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Casey Michel

Authors at the Library

Join Christopher Purdy in conversation with CASEY MICHEL about his new book, United States of Oligarchy.

Authors at the Library with

CASEY MICHEL

Monday, September 14 | 6 p.m.
Auditorium | Main Library | 96 S. Grant Ave.

5:30 p.m. | Seating opens, Book sale by Prologue
6:00 p.m. | Christopher Purdy In Conversation with CASEY MICHEL
6:45 p.m. | Audience Q&A
7:00 p.m. | Book sale and signing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CASEY MICHEL is an author, journalist, and director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program with the Human Rights Foundation. He is the author of American Kleptocracy, named by The Economist as one of the "best books to read to understand financial crime," and Foreign Agents, which received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and was described by Foreign Policy Magazine as one of the "biggest foreign-policy book releases of 2024."

His writing on offshoring, foreign lobbying, authoritarianism, and illicit wealth has appeared in The New York Times, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, and The Washington Post, among other outlets, and he has appeared on NPR, BBC, CNN, and MSNBC, among other stations. He has also testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the links between illicit financial networks and national security. He received his Master’s degree in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies from Columbia University’s Harriman Institute, and he is currently sanctioned by the Russian regime for his work. United States of Oligarchy is his third book.

ABOUT THE BOOK

For years, a small group of billionaires has amassed increasing power, steering American politics for their own benefit. Many of these figures are familiar. There’s Elon Musk, who has used his wealth to help place Donald Trump back in the White House. There’s Mark Zuckerberg, who has used his resources to transform America into his own digital playground. There’s Jared Kushner, who has used family connections to gain more political power than he ever dreamed of.

But these oligarchs are not working alone. From China to Russia to Saudi Arabia and beyond, many of these men have cultivated alliances with America’s most notorious adversaries, opening the doors for autocrats around the world to sink their teeth into the U.S. Placing profit over patriotism, they have transformed into vectors of influence for some of the world’s most repulsive dictatorships, all of whom are trying to create a world dominated by imperialism and tyranny. Connecting everything from the devastation in Ukraine to destruction in Gaza to destabilization in Greenland, these oligarchs have transformed American policy and American politics into their own private fiefdoms, regardless of what Americans actually want.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Christopher Purdy is the host of All Sides Weekends Books and Classical 101's early morning. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.

EVENT DETAILS

The event is free to the public but due to limited seating registration is requested.

Casey's books will be sold on site by Prologue Bookshop.

Parking available in Main Library's attached garage, while available.

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