"This eye-opening account from journalist Michel examines the undue influence of domestic and foreign oligarchs in American politics... Readers will be outraged by the egregiousness of it all." —Publishers Weekly, starred

"A damning account of an unaccountable caste." —Kirkus Reviews

"In [United States of Oligarchy], which delves into the illicit world of dark money, Michel examines the barely hidden control of oligarchs in the United States... An excellent current events book for readers seeking to understand the threat foreign lobbyists pose to U.S. democracy." —Library Journal

"In searing detail and packed with revelatory (and relevant) history, United States of Oligarchy tackles the biggest political issue of our time—the poisonous concentration of wealth strangling American democracy. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand our present—or attempt to fix our future." —Garrett M. Graff, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Reached Toward the Sky

"This sharply written book offers a devastating critique of America’s contemporary descent into oligarchy. Casey Michel explains the facilitating circumstances through a series of fascinating historical vignettes and an incisive analysis of the key legal cases. If you want to understand how a handful of mega rich men came to dominate American politics this is the book to read." —Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution

"One of the best-written books on the threat to democracy that I've read. Michel isn't clickbaity-alarmist. Read this book, then give it to your crazy uncle who thinks everything is a conspiracy theory (but make sure he knows there's an index of citations)." —Kal Penn, national bestselling author of You Can't Be Serious

"Casey Michel has written the definitive account of America’s slide from democracy toward oligarchy. In this gripping and meticulously reported book, Michel connects the dots between Silicon Valley boardrooms, Gulf monarchies, Kremlin playbooks, and Washington politics. United States of Oligarchy shows how American billionaires have become global political actors, and how their alliances with authoritarian regimes threaten the foundations of U.S. democracy. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand power and corruption in the Trump era." —Tommy Vietor, co-host of Pod Save America

"After years of studying how foreign oligarchs have manipulated American democracy for profit and power, Casey Michel turns a cold eye on America's new oligarchs...Carefully researched and brilliantly scathing, a searing indictment of the monstrous selfishness and nihilism of this sector of America's ruling class."
—Katherine Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of Money, Lies, and God

"Oligarchy vs. democracy will be the defining battle of the 21st century. This book is indispensable for anyone who wants to grasp what is at stake with that battle. Engrossing, vivid, and lucid, it is a must read for anyone interested in the future of democracy in the United States and globally." —Gabriel Zucman, coauthor of The Triumph of Injustice

"Americans are battered daily by news that corporate profits and billionaire fortunes are up, corruption is breaking our government down, and families in the working and middle classes have little hope of getting ahead. Michel argues with great force that it all stems from the same fundamental struggle—a fight that pits the defenders of American democracy against the strangling power of corporate interests and the ultra-wealthy. It’s an urgent read based on real hope for a restoration of opportunity and democracy in America.” —Sen. Ron Wyden

"United States of Oligarchy is a must-read book to understand the role of global and domestic oligarchs in moving the U.S. toward authoritarianism. Scholarly, historically-grounded, and eminently readable, Michel chronicles the steady erosion of democratic norms and illuminates the playbook of globally-connected oligarchs as they undermine democratic self-governing republics." —Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies, author of Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power are Ruining Our Lives and Planet.

"With United States of Oligarchy, Michel does a genuine public service: unpicking and meticulously documenting every thread in the tangled web of oligarchic schemes that have led the US to its current status as a hot mess. He musters an impressive array of evidence to make the case that America’s richest men have repaid the country that made them prosperous by turning traitor. Not only have they betrayed the ancient social contract of noblesse oblige, but they have actively aligned themselves with the worst enemies of the US—people hell-bent on toppling democracy worldwide. Because many of the schemes and alliances are as absurd as they are sinister, it is difficult to write about them without sounding like a conspiracy theorist. This is where Michel’s rigorous, footnote-rich text really pays off: it keeps the book, along with its readers, grounded in the tangible reality of this horror show, and points to some ways out of it." —Brooke Harrington, author of Offshoring