S5: Episode 7 - Augusta, Georgia

Host Kevin Gosztola was in Augusta, Georgia, during the past week to cover a hearing in NSA contractor Reality Winner's case. It was his first time in the city, and he describes the setting as an unintentionally appropriate backdrop for the government's prosecution. So, host Rania Khalek interviewed him.

The downtown area is an example of what towns look like in late-stage capitalism. There are also several Confederate monuments (Gosztola talks about one that shocks Khalek.) Then, there is a Georgia Cyber Training And Innovation Center that will be a hub of private and public partnerships between security corporations and the U.S. security apparatus, including the NSA.

Gosztola also shares some of what he witnessed at the hearing, like how the Federal Justice Center is very fortified compared to other courthouses. He addresses the lack of national media coverage of what unfolded at her hearing to suppress statements she made to FBI agents.

Later in the show, Khalek and Gosztola highlight the teachers strike in West Virginia, which leads them to the closure of more black public schools in Chicago. That leads Khalek to wonder: why is Rahm Emanuel still Chicago mayor?