Foreign Agents: How Money Moves Power - Casey Michel in conversation with Jason Berry

The conversation centers on Casey Michel's book, which examines the history and impact of foreign lobbying in Washington, focusing on figures like Ivy Lee and Paul Manafort. Ivy Lee, considered the inventor of public relations, worked with dictators like Mussolini and Hitler, "laundering" their images for American consumption. Bob Dole's post-presidency career as a foreign lobbyist, representing figures like Oleg Deripaska and Jonas Savimbi, is discussed as normalizing the practice of former politicians becoming foreign agents. The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and its role in disclosing foreign influence is highlighted, along with concerns about the lack of transparency in think tank funding from foreign regimes. The discussion also touches on the role of universities accepting foreign donations and the implications for academic freedom and influence.