Foreign Agents

How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World

By: Casey Michel

Narrated by: Joe Dwyer

A stunning investigation and indictment of a segment of the United States' foreign lobbying industry, and the threat to end democracy.

For years, one group of Americans has worked as foot-soldiers for the most authoritarian regimes around the planet. In the process, they've not only entrenched dictatorships and spread kleptocratic networks, but they've secretly guided U.S. policy without the rest of America even being aware. And now, some of them have begun turning their sights on American democracy itself.

These Americans are known as foreign lobbyists, and many of them spent years ushering dictatorships directly into the halls of Washington, all while laundering the reputations of the most heinous, repressive regimes in the process. These foreign lobbyists include figures like Ivy Lee, the inventor of the public relations industry—a man who whitewashed Mussolini, opened doors to the Soviets, and advised the Nazis on how to sway American audiences. They include people like Paul Manafort, who invented lobbying as we know it—and who then took his talents to autocrats from Ukraine to the Philippines, and then back to the White House. And they now include an increasing number of Americans elsewhere: in law firms and consultancies, among PR specialists and former lawmakers, and even within think tanks and universities.

In Foreign Agents, Casey Michel shines a light on these foreign lobbyists as some of them—after decades of installing dictators and corrupting American policy—embark on their next mission: to end America’s democratic experiment, once and for all.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2024 Casey Michel (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

Foreign Policy, Most Anticipated Books of 2024

"[A] masterful exposé.... Michel’s portrait of endemic corruption is disturbing; lobbying firms, he finds, do little more than serve as conduits for channeling foreign bribes to American officials. The result is a hard-hitting takedown of a cynical industry."—Publishers Weekly (starred)

"A timely exposé of American lobbyists who degrade democracy and weaken human rights. In the spirit of Progressive Era muckrakers, Michel reveals the shamelessness, venality, and moral turpitude of those who work to influence federal legislators and the public in order to advance antidemocratic foreign interests... A provocative and alarming account of the political cesspool known as foreign lobbying."—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"For years, foreign lobbyists have acted as key henchmen for dictators around the world, enriching and entrenching those regimes that much further. Now, Casey Michel shines much-needed light on these foreign lobbyists—and these enablers who are making it easier for despots around the world to expand their reach. Full of sordid tales and striking details, Foreign Agents shows how these foreign lobbyists are, in many ways, just as reprehensible as the dictators they represent—and maybe even more so."—Sir Bill Browder, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Notice and Freezing Order

Should be read by everyone

This book should be read by everyone, it contains important history which is extremely relevant to the world we live in.

An important book for our democracy!

This is an important book for all Americans to hear or read. Well written and well read, it continually amazes me to discover the lengths people will go on behalf of foreign entities. It’s scary!

Great book, excellent narration

Thought the author gave an entertaining, thorough overview of Foreign Agents, lobbying, Paul Manafort, FARA, and more. Joe Dwyer handled the narration well again (after his previous performance in American Kleptocracy).

If you think this topic is interesting/want to learn more, this book is worth a read!