Phillip Morris . In November 2023, Benjamin conducted an ambush interview with US Senator Marco Rubio , and asked him if he would "call for a ceasefire in Gaza." Rubio responded "No I will not. On the contrary, … I want Israel to destroy every element of Hamas they can get their hands on." After

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