5 stars I was so excited when I found the hardcover edition of this book in the Goodwill Store because it’s a book I’d heard about and hoped to read at some point. Apparently, someone read it and thought to share it with someone else, and I was the lucky one to find it. If you think you know the full story of Donald Trump and his connections to Russia, you don’t. And if you think you’ll know everything by the end of this book, you still won’t (since much of it is still classified), but you’ll certainly know more. It’s a fascinating view into the investigations into Hillary Clinton’s emails and Trump’s relationship with Russia, specifically Putin, and Peter Strzok’s role in both. There were a couple of times he made me laugh, like when he said, “Historically, trying to get DOJ to prosecute mishandling of confidential-level information was like trying to persuade a fraternity house that spiked seltzer is a real drink.” And if you’re more attracted to ironic humor, there’s this: “The fact is that if Clinton’s email had been housed on a State Department system, it would have been less secure and probably much more vulnerable to hacking.” While describing FBI laptops which constantly dropped their secure connection the author states, "Chinese or Russian intelligence would have been hard-pressed to develop a more infuriating product." And this bit of sarcasm was priceless while describing his interrogation in Congress: “I learned some things—for instance, at least one congressman trained as a dentist believed that his profession conveyed an expertise in reading body language…” Overall, I found the book both discouraging and hopeful. I feel hopeful because he shed some light on what the FBI was doing when we couldn’t see anything and were convinced no one was doing was paying attention; it makes me think that perhaps that’s what’s happening now. And I’m comforted to know there are many people within the intelligence community who truly care and have honor. It’s depressing because there were so many times when people in positions of power were given the opportunity to demonstrate that honor and they failed, fearful of the potential personal repercussions. In fact, there’s one particularly depressing comment toward the end. Strzok reminisces about words from a former FBI mentor: “Understand that we don’t have a truly equal system of justice. Some crime is too complex, and with enough money and political clout, the bad guys can bury us, or just wait us out. Worse, with enough power, they can find ways to make the injustice legal. Don’t forget that.” It really is a great book for anyone who wants an inside look at this shameful period of US history and how the FBI worked diligently and tirelessly to do the right thing. Even if you are well-informed and have a decent understanding of current events (since 2016), you will find some of the gaps in your knowledge filled. May 12, 2022
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Elizabeth J ConnorWriter. Editor. Proofreader. Archives
September 2022
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