AMY GOODMAN: But, Congressmember Jim McGovern, a final question. You have a piece in The Guardian headlined “President Biden: stand up to Chevron and pardon Steven Donziger.” You’re joining Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Amazon Watch and some 50 groups in urging Biden to pardon the human rights lawyer who was targeted for prosecution by Chevron after he successfully sued the oil giant on behalf of 30,000 Amazonian Indigenous in Ecuador whose land was devastated by oil spills. But instead of paying up for its crimes in the Amazon, Chevron launched a retaliation campaign against Steve Donziger, who spent time in prison and three years under house arrest. This is Donziger on Democracy Now!

STEVEN DONZIGER: Chevron committed what is probably the world’s worst environmental crime ever by dumping — deliberately dumping — billions of gallons of toxic oil waste in Ecuador, decimating Indigenous groups, causing an outbreak of cancer. And rather than pay for a cleanup, they’ve spent billions of dollars to try to attack the lawyers who have tried to hold them accountable.

AMY GOODMAN: So, that’s Steve Donziger. Democratic Congressmember Jim McGovern, tell us what you’re calling for.

REP. JIM McGOVERN: I’m calling for a pardon for him, as well. Look, I visited Ecuador. I saw what Chevron did. It is disgusting. You know, we should be ashamed that an American corporation left such a devastating impact in the Amazon region. It is grotesque. And Donziger stood up for these people, who had no voice, got a judgment in their favor. And instead of paying up or coming to some sort of settlement, Chevron has spent countless millions and millions of dollars going after Steven Donziger and not helping a single person in Ecuador deal with what they left behind. We have to stand up to corporate excesses in this country. And I think if President Biden would pardon him, I think that would be a signal that maybe things are beginning to change, that maybe we have a system that can stand up to corporate greed and corporate excesses.

I should also just add, Amy, that, you know, Robert talked about the Rosenberg Foundation. Donziger’s family, his son, has actually been the beneficiary of some of the support from that foundation. And so, they’re doing some great things, and I want to thank Robert and his family for all that they do to help people, especially who come under attack by corporations like Chevron.

AMY GOODMAN: Yes, the Rosenberg Fund for Children helps children of those who have been incarcerated. Democratic Congressmember Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, joining us from the Cannon Rotunda in Washington, D.C.

Coming up next, Canadian activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis on the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Back in 30 seconds.

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AMY GOODMAN: Billie Holiday singing Lewis Allan’s anti-lynching anthem, “Strange Fruit.” Lewis Allan was the name — the actual name of Abel Meeropol, who’s the adopted father of our guest Robert Meeropol.