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House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia
Craig Unger
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
'A bombshell.' Daily Mail
'Damning, terrifying and enraging.' The Spectator
'The story Unger weaves with his original reporting is fresh, illuminating and more alarming than the intelligence channel described in the Steele dossier.' The Washington Post
House of Trump, House of Putin offers the first comprehensive investigation into the THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
House of Trump, House of Putin offers the first comprehensive investigation into the decades-long relationship among Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Russian Mafia that ultimately helped win Trump the White House.
It is a chilling story that begins in the 1970s, when Trump made his first splash in the booming, money-drenched world of New York real estate, and ends with Trump's inauguration as president of the United States. That moment was the culmination of Vladimir Putin's long mission to undermine Western democracy, a mission that he and his hand-selected group of oligarchs and assosciates had ensnared Trump in, starting more than twenty years ago with the massive bailout of a string of sensational Trump hotel and casino failures in Atlantic City. This book confirms the most incredible American paranoias about Russian malevolence.
To most, it will be a hair-raising revelation that the Cold War did not end in 1991—that it merely evolved, with Trump's apartments offering the perfect vehicle for billions of dollars to leave the collapsing Soviet Union. In House of Trump, House of Putin, Craig Unger methodically traces the deep-rooted alliance between the highest echelons of American political operatives and the biggest players in the frightening underworld of the Russian Mafia. He traces Donald Trump's sordid ascent from foundering real estate tycoon to leader of the free world. He traces Russia's phoenixlike rise from the ashes of the post–Cold War Soviet Union as well as its ceaseless covert efforts to retaliate against the West and reclaim its status as a global superpower.
Without Trump, Russia would have lacked a key component in its attempts to return to imperial greatness. Without Russia, Trump would not be president. This essential book is crucial to understanding the real powers at play in the shadows of today's world. ...more
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Published August 14th 2018 by Bantam Press
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Sep 09, 2018 Bill Kerwin rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: history, politics
If you are a Trump/Russia nut like I am, a lot of the stuff Unger writes about in House of Trump, House of Putin is stuff you have heard before. Still, I must give him credit: because of his meticulous, detailed reporting, at least one tantalizing, largely-ignored passage in the Steele Dossier is clearer to me now than it was before I read his book. So I guess I won't have to email Rachel Maddow after all.
The Dossier passage which fascinates me so is this:
. . . in terms of established
. . . in terms of established operational liaison between the TRUMP team and the Kremlin, the [Russian] emigre [a Trump associate and confidential source] confirmed that an intelligence exchange had been running between them for at least 8 years. Within this context PUTIN'S priority requirement had been for intelligence on the activities, business and otherwise, in the US of leading Russian oligarchs and their families. TRUMP and his associates duly had obtained and supplied the Kremlin with this information.
The implications are clear. As early as 2008, intelligence was flowing between Putin and Trump, but it was flowing mostly from Trump to Putin—information about the oligarchs and their families, who they were associating with, how and where they were laundering their money. Now the question I want to know is this: exactly how—and from whom—was Putin receiving his "Trumped up" information?
The answers are hinted at in Unger's chapters 12–14: "International Man of Mystery," "Bayrock," and "Moth, Flame." It tells the story of two development companies, Bayrock Group LLC and the Sapir Organization, owned by emigres from the Soviet Union, that in the early years of the 21st century made the debt-enmired Trump an offer he couldn't refuse: they would finance major real estate projects, slap Trump's name above the front entrance, and give the Donald 18% of the equity in return. The key figure in all of this was Michael Cohen's boyhood pal, Felix Sater, the 21st Century version of Eric Ambler's Dimitrios Makropoulos:
One of the most enigmatic figures in the entire Trump-Russia saga, Sater was Bayrock's international man of mystery. A stocky olive-complexioned, Porsche-driving super salesman straight out of Glengarry Glen Ross who was always on, pushing a pump-and dump scam, or going undercover for the CIA, the DIA, the FBI—whomever to try to buy Stinger missiles from al-Quaeda or undertake other mind-boggling feats of derring-do.
From his earliest years, Slater was connected. His father Mikail was a member of the Mogalevich syndicate ("Brainy Don" Semion Mogalevich, notorious for his money-laundering expertise), an associate of the Genovese crime family, and a client of Trump's mentor and lawyer Roy Cohn.
Felix could get you anything you wanted: a chance to sit behind Putin's desk in the Kremlin (if you are the young Ivanka) or the cell phone number of Osama Bin Laden (if you are the CIA.) He could get away with anything he chose: he was so valuable to the FBI that he was known as "another Whitey Bulger," that is, an informant who is permitted to literally get away with murder. And he would work with absolutely anybody: the Italian mob, the Russian Mafya, the FBI, Donald Trump, even Putin himself. If anyone could find out where all the oligarch's were parking their money, it was Felix Sater. And his Bayrock office was conveniently located too: on the twenty-fourth floor of Trump Tower.
Sater may be one of the most remarkable emigres associated with the Trump/Russia saga, but he is only one of many. (See appendix at the end of the Unger book: "Trump's Fifty-Nine Russian Connections.") Unger introduces us to all of them, from the '70's Brighton Beach Mafya boss Evsei Agron and his murderer and successor Marat Balagula (both of whom kept an office in the El Caribe Country Club, owned by Michael Cohen's Uncle Morty); to David Bogatin, mastermind of the "Red Daisy" gas-tax scam, who in 1984 bought a six million dollar apartment in Trump Tower, becoming the first Russian gangster to buy a share in a building which Unger describes as "a cathedral of money laundering"; and to Alimzhan "the Little Taiwanese" Tokhatakhounov who tried to fix the 2002 Winter Olympics and was later busted for operating a gambling ring out of his Trump Tower apartment in 2013. And of course let's not forget "Red Sparrow" Mariia Butina of the NRA, or the celebrated Trump Tower Meeting trio of lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya (admitted Putin informant), lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin (expert hacker, formerly Russian military intelligence), and Aglarov real estate rep Irakly "Ike" Kevelazde (money laundering expert).
One of the things I found valuable about House of Trump, House of Putin is that Unger makes clear—if such a thing can be made clear—what a strange, amorphous organism Russian/Ukrainian organized crime can be: equal parts legitimate business and human trafficking, government influence and illegal money laundering, threats of blackmail whispered in darkness and bold murder on the daytime streets.
When I was halfway through the book, I began to wonder: does Putin pull Trump's strings, or has the Mafya been manipulating Donald the Marionette for years? Then I read a little further, exploring the chapters on Putin's ruthless rise and his unscrupulous methods for maintaining control, and I decided that, in Putin's Russia, when you compare the government to organized crime, they are so intertwined, so equally vicious, that there isn't a helluva lot of difference. ...more
Sep 19, 2018 David Katzman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
So now it's clear that Mueller found enough evidence for obstruction of justice that Trump can and should be impeached. He found enough to indicate collusion with the campaign as well, but not enough to make a criminal charge for conspiracy. That merely means he didn't FIND the evidence, not that it didn't occur. I think there is still more to come out, and I'm hopefully that impeachment proceedings will begin and a RICO charge will be filed against the Trump Enterprise in Southern District of So now it's clear that Mueller found enough evidence for obstruction of justice that Trump can and should be impeached. He found enough to indicate collusion with the campaign as well, but not enough to make a criminal charge for conspiracy. That merely means he didn't FIND the evidence, not that it didn't occur. I think there is still more to come out, and I'm hopefully that impeachment proceedings will begin and a RICO charge will be filed against the Trump Enterprise in Southern District of NY.
I found a link to an interview with Craig Unger on Youtube that highlights much great detail from this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIn2L...
This is the most terrifying horror story that you will ever read. To know that the U.S. has elected a President who is utterly beholding to Putin and Russian interests and is also not just a criminal in his policies but literally A CRIMINAL in the traditional sense of the word. Not as a metaphor. Not in the sense of of lying or obstruction of justice nor even in the sense of collusion with a foreign country. But as an active partner with the Russian mafia. Trump is essentially a Russian mafia asset. If you read this book, you will leave with little doubts that he is a made man.
I've believed Trump was a criminal, in a general way, for a while. I was already aware that he had illegal business practices as, for example, demonstrated by the recent lawsuit in NYC against his charitable foundation, which has alleged that he used the foundation as a checkbook for non-charitable purposes. On the flipside, I also knew, in a general way, that Russian oligarchs had plundered Russia when the Soviet Union fell, although I didn't fully comprehend what that meant. And I knew that Putin suppressed human rights and freedom of the press. House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia reveals the details of the criminality that connects these two in ways that are both shocking and sickening.
More than half of this book is focused on the development of Putin's power, his government, and the ways in which it interacts with the world. Did you know that Putin is reputed to be the richest man in the world? His estimated worth is roughly $200 billion. Did you know that he made many of his friends into billionaires? Almost all the current oligarchs "bought" companies from the government after the fall of communism for what were essentially pennies on the dollar value. They would pay a few million dollars for a billion-dollar company. They were sold natural gas for a fraction of the actual value by the government that they then sold to the rest of the world at an outrageous profit. They were simply made rich because they supported Putin. They plundered and continue to plunder all the natural resources Russia has at the direction of Putin.
One of the most shocking revelations for me about Russia is that even more than Russia being a kleptocracy by stealing the country's wealth for a handful of individuals including its President, it is also a literal criminal enterprise. The Russian mafia is a division of the FSB (the current name for the former KGB). And Putin is its boss. He's the don of the Russian mafia, and the President of the country, and the head of the FSB and the master of the oligarchs. The one to rule them all. The Russian mafia deals in the usual criminal enterprises—selling guns and drugs, extortion, and prostitution and human trafficking. And further, the Russian mafia has now diversified into white collar crime. They run companies that engage in real businesses, such as energy trading, but while doing so they perpetrate every scam you can name including cheating taxes, skimming profits and more. They have skillfully blended corporate institutions with organized crime tactics.
Unger outlines the evolution of the Russian mafia and its relationship with Putin and other oligarchs both internationally and in the United States. Brighton Beach New York is a center of Russian organized crime in the U.S. Interestingly, they have frequently teamed up with Italian mafia characters on diverse financial scams, such as skimming tax money from hundreds of gas stations.
Now how does this connect with Trump? Repeatedly. Frequently. Constantly. Here are some highlights of the numerous connections. Trump was bankrupt after his Atlantic casino failed in the 1980s. He was in huge debt and no reputable banks in the U.S. would loan to him. He was on the brink of complete failure. Then Russian oligarchs and Russian mafia connected figures began to rebuild his wealth. How? They developed a simple symbiotic relationship with him. They made him wealthy again, and he laundered their criminal wealth. The oligarchs want to get their money out of Russia, since that economy was a field for plunder but not a reliable source to maintain wealth, and Trump real estate properties helped them launder it.
Many shady practices have surrounded Trump properties. For example, a group of Russian mafia figures were running a sports-betting corporation out of Trump tower until they were eventually arrested. They had bought an entire floor. The overarching key point to be aware of is that roughly 1/3 of Trump's wealth, after his casino collapse, came directly from Russian oligarchs and other Russian figures buying Trump condo units and properties—usually through untraceable LLCs. And that doesn't even account for his properties in other countries, where the author has no access to financial records. It's quite likely that an even larger percentage of his wealth came directly from Russian oligarchs. And beyond Russians buying properties in his towers to launder their money, he actually partnered with a company called Bayrock (that is now defunct due to diverse legal issues), that was run by Russian-oligarch connected individuals to develop Trump-branded properties. Bayrock would finance the properties (likely with Russian or Ukrainian sourced funds) then arrange for all the construction and development. Trump made money from sales by licensing Bayrock his name. Through his partnership with Bayrock, Russia was funneling money to make Trump wealthy again (with Trump himself having to do next to nothing) and simultaneously creating properties to launder more Russian wealth.
As former KGB operatives have told Unger, the Russian government is constantly seeking political assets in other countries. They also seek to destabilize democratic institutions and global partnerships, such as between the U.S and the EU. Chaos and right-wing regimes provide Russian criminal enterprises more opportunities to make money, and they weaken criticism and opposition to his regime. So grooming Trump to do Putin's bidding would be a no-brainer for the FSB ever since they discovered he was a great tool for money laundering.
Unger presents the story of numerous oligarch and mafia connected figures who have connections to Trump in diverse ways, beyond the money laundering. In fact, he carefully itemizes nearly 60 individuals with Russian mafia and oligarch connections who have had relationships with Trump ever since the 1980s. One fact that surprised me—Trump had Presidential aspirations that date back to that time. The Russians had long term plans to build him up and groom him as both a financial and political asset.
Regarding the question of whether Russia has "kompromat" on Trump. Unger provides some interesting background. Per his interviews with former KGB agents, they explained that developing kompromat on potential assets is common practice. It is one of the many tools that the Russian secret service leverage to achieve their ends. They are trained in getting it. Trump's first trip to Russia was planned by Intourist, a department of the FSB. He has unaccounted for days in his Miss Universe trip. He's a womanizer. What do you think?
I want to reiterate some key point. Russia is a criminal state. The Russian mafia is a division of the Russian government. Putin is the head of Russian mafia. He can grant support to criminal enterprises or summarily withdraw it and have a billionaire thrown in prison or killed. Trump pursues goals that align with Russian interests, such as destabilizing the U.S./E.U. partnership. Trump has facilitated billions and billions of dollars of money laundering by Russia oligarchs and other shady Russian mafia connected figures. He's even partnered directly with them through Bayrock. Regardless of whether Putin has kompromat on Trump, it hardly matters. They made him a billionaire after his wealth collapsed. Of course he's a Russian asset. They own him.
House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia is thoroughly and compellingly argued. Unger outlines the case in arresting and irresistible fashion. This is high drama and high treason. I wish every citizen would read this book. ...more
Sep 03, 2018 Steven Z. rated it really liked it · review of another edition
When I began reading Craig Unger's new book HOUSE OF TRUMP HOUSE OF PUTIN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF DONALD TRUMP AND THE RUSSIAN MAFIA, I did so with great anticipation. Unger's previous monographs, HOUSE OF SAUD HOUSE OF BUSH and THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BUSH immediately captured my interest and developed themes that were strongly supported by documentary evidence and interviews. In his newest effort, Unger has not totally measured up to preceding works. First, if one has followed the news the last When I began reading Craig Unger's new book HOUSE OF TRUMP HOUSE OF PUTIN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF DONALD TRUMP AND THE RUSSIAN MAFIA, I did so with great anticipation. Unger's previous monographs, HOUSE OF SAUD HOUSE OF BUSH and THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF BUSH immediately captured my interest and developed themes that were strongly supported by documentary evidence and interviews. In his newest effort, Unger has not totally measured up to preceding works. First, if one has followed the news the last twelve months the material should be very familiar especially if one thinks about news accounts on cable television, newspaper articles, and exposes in magazines like The Atlantic. Second, a good part of the book reads like excerpts from a Russian version of "Goodfellahs," as Unger describes the development of Russian mob influence and wealth accumulation following the fall of the Berlin Wall, and tries to link Donald Trump to every Russian oligarch he has come across. Third, the book promises to deliver the untold story of the Trump-Putin relationship, but it seems to rehash what is already in plain sight in the media. Lastly, the book's focus is predominantly about the spread of the Russian mob, the rise of Putin and the Russian autocrat's strategy to undermine the west, and though it presents a strong case for the Trump-Russian nexus Unger could have developed this component in greater depth.
Unger's goal as outlined in his introduction is very bold and I thought that I was about to read a book that would replace Michael Isikoff's and David Corn's RUSSIAN ROULETTE as the preeminent work on Trump and his Russian connection. Unger states he will tie Trump to 59 individuals with alleged ties to the Russian Mafia; the use of Trump's brand to launder billions of Russian mob money; Trump's providing an operational home to Russian oligarchs in Trump Tower; the significant role the Russian Mafia plays in the Russian government; Russian intelligence targeting of Trump as a possible source for over forty years; how the Russian mob used American groups such as K Street lobbyists to gain influence and intelligence; how Russia took advantage of Trump's $4 billion debt to coopt him, whether willingly or unwillingly; a description of Trumps relationship with Russian mobsters like Felix Sater; and how Trump became an intelligence "asset" for the Russians. This is quite an undertaking, a puzzle whose pieces do not always seem to fit, resulting in a narrative that too often does not make a concrete case. Everything Unger states may be accurate, but he does not present his arguments without raising a certain amount of doubt. In Unger's defense, at this point it would difficult for any author to write the definitive account of the Trump-Putin/Russian relationship.
Unger develops his narrative on two parallel tracks. First, he describes the development of the Russia Mafia (or Mob) and how they have made inroads in the United States and countries abroad. He correctly points to the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in a 1974 Congressional Trade bill that called for allowing hundreds of thousands of Jews to leave Russia. In doing so, the Kremlin let out many Jews, but also many criminals, rapists, and other unsavory characters. Many of these Jews and their lesser types migrated to the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn and set up the "new Odessa" as they turned the neighborhood into a Russian enclave. This provided an area for the Russian Mafia to dominate, set up businesses to launder money, and carry out extortion and other nefarious activities. Unger goes on describe how the Russian Mafia plundered and came to control much of their country's resources and corporations after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and followed the trajectory of Vladimir Putin's career. Unger will detail the actions taken by numerous individuals like Semion Mogilevich, the "brainy don" of the Russian mob, worth billions derived from illicit trade in weapons, women etc. and Serge Mikhalov, the head of the biggest crime gang in Russia, and how their relationships with Putin, who employed his own cunning, and manipulation of earlier politicians allowed him to develop his own personal kleptocracy.
The second track follows Donald Trump's career dating back into the early 1980s when he was a target of interest for Soviet intelligence. The story is a familiar one as Unger takes us through Trump's trips to Moscow in the mid-eighties and nineties as he tries to put together a deal for a Trump Tower in Moscow. Unger describes how Trump went from debt of $4 billion due to the collapse of his casino empire in Atlantic City to solvency as he learned to trade on his name, and brilliantly made his own name a trademark that Russian oligarchs seem to crave in business deals and high rise condos (a problem in that it provided the Russian mob a place to launder about $1.5 billion as they used shell companies to pay for condo apartments throughout Trump's real estate empire). Trumps relationships with men like Felix Sater and others comes to the fore as more and more Trump develops relationships with Russian oligarchs for investment capital, and business projects. The author tries to unscramble the web of relations surrounding Russian oligarchs and mobsters with ties to Putin and Trump throughout the book, and in many cases the links are solid, and in other cases less so, but the arcane world he is describing is really difficult to totally nail down. Unger will then take these two tracks which encompasses about two thirds the book and turns to their nexus - how the Russians used their investment in Trump to interfere in the 2016 election, and reap the rewards of a Trump presidency.
Perhaps in Unger's strongest presentation he develops the concept of non-linear warfare as a Russian strategy to overturn western gains that included moving the Ukraine closer to the European Union. For Putin, this was a red line that could not be allowed. The key to this new approach as put forth by Vladislav Surkov and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia was to create a false reality consisting of fake news and alternative facts for both within and without Russia. Putin and his cohorts set out to destroy the truth and create a never ending conflict about perception that helped the Russian autocrat to control and manage his country. Hybrid warfare and active measures were employed to weaken the U.S., Britain, NATO, and the European Union and roll back the gains they had made since the Cold War. Money would be poured into pro-Russian parties in former Soviet states, as well supporting right wing candidates in the U.S. and Western Europe who wanted to dismantle the Western Alliance. There were spies, hackers, and informational soldiers who carried out sophisticated attacks on social media. The Russian Mafia was just one weapon in Russia's arsenal.
Once the strategy was developed Russian intelligence zeroed in on Donald Trump who had years before established a relationship with the Russian mob. The story of how Trump's candidacy announced in June, 2015 gave Putin his candidate and allowed him to wreak the benefits of his penetration of K Street, white collar law firms, the Republican political establishment, and former justice and senatorial figures has been told elsewhere and Unger may strengthen details, but the overall storyline remains the same. The Russian cyber warfare campaign against the U.S. and Hillary Clinton is now well known, but at the time the government did not seem to have a full grasp of what was actually occurring.
Unger digs deep into the June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower, analyzing who participated, and what agendas they represented. It is clear that the Trump campaign was now in bed with the Russians, even if the Trump people did not realize how deep, or maybe they did. Meetings between Trump officials and Russian diplomats and intelligence operatives abound in Unger's account, as do the role of leaked emails receiving undo attention as opposed to warnings of Russian hacking and penetration of the American electoral process. As disconcerting as Unger's account is, we will have to wait until the Mueller investigations concludes to learn the truth.
In summation, Unger has done prodigious research into what is available, but much of what he uncovers is not new. However, he has done a service by unraveling the role of Russian organized crime, the Putin regime, and its links to Donald Trump and his circle. ...more
Aug 20, 2018 Mike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
There is nothing light-hearted about this book; it is frighteningly serious. If you want a giggle about the US Pres, well, there's Unhinged, Everything Trump Touches Dies, and several other more or less serious entries. This book will scare you shitless if you live anywhere in the so-called Western world. Unger paints Russia as basically a country controlled by organized crime lords (Oligarchs, if you like) with Putin being the capo di tutti capi and the richest man in the world (circa 200 There is nothing light-hearted about this book; it is frighteningly serious. If you want a giggle about the US Pres, well, there's Unhinged, Everything Trump Touches Dies, and several other more or less serious entries. This book will scare you shitless if you live anywhere in the so-called Western world. Unger paints Russia as basically a country controlled by organized crime lords (Oligarchs, if you like) with Putin being the capo di tutti capi and the richest man in the world (circa 200 billion!)...oh, and maybe a pedophile.
Putin's aim is clearly to "conquer" the west and as such has useful idiots in virtually all countries working toward that end...Trump, Marine Le Pin from France, Viktor Orban from Hungary, Conte from Italy, etc. There is no doubt that Trump is deeply involved with the Russians and has been for decades. This review may sound paranoid as hell but you definitely will not be thinking that after reading this very scary book. ...more
Jan 16, 2019 Elizabeth A.G. rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Craig Unger convincingly presents the frightening manipulations, lies, conspiracies, murders, greed, foreign incursions by Putin and his oligarchs, and the spread of the Russian mafia into Europe and the U.S. in order to expand the power base and return Russia to what Putin views as the rightful restoration of its past glory and importance in the world. The Russian connections to power brokers and politicians point to collusions on all levels, including to Mr. Trump, wittingly or unwittingly, Craig Unger convincingly presents the frightening manipulations, lies, conspiracies, murders, greed, foreign incursions by Putin and his oligarchs, and the spread of the Russian mafia into Europe and the U.S. in order to expand the power base and return Russia to what Putin views as the rightful restoration of its past glory and importance in the world. The Russian connections to power brokers and politicians point to collusions on all levels, including to Mr. Trump, wittingly or unwittingly, and enhance the ultimate goal of Putin to sabotage Western democracy.
Mr. Unger describes the ascent of both Putin and Trump and the ensuing entanglements are mind boggling. Some reviewers of the book have stated that much of the information Unger provides is already known and taken from other sources--that may be (Unger has supplied a long list of his sources) but for those who may not know the backgrounds and inter-relationships of all the players, this is an enlightening read. There are some caveats that I noticed in the writing wherein Mr. Unger cannot be definitive in some of the allegations and uses the word "likely" to describe Trump interactions..."Trump has allowed Trump-branded real estate to be used as a vehicle that likely served to launder enormous amounts of money..." and "...the Russian Mafia has likely been a de facto state actor serving the Russian Federation..." and ...Trump...was likely the subject of ... operations that produced kompromat (comprising materials) on him regarding sexual activities." So, there are some questions remaining about how knowingly involved Trump was in some events; but as Mr. Unger's investigations indicate, there are more provable involvements about his connections dating back 40 years.
We all await the results of the Mueller investigation!
Jan 09, 2019 Louise rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: russia-bio-hist, us-politics, presidents-and-spouses
I'm glad I'm not taking a test on the "House of Putin" part of this book. There is name after name, crime after crime, outrage after outrage. The sums of money are huge. The author makes it clear at the start of the book, Trump's Russian connections have been public for years. The result is that regardng The"House of Trump", I could pass the test without reading the book... it's all been published before.
The Putin part seems to be there to show the extent of Russian corruption. It shows how I'm glad I'm not taking a test on the "House of Putin" part of this book. There is name after name, crime after crime, outrage after outrage. The sums of money are huge. The author makes it clear at the start of the book, Trump's Russian connections have been public for years. The result is that regardng The"House of Trump", I could pass the test without reading the book... it's all been published before.
The Putin part seems to be there to show the extent of Russian corruption. It shows how Putin, by essentially being a non-entity rose through the chaos that followed communism. There are episodes on the individuals who were able to capture Russia's resources; Putin's undermining the west and the fate of activists and journalists.
There is little new on Trump, other than a hint that Trump's connections go back to his first wife Ivanna. Her father was under surveillance in Russian controlled Czechoslovakia, making the family's foreign travel highly unusual. Besides re-telling the Trump-Russia story, noting at which steps Russia's investments increased, Unger documents the extent of Putin's purchase of influence in the US through paying lobbyists, lawyers and consultants. Putin's contributions go to (mostly Republican) campaign funds often made through Russians that have US citizenship.
At the end, there is an annotated list of primary Trump-Russia connections. There are some photos. The material is well documented.
In general, the book contains too much information to digest on the individuals in the Russian Mafia and a rehash of people and events leading to the Trump presidency. ...more
Aug 19, 2018 Mary Abbott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Frightening!
It's taking me longer than usual to write a review because I am speechless! I fear for Mr Unger's life with this book's release. Putin and his murderous thugs will find a way for him to have an accident.
Sep 03, 2018 Mirek Jasinski rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: non-fiction, fraud, russia, politics, us
I have found no new information for me, as I have followed the story closely over the years. The book is a good read, though, and might be an eye-opener to somebody who does not know much about the situation in Russia.
Aug 22, 2018 Robert A. Yaffee, Ph.D. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Craig Unger, in his "House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia presents a thesis as to how Donald Trump was compromised by Russian money laundering after having been followed by the Checkoslovakian STB, and later evaluated, targeted, and cultivated by Russians. The book is well researched, written, and replete with the scholarly documentation. Unger's approach focuses on the evolution of the personal connections and mob networks of Donald Trump and Craig Unger, in his "House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia presents a thesis as to how Donald Trump was compromised by Russian money laundering after having been followed by the Checkoslovakian STB, and later evaluated, targeted, and cultivated by Russians. The book is well researched, written, and replete with the scholarly documentation. Unger's approach focuses on the evolution of the personal connections and mob networks of Donald Trump and his real estate business; it also focuses on their links to Russia, it's "near-abroad", Brighten Beach, Israel, and New York since the Rise of Vladimir Putin. It provides an invaluable perspective of how Donald Trump ran for President.
To understand the political forces within Russia that gave rise to Putin, Ambassador Michael McFaul's From Cold War to Hot Peace (2017) is an excellent analysis.
Luke Harding's book, "Collusion: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia helped Trump Win (2017) is a superb treatment of a conspiratorial thriller. In the same genre to explain Trump's run for President, Michael Issikoff and David Corn's Russian Roulette (2017) is a similarly exciting work. Malcolm Nance's (2018) The Plot to Destroy Democracy and 2016 The Plot to Hack America yield a slightly more scholarly presentation of the background and development a Putin covert strategy to re-establish Russian dominance in world affairs vis-a-vis the West.
Gen. Michael Hayden's The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies, and James R. Clapper's (2018) Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life of Intelligence (2018), provide essential critiques of Trump's organization and naive approaches to comprehend the challenges facing U.S. intelligence during recent years. Both of these books are more analytical treatments of the contemporary political situation in the U.S..
All of these works help to explain Putin's covert hybrid warfare waged against the 27 Western Democracies, in a endeavor to re-establish the pre-eminence of Russia in world affairs by overwhelming the influence of NATO and its member states. To understand what happened in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, all of these works deserve a place on the required reading list. Both former Director of National Intelligence and Craig Unger believe that Putin succeeded in effectively swaying enough of the vote to give Trump the electoral victor because it only took about 78,000 votes in three swing states, each of which was targeted by Russian active measures, to make that difference.
There are some educational implications. We will have to teach critical analysis in school. It may have to include studies of ontology and epistemology so our students develop the ability to apply a modicum of healthy skepticism, logic, and rationality in order to identify propaganda projected through information warfare. Youngsters will have to become sensitive to purveyers of inconsistency, exaggeration, hyperbole, mendacity, and frequent repetition of fallacies and falsehoods devoid of proper substantiation. Observation, measurement, testing, consistency, criterion validation, and replicability should be taught as the criteria of reality. Students should learn to be wary of salesman inclined to do use oversimplified stereotypical branding to mobilize a tyranny of fatuous partisan conformity. They will have to learn how to challenge such progenitors of political snake-oil to a civil debate. Rational and civil public debate should be used for conflict resolution rather than immature duels of honor around the corner at the OK Corral.
There are political implications as well. We need to recognize that our system of elections is in serious need of periodic upgrading to fortify it against partisan gerrymandering, floods of dark money, and institutionalized bribery through legal loopholes allowing layered shell corporations to funnel unlimited funds to candidates from other countries (as provided for in the Citizens United vs. FEC (2010) majority opinion). Without such reforms we will be plagued with a flawed election system that will be targeted by other adversaries seeking to undermine governmental legitimacy in our polity. ...more
Sep 14, 2018 Kusaimamekirai rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Americans at this present moment in time can seemingly find little to agree on. One area of consensus however is that there are a glut of books about Donald Trump flooding the shelves. Most explore his presidency but few seemingly have looked at his formative years before assuming office. Craig Unger's "House of Trump, House of Putin" fills that void. It is a parallel biography of two very different men both in background and temperament, who through a complex web of intermediaries, Americans at this present moment in time can seemingly find little to agree on. One area of consensus however is that there are a glut of books about Donald Trump flooding the shelves. Most explore his presidency but few seemingly have looked at his formative years before assuming office. Craig Unger's "House of Trump, House of Putin" fills that void. It is a parallel biography of two very different men both in background and temperament, who through a complex web of intermediaries, celebrities, and mobsters, forged a mutually beneficial relationship over the years that culminated in Trump becoming president.
What is particularly striking in this book is the sheer number of unsavory Russian and Ukrainian connections that circle the Trump orbit. From Paul Manafort to Jared Kushner to Michael Cohen and Michael Flynn to Felix Sater and Trump's children, no figure no matter how tangental to Trump seems to be immune from some significant connection to Russia. That Trump would spend the majority of the last campaign claiming he had no ties to Russia is, as the reader goes deeper and deeper into the tangled webs of links, exposed as perhaps the most baldfaced lie of all his baldfaced lies. One could even skip the 300 pages where Unger chronicles the first Russian mobster to buy an apartment in Trump Tower (the first of many that would lead to Trump properties essentially being a money laundering entity for the Russian mafia that, if Trump was not intimately involved, at the very least turned a blind eye to the millions of Russian dollars that propped up his businesses) and skip to the appendix where Unger succinctly lists 59(!) major underworld and political figures with links to Donald Trump.
While he lays out some compelling evidence to suggest it, Unger stops short of openly accusing Trump of being beholden to Vladimir Putin. When he lacks definitive evidence from a source, he says so. Perhaps because there is little need to make up or embellish any of the facts here. They are so numerous and often blatant that to deny them all is to stick one's head in the sand.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I'm pretty liberal on most issues. I detest the division that Trump promotes and the gleeful destruction of civility. These things are dangerous but need not be fatal. Being in debt to a foreign power, dismantling alliances, moving America toward an autocracy, and weakening American prestige to repay that debt however is something exceedingly difficult to come back from once too far down that road. Unger's book is a warning about who Donald Trump was and how it seeps into everything he is today. This book won't tittilate you in the way that books like Omorosa's might, but it provides invaluable insight into the most powerful man in the world, and the man in Washington who may be beholden to him.
Oct 25, 2018 Zak rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: non-fiction
Ok, there's a lot of stuff about the Russian mob, crooked oligarchs, etc. A lot of this is lifted off books like Robert Friedman's "Red Mafiya". At some point it felt like I was reading a book about the Russian mob instead of about Trump. Did Trump sell a lot of properties to Russians of dubious character? Yes. But the point is, it was legal, there were no laws preventing him from selling his properties to offshore corporations. Did people in his campaign and/or administration have a lot of Ok, there's a lot of stuff about the Russian mob, crooked oligarchs, etc. A lot of this is lifted off books like Robert Friedman's "Red Mafiya". At some point it felt like I was reading a book about the Russian mob instead of about Trump. Did Trump sell a lot of properties to Russians of dubious character? Yes. But the point is, it was legal, there were no laws preventing him from selling his properties to offshore corporations. Did people in his campaign and/or administration have a lot of dealings with some Russians? Again, yes. But the book tries to make the point that Trump is a Russian mole, put into the White House and controlled by Putin and the mobsters. On this, I'm afraid the book fails to make a conclusive case. A lot of smoke, but no fire. ...more
Oct 25, 2018 Misfit rated it liked it · review of another edition
These books are all starting to run together on the facts, and yes I know I should quit reading them ;)
There were a few new to me nuggets of factoids, but I did find myself skimming a bit when getting to facts I've read in other books.
Robert Mueller just please hurry and wrap it up so we have some answers and more books to be written.
Sep 03, 2018 Dorothy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A thoroughly researched and comprehensive assessment of everything we know about the Russian asset in the WH. Only time will tell if we can make it out if this mess and stop denying what is in plain sight before us.
Aug 27, 2018 Christopher rated it really liked it · review of another edition
There's not much "new" here. It's resourced thoroughly from journalists and FBI files. I'm only left wondering how he was allowed to run for president in the first place. He should've been and should be in jail.
Aug 24, 2018 Daniel Kelly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Absolutely amazing! After reading this book many of Trump's more bizarre moves suddenly make sense. If this information became well known, even the Trumpiest of Trumpsters might have to rethink their positions.
Aug 20, 2018 Bettie rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: bullies, rid-the-world-of-tyrants, casual-violence, north-americas, censorship, families, first-world-angst, foxtrotted-uniform, gruelling, cults-societies-brotherhoods
Description: It is a chilling story that begins in the 1970s, when Trump made his first splash in the booming, money-drenched world of New York real estate, and ends with Trump's inauguration as president of the United States. That moment was the culmination of Vladimir Putin's long mission to undermine Western democracy, a mission that he and his hand-selected group of oligarchs and associates had ensnared Trump in, starting more than twenty years ago with the massive bailout of a string of
Description: It is a chilling story that begins in the 1970s, when Trump made his first splash in the booming, money-drenched world of New York real estate, and ends with Trump's inauguration as president of the United States. That moment was the culmination of Vladimir Putin's long mission to undermine Western democracy, a mission that he and his hand-selected group of oligarchs and associates had ensnared Trump in, starting more than twenty years ago with the massive bailout of a string of sensational Trump hotel and casino failures in Atlantic City. This book confirms the most incredible American paranoias about Russian malevolence.
Without Trump, Russia would have lacked a key component in its attempts to return to imperial greatness. Without Russia, Trump would not be president. This essential book is crucial to understanding the real powers at play in the shadows of today's world.
Yep, I agree with those that say nothing really new here, yet there are further details new to me so worth the engagement. Kudos to Craig Unger, indeed, a doff of the hat to all the brave reporters, agents and authors who take on topics of this magnitude.
I feel Mueller is now investigating the world, don't forget we haven't started to see how the diamonds, drilling, mercenary armies, shipping lines, ponzi schemes and such, which have been hinted at, impacts this procedure. Maybe in the end, fingers crossed, stolen monies will find their way way back to the peoples of the countries that were shafted.
Though engaging, this fresh look at Donald Trump's links to Russia adds little to the story ...more
Jan 08, 2020 Karel Baloun rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Written before the release of the Mueller Report and before the Impeachment, this deeply researched document shows why the GOP is circling the wagons, and how deeply Russian money has infected that party. Pelosi picked her battle brilliantly, and future investigations will reveal much much more… because the truth is already documented in court filings, and just needs to become known. If financial documents are opened, they can clearly demonstrate that Trump has laundered many billions of Russian Written before the release of the Mueller Report and before the Impeachment, this deeply researched document shows why the GOP is circling the wagons, and how deeply Russian money has infected that party. Pelosi picked her battle brilliantly, and future investigations will reveal much much more… because the truth is already documented in court filings, and just needs to become known. If financial documents are opened, they can clearly demonstrate that Trump has laundered many billions of Russian mafia dollars through his property sales and casino transactions AND he's so bad at business that he still is chronically near bankruptcy.
The institutionalized rule of law is key to modern civilization, and democracy cannot even pretend to function without it. China's authoritarianism claims to be benevolent, for the people. It legitimacy is secured by popular benefit and security from corruption. NK's Kim and Putin's rule have no legitimacy, enforced only by power, fear, and history. Mob rule over critical resources is exactly how civilization would collapse into tribalism, and technology networks become impossible.
It is indeed Amazing how small a group of strategically positioned criminals were able to take control of a large chunk of the global economy, and laundry 10s of billions of dollars into conventional economic assets. The Ukrainian energy trade and political control of Ukraine were a huge element of Putin's power, which explains Pelosi choosing this hill for her one big stand. Remember the names Firtash and Mogilevich, key bad guys, including as possibly joining Mercer and Bannon as owners of Cambridge Analytica. Christopher Steele of GPS Fusion Dossier fame, earlier investigated at least one of Putin's UK murders for MI6 British intelligence. "during the 2015-16 election cycle, McConnell took $2.5M" from Russian-Ukrainian oligarch Leonard Blavatnik's companies. (p216) WikiLeaks and Assange were all direct deliveries from Russian intelligence. Manafort, Hannity, Cohen and Stone all appear bigly.
Perhaps the shock would have been stronger in reverse chronological order... I'm not shocked by a Trump pattern that began in the 80s. Certainly it establishes his character, but I already know he was a lying immoral pos, and I'm more interested in crimes that have not passed their statute of limitations.
The danger to ordinary rule of law is astounding, since globalization of basic needs including food depends completely on trade and global monetary structures. I don't like how these are tied to top-down "global finance", but they also organize the fiction that is the global economy. Putin was even just a new national votes shy of control over Interpol around 2018, with Chinese support.
Fortunately, I guess they control less than 3% of production, and probably less than 5% of assets. For example, even if shell companies and tax shelters contain $2-3T in assets (30x a bill gates), it is still a sliver of the $100T annual global economy. So the system can reform, and reset. These black market segments of the economy are not somehow guaranteed legitimacy, and can be hindered by ordinary law enforcement, public service anti-marketing, and vice taxes.
Surprises included: inclusion of Orban though only through weak allegations, the key involvement of Israel's Russian dual nationals, that the Chechen war started as Putin's KGB's false flag operation, specific bribes paid to GOP house majority leader Tom Delay and disgraced criminal Jack Abramoff, Iceland's 2008 bank collapse, Tony Podesta working with Manafort(??!), the participation of Erdogan, for FBI Director William Sessions, and yeah Giuliani. (See index for page number.) I'm also amazed that Tad Devine (Sanders campaign 2015-2019) and Tony Podesta (brother of Hillary's campaign manager John) were also both clearly implicated in aiding Russian activity. And that the DNC communications that led me to hate Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for king making Hillary over Bernie were actually Russian leaked.
The fight for the heart of Judaism seems central, with Putin having reorganized Russian Orthodox Judaism under a tiny conservative American Hasidic sect called Chabad, supported strongly by Charles Kushner, Jared's dad and Ivanka's father in law. It is deeply ironic that the grandchildren of nazi supporters, now aligned politically with white nationalists, will be using outrage against anti-semitism to defend Russian Jewish mafia activity (and it's likely relation Netanyahu/Sheldon Adelson conservative Zionism.)
Russian individual objectives seem similar to Saudi Arabian royalty: maximize wealth by selling Russian natural resources to the West cheaply, and escaping completely into a respectable and elite position when the game is up. And Putin becomes the richest, by protecting the entire racket and maintaining enough social order for it to continue.
The large section dedicated to eulogies and epitaphs for murdered journalists and opposition politicians, consistently over 20 full years, are tragic, disgusting and should be required knowledge for everyone in the free world. Putin is a thug, and every democracy needs to stay far far away, and Putin's economy should be completely isolated from the world, except for energy sales by which he keeps us all at some small level hostage.
Putin's political and media advisor Surkov's strategy predicted Trump's chaos: "Rather than fight for control of the narrative […] Surkov set out to destroy the very idea of reality. And by undermining the whole notion of truth, of what actually happened, Surkov was able to create a never-ending conflict about the perception that helped the Putin regime's ability to control and manage Russia. […] the opposition was completely befuddled because the ceaseless flood of contradictory stories meant that no one knew what the enemy was up to or even who they really were, or what was really going on. Meanwhile, supporters who listened to lie after lie were allowed to choose whichever fiction they preferred to believe" (p194) This is possible because Putin directly controls every single broadcast, internet and print media source in Russia, so it is all consistent propaganda, like our media being all Fox, only Fox, all the time.
Amazing allegations (p220) that in 2015 Putin's bombings of Syrian civilians, somewhat on behalf of Assad, intentionally created the refugee crisis from which european far right politicians benefited, and was a singular key driver for Brexit. Millions of lives destroyed.. would that be a small, discountable cost to a KGB operative?
The book closes with great reference material: a 15 page annotated listing of Trump's 59 Russian connections.
Who will win this propaganda war is so important to global governance, and recent election outcomes matter a lot. Investigations must be able to complete, and the entire story needs to come widely revealed as truth, even more so than the 2008 financial crisis investigations, but if journalists continue to die, these truths could become as buried as the Panama Papers.
Oct 30, 2018 Donna Hines rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: borrowed-library-books, arc
There's only so much Russian Mob information I can absorb and this was almost entirely all about the mob and the players that took out anyone opposed to them.
DT was in essence the mole, the puppet, and the con man who had connections with the Russians who supported his business endeavors so therefore they pulled all the strings and he simply did as told . Off shore accounts, shady business deals, Russians using Trump Towers like a hang out, Russians loaning money when other banks refused Trump, There's only so much Russian Mob information I can absorb and this was almost entirely all about the mob and the players that took out anyone opposed to them.
DT was in essence the mole, the puppet, and the con man who had connections with the Russians who supported his business endeavors so therefore they pulled all the strings and he simply did as told . Off shore accounts, shady business deals, Russians using Trump Towers like a hang out, Russians loaning money when other banks refused Trump, and more...
It's all in here but reading it all felt like going through years of personal files left at the attorneys office that were long forgotten.
"And Putin's Russia had become a Mafia state in which compliant loyalists became billionaires and telling the truth could get you killed." -- In essence this is the current state of our own nation.
"Well, we don't rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia"--Eric Trump.
What more can one say...
Sep 09, 2018 Sharon C. Robideaux rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Powerful and persuasive
Like many people, I was not persuaded by what I saw on the news channels (I watch about 6 different programs) about a Russian connection. Now I am. After reading Unger's thoroughly documented, densely factual book, I am persuaded that Putin is behind much that is corrupt in the world. I am persuaded that Donald Trump has an illegitimate claim to the White House. And I am persuaded that Mitch McConnell is a bigger traitor than Benedict Arnold.
Jan 04, 2020 Mike Boutot rated it really liked it · review of another edition
An excellent resource for those interested in Trump's connections to Russia and that's country's efforts in the U.S. The book goes into great depth about the influx of Russian organized crime into the U.S. and how Soviet, then Russian intelligence used that network for its own ends. The on criticism I have is that there's almost too much detail. Unger frequently gives lists of names of those attached to a more important figure or event, but many of those people do not become relevant later on. An excellent resource for those interested in Trump's connections to Russia and that's country's efforts in the U.S. The book goes into great depth about the influx of Russian organized crime into the U.S. and how Soviet, then Russian intelligence used that network for its own ends. The on criticism I have is that there's almost too much detail. Unger frequently gives lists of names of those attached to a more important figure or event, but many of those people do not become relevant later on. It would have been better to focus the narrative and leave more of the trivia to footnotes or an appendix. In any event, this was a very informative book that I'll keep around as a resource as I learn more about the subject. ...more
Mar 12, 2019 Dan rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: pre-2019-tbr-pile-challenge
You always hear about people saying that a book, movie, whatever "changed " their life. THIS is a life-changing book. It has, in effect RUINED my life. I am consumed with dread, hopelessness, shock, disbelief. If what Craig Unger says in this book is true.....what hope is there for this country? Forget horror novels, THIS is the scariest book that I have ever read.
Aug 25, 2018 Lance Johnson rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I was debating what to rate this book; a part of me felt it was worth five stars due to the contemporary relevance of the content but another part felt it was more of a three due to some flaws with the book. So, I split the difference and went with four stars.
The book spends most of its time discussing the rise of the international Russian criminal organizations and their ties to both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. While very interesting, the book doesn't really present much new information I was debating what to rate this book; a part of me felt it was worth five stars due to the contemporary relevance of the content but another part felt it was more of a three due to some flaws with the book. So, I split the difference and went with four stars.
The book spends most of its time discussing the rise of the international Russian criminal organizations and their ties to both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. While very interesting, the book doesn't really present much new information since most of it seems to be pulled from old news articles rather than original research. In this sense the book functions best as a summary of what is known so far, a role which it performs admirably. However, it is not without flaws. There are many paragraphs where the author makes some broad claims as if they were fact but provides no indication as to where he got the information: no annotations, no mentions, nothing. In other areas the author is so vague about the connections he is describing that I felt unclear whether or not the relationships were legitimate or criminal in nature. Again, limited citations in these areas. Admittedly, this mostly occurred with smaller details and people rather than with the larger connections but it still irked me and left me feeling dissatisfied.
It is a worthwhile read, but not a bombshell. ...more
Sep 02, 2018 Rogier Konings rated it liked it · review of another edition
Very thoroughly investigated book that dives deeply into the connection between Trump & Putin.
Although the book sometimes falls into giving the reader a summary of known connections, they do keep the reader interested.
The book reads like an investigative spy journal, and makes the reader sometimes forget that this is actually the hard reality of the world the we currently live in.
Do not expect a memoire. If you are, however, interested in politics than I highly recommend reading this book.
Sep 07, 2018 Courtney Beth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This is a terrifying and important read. The history of many Trump associates, as well as Trump himself, tie back to the Russian mafia. For all of us living through this illegitimate Putin-backed coup, it's worth a read.
Aug 30, 2018 David rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Not fun but certainly fascinating.
Aug 26, 2018 Sean rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Necessary and frightening.
Sep 03, 2018 Foggygirl rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: owned-read
Both illuminating and infuriating.
Jan 05, 2019 Jill Cordry rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This book does an excellent job of explaining how Putin, Russian Intelligence Operations and the Russian Mafia are all intertwined, and how their goal is to destabilize the West. From Syrian refugees in Europe to Brexit and the 2016 election, the Russians have been successful. Trump has been involved with the Russian Oligarchs (one and the same as FSB and Mafia) for decades. Unger explains how these gangsters syphon off money from Russia's natural resources then launder it through real estate in This book does an excellent job of explaining how Putin, Russian Intelligence Operations and the Russian Mafia are all intertwined, and how their goal is to destabilize the West. From Syrian refugees in Europe to Brexit and the 2016 election, the Russians have been successful. Trump has been involved with the Russian Oligarchs (one and the same as FSB and Mafia) for decades. Unger explains how these gangsters syphon off money from Russia's natural resources then launder it through real estate in New York and around the world. In case you're wondering why there has never been a Trump Tower Moscow, Trump's backers want to get their money out of Russia, not leave it there.
This may have been a bit easier for me to follow since I have lived in Russia twice and am familiar with the names and backgrounds. But, the list of characters and their histories in the back of the book is helpful in keeping everyone straight. ...more
Feb 01, 2019 Donna Nix rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
OK, make that 7 stars.
I expect loyalty from my cabinet.
My way or the highway...
I could shoot someone on 5th ave.....
My former lawyer is a RAT...
Sound like mob talk? It did to me. So, I've been wondering if DJT (I won't use his name) has mob ties. This book has the answers and more. This will answer almost all the questions about DJT, V. Putin, and organized crime. (The connections are much much deeper than the average person realizes.)
It's not a fast read. In fact it's very dense with all the OK, make that 7 stars.
It's not a fast read. In fact it's very dense with all the Russian names and vocabulary, so it requires a patient reader. At the same time, it is a MUST read for all Americans who care about our future as a free country!!
My only small complaint is that I read the ebook, and most of the pictures in the back are missing. Copyright restrictions I guess.. ...more
Feb 12, 2019 Sjj rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This book is hard to put down. The information presented about Trump, Putin, Russian oligarchs and mafia, and the Italian mobs in New York – and the many individuals in these groups "orbiting" Trump -- is fascinating and scary. The book is detailed, with lots of names to keep track of, but nearly every paragraph is spell-binding because of the information provided. This book is well-researched and clearly written. It is a must-read if you want to know more about Trump and want insight into the This book is hard to put down. The information presented about Trump, Putin, Russian oligarchs and mafia, and the Italian mobs in New York – and the many individuals in these groups "orbiting" Trump -- is fascinating and scary. The book is detailed, with lots of names to keep track of, but nearly every paragraph is spell-binding because of the information provided. This book is well-researched and clearly written. It is a must-read if you want to know more about Trump and want insight into the many concerns about him and those around him. ...more
Cultural > Russia
About Craig Unger
Craig Unger is an American journalist and writer. His most recent book is The Fall of the House of Bush, about the internal feud in the Bush family and the rise and collusion of the neoconservative and Christian right in Republican party politics, viewing each group's weltanschauung and efforts concerning present and potential future US policy through a distinctly negative prism. His previous Craig Unger is an American journalist and writer. His most recent book is The Fall of the House of Bush, about the internal feud in the Bush family and the rise and collusion of the neoconservative and Christian right in Republican party politics, viewing each group's weltanschauung and efforts concerning present and potential future US policy through a distinctly negative prism. His previous work, House of Bush, House of Saud explored the relationship between the Bush family and the House of Saud. Craig Unger's work is featured in Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11. Unger has served as deputy editor of the New York Observer and was editor-in-chief of Boston Magazine. He has written about George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush for The New Yorker, Esquire Magazine and Vanity Fair. ...more
Books by Craig Unger
Trivia About House of Trump, H...
Quotes from House of Trump, H...
"According to research conducted jointly by experts from the University of California at Berkeley and Swansea University in Wales, no fewer than 150,000 Twitter accounts linked to Russia began to tweet inflammatory and divisive messages about Brexit, Muslims, and immigrants" — 4 likes
"But in the end, Mogilevich eluded their grasp and settled in Moscow. The FBI closed down the Budapest outpost from which it had tracked Mogilevich. Meanwhile, the foreboding assortment of murderous gangsters and tattooed thugs known as the Russian Mafia had climbed the ladder of white-collar respectability, insinuated itself in multibillion-dollar global corporations, and taken on the protective coloring provided by K Street lobbyists and white-shoe law firms. They were now hard-wired into some of the most powerful Republican politicians in the country." — 1 likes


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text:
"""The tests for the Event automation."""
import unittest

from homeassistant.core import Context, callback
from homeassistant.setup import setup_component
import homeassistant.components.automation as automation

from tests.common import get_test_home_assistant, mock_component

# pylint: disable=invalid-name
class TestAutomationEvent(unittest.TestCase):
    """Test the event automation."""

    def setUp(self):
        """Set up things to be run when tests are started."""
        self.hass = get_test_home_assistant()
        mock_component(self.hass, 'group')
        self.calls = []

        @callback
        def record_call(service):
            """Record the call."""
            self.calls.append(service)

        self.hass.services.register('test', 'automation', record_call)

    def tearDown(self):
        """Stop everything that was started."""
        self.hass.stop()

    def test_if_fires_on_event(self):
        """Test the firing of events."""
        context = Context()

        assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
            automation.DOMAIN: {
                'trigger': {
                    'platform': 'event',
                    'event_type': 'test_event',
                },
                'action': {
                    'service': 'test.automation',
                }
            }
        })

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event', context=context)
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))
        assert self.calls[0].context is context

        automation.turn_off(self.hass)
        self.hass.block_till_done()

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event')
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))

    def test_if_fires_on_event_extra_data(self):
        """Test the firing of events still matches with event data."""
        assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
            automation.DOMAIN: {
                'trigger': {
                    'platform': 'event',
                    'event_type': 'test_event',
                },
                'action': {
                    'service': 'test.automation',
                }
            }
        })

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event', {'extra_key': 'extra_data'})
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))

        automation.turn_off(self.hass)
        self.hass.block_till_done()

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event')
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))

    def test_if_fires_on_event_with_data(self):
        """Test the firing of events with data."""
        assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
            automation.DOMAIN: {
                'trigger': {
                    'platform': 'event',
                    'event_type': 'test_event',
                    'event_data': {'some_attr': 'some_value'}
                },
                'action': {
                    'service': 'test.automation',
                }
            }
        })

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event', {'some_attr': 'some_value',
                                          'another': 'value'})
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))

    def test_if_fires_on_event_with_empty_data_config(self):
        """Test the firing of events with empty data config.

        The frontend automation editor can produce configurations with an
        empty dict for event_data instead of no key.
        """
        assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
            automation.DOMAIN: {
                'trigger': {
                    'platform': 'event',
                    'event_type': 'test_event',
                    'event_data': {}
                },
                'action': {
                    'service': 'test.automation',
                }
            }
        })

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event', {'some_attr': 'some_value',
                                          'another': 'value'})
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))

    def test_if_fires_on_event_with_nested_data(self):
        """Test the firing of events with nested data."""
        assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
            automation.DOMAIN: {
                'trigger': {
                    'platform': 'event',
                    'event_type': 'test_event',
                    'event_data': {
                        'parent_attr': {
                            'some_attr': 'some_value'
                        }
                    }
                },
                'action': {
                    'service': 'test.automation',
                }
            }
        })

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event', {
            'parent_attr': {
                'some_attr': 'some_value',
                'another': 'value'
            }
        })
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))

    def test_if_not_fires_if_event_data_not_matches(self):
        """Test firing of event if no match."""
        assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
            automation.DOMAIN: {
                'trigger': {
                    'platform': 'event',
                    'event_type': 'test_event',
                    'event_data': {'some_attr': 'some_value'}
                },
                'action': {
                    'service': 'test.automation',
                }
            }
        })

        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event', {'some_attr': 'some_other_value'})
        self.hass.block_till_done()
        self.assertEqual(0, len(self.calls))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This segment from the documentary follows survival expert Les Stroud, a.k.a. Survivorman, as he attempts to follow the supposed path two-year-old Keith Parkinson took from his barn into the woods where he was eventually found.
Bill Nye the Science Guy breaks down the important features of fitting a bike correctly.
Buying your first bike can be a daunting task, but renowned scientist Bill Nye is here with Diamondback to provide a formula for success.
Bill Nye The Science Guy has teamed up with the team over at Diamondback to bring you the Let's Ride series explaining the fundamentals of biking.
There's one thing Zack Giffin won't give up in his Tiny House Nation contract, and that's two weeks chasing powder in Alaska.


OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and the change of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) storage subscore after combination therapy (α-blocker and finasteride) in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consistent with moderate-to-severe benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and compared with α-blocker-only treatment. METHODS: A total of 1315 patients seen in 5 urology centers in Korea from January 2001 to August 2007, with LUTS secondary to BPH were enrolled. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to treatment pattern (α-blocker monotherapy vs combination therapy) and IPSS storage subscores (≥6 vs <6). The changes from baseline in prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen concentration, IPSS, and Q(max.) were analyzed. We also determined the statistical differences among 4 groups in the IPSS, Q(max.), quality of life score (QoL), and prostate volume. RESULTS: Of the 1315 men, 217 (16.5%) completed the month 48 visit. All groups showed significant improvements in the IPSS total score, IPSS voiding subscores, and QoL at 1 year. However, the high storage subscore group at baseline showed a significantly higher improvement in IPSS total scores and IPSS voiding subscores compared with the low storage subscore group at year 4. IPSS storage subscores were improved only in patients with high storage subscores at baseline, especially in combination treatment group. The mean change in QoL score from baseline to year 4 was significantly improved in high storage subscore groups. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this retrospective analysis suggest that long-term combination treatment would be beneficial, especially to patients with severe storage symptoms at baseline.


The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him — veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose "selfish act" ended up costing the lives of better men.
Disappearing from a military post in a war zone without authorization commonly results in one of two criminal charges in the Army: desertion or going absent without leave, or AWOL. Desertion is the more serious one, and usually arises in cases where an individual intends to remain away from the military or to "shirk important duty," including a combat deployment such as Bergdahl's.
Javier Ortiz, a former combat medic in the Army, said he is frustrated with Bergdahl's actions and thinks he should be tried for desertion, even after five years in captivity in Pakistan. Many U.S. troops had misgivings about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while they were deployed but did not act on them as Bergdahl did, said Ortiz, of Lawton, Okla.
After he went missing, the military conducted an extensive search for Bergdahl. The plan was to create a blockade that would prevent his captors from taking him far from Paktika province, especially into Pakistan. The bulk of other operations were halted to focus on finding Bergdahl.
One Afghan special operations commander in eastern Afghanistan remembers being dispatched.
"Along with the American Special Forces, we set up checkpoints everywhere. For 14 days we were outside of our base trying to find him," he told The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he is a member of a secretive military unit.
But U.S. troops said they were aware of the circumstances of Bergdahl's disappearance — that he left the base of his own volition — and with that awareness, many grew angry.
The White House appears to have been caught flat-footed about the response of other soldiers to the Bergdahl trade. Perhaps they expected kudos for leaving no man behind. With the strategy to completely withdraw by 2016 in full swing now, they would probably be justified in thinking that leaving Bergdahl behind would get them crucified in 2016 by some of the same people angrily criticizing the trade today.
However, there is a big difference between swapping for a man who's accused of desertion (and whose disappearance cost at least six soldiers' lives, and possibly more), and cheering his release in a presidential Rose Garden speech along with his family. That is a return for a hero, not a potential deserter (who, we should stress, has not yet been charged with that crime, let alone convicted). Did no one at the White House bother to check into the details of Bergdahl's disappearance, or calculate what that might mean politically in this trade? Everyone from Obama on down seems to have been caught flat-footed in a controversy of their own making … again.
CNN noted the controversy in a report this morning, as well as the plan to allow Bergdahl to slowly re-enter American life again. If his fellow soldiers are right, it might be a lot slower than even the Pentagon plans at the moment.
Separately, some inside the military raised questions about the cost associated with rescuing Bergdahl, who walked off his base and away from his unit five years ago after becoming disillusioned with the war effort.
Most of the immediate concern expressed by military experts, including a former national security adviser to President Obama, centered on the five Taliban prisoners who were released Saturday from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"It's very, very important for the government of Qatar to make sure that these people are kept under control and do not return to the battlefield," said Gen. James L. Jones, who served as Obama's national security adviseruntil November 2010. He noted in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" that previously released Taliban prisoners had returned to the battlefield.
We'll see how committed Qatar is to that plan in the days and weeks ahead.


text:
Q: JSON parse content, result is unreadable, such as ""\U5b9d\U4e30"" - (IBAction)updating:(id)sender {

    NSString *string = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"https://api.heweather.com/x3/weather?cityid=CN101180503&key=MY_API_ID"];
    NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:string];
    NSURLRequest *request = [NSURLRequest requestWithURL:url];

    AFHTTPRequestOperation *operation = [[AFHTTPRequestOperation alloc] initWithRequest:request];
    operation.responseSerializer = [AFJSONResponseSerializer serializer];

    [operation setCompletionBlockWithSuccess:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation *operation, id responseObject) {

        //ResponseObject is dictionary
        NSMutableDictionary *dictionary = responseObject;

        NSArray *array = dictionary[@"HeWeather data service 3.0"];

        NSDictionary *dicBasic = [array valueForKey:@"basic"];

        NSData *city = [dicBasic valueForKey:@"city"];
        NSLog(@"%@", city);

        NSString *latitude = [dicBasic valueForKey:@"lat"];
        NSLog(@"%@", latitude);

    } failure:^(AFHTTPRequestOperation * _Nonnull operation, NSError * _Nonnull error) {
        NSLog(@"Nothing ");
    }];

When i RUN the piece code, every this is normal, apart from city's name,
I think i need to decode the city's name from the JSON file, as the city's name is in Chinese.
Here's an example:

2016-07-23 15:36:55.825 weatherDemo[2865:1189546] ( "\U5b9d\U4e30" ) 2016-07-23 15:36:55.825 weatherDemo[2865:1189546] ( "33.908000"

How can i deal with it?

A: After looking into the problem. I figured it out,it`s all about the data structure of response object.
Try the following code to get what you want:
    NSDictionary *responseDic = [[(NSDictionary *)responseObject objectForKey:@"HeWeather data service 3.0"] firstObject];

    NSDictionary *basicDic = [responseDic objectForKey:@"basic"];
    NSString *cityStr = [basicDic objectForKey:@"city"];
    NSLog(@"%@", cityStr);

A: First, I'd bet quite a bit of money that
dictionary[@"HeWeather data service 3.0"]

is not an array. You are then using valueForKey. Any use of valueForKey is an indication that you don't know what you are doing. valueForKey doesn't care what type of object it is. I assume that the compiler told you that you couldn't use
array [@"basic"]

and instead of fixing your blatant bug, you found the worst possible workaround.
Your actual problem is not a problem at all. JSON handles chinese characters just fine. But NSLog outputs them as you saw. That's a problem of NSLog (which is a debugging tool). The data in your string are absolutely fine. Put them into a label or a text field and they will be drawn just fine.
PS. Any time you get a response that is not what you expect your app will crash. It's absolutely irresponsible to parse JSON without checking that the items you get are actually of the type that you expect.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The registration fee includes workshop attendance, materials, snacks, coffee breaks, and lunch. It does not cover NNU registration fees for teachers who are taking this for CE credit. Please fill out the registration from completely. Boise School District teachers have their Summit registration costs paid for by the district and will be redirected to a confirmation screen for 0$. Teachers from all other districts will be directed to a screen asking them to remit $40 for the summit registration. All teachers that are signing up for the class for CE credit will be redirected to the NNU link upon completion of registration and all teachers will be required to pay that fee if they are choosing to get credit for the Summit.


text:
patient-story article 2018-05-10 cancer-center cancer;story-project
Patient StoryMay | 10 | 2018
The Cancer Center's Story Project is an effort to capture stories from our community of patients, friends, family, clinicians, and staff who have been affected by cancer in some way. This is Michelle's Story.
Michelle was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2016 and throughout her treatment has learned the importance of taking care of yourself first. Michelle's sister, Melanie, has been by her side every step of the way.
"If you're still and you listen, there's this innate wisdom within every cell of your body and your entire being that supports you and holds you up."
"I have stage four breast cancer. When I was diagnosed in November 2016, it was stage three so it has progressed, and the journey has been a whirlwind of everything. It's been a lot, and it's gone so quickly."
"In November of 2016 I was a school counselor working with kids ages K-5, taking care of about 650 kids. And you know if they're having a good day or a bad day or whatever, they want to come see Ms. Wong. I really was just managing everything, and making sure that everyone else was taken care of and at the end of the day not really taking care of myself. I felt like I was moving as fast as I could and trying to get as much accomplished as I needed to."
"I've been reading a lot of spiritual books lately, and metaphysically they say breast cancer is about people who are not taking care of themselves, or who are not allowing nourishment into their own lives, but instead are so outwardly taking care of everything else. In that respect, I think that I've changed a lot because now it's selfishly about me. I'm not afraid to cancel on plans or have someone have an expectation of me that I can't meet or exceed. I just take time to do me. I feel like for a long time there wasn't anything that I wasn't able to do. I had to always under promise and over deliver, where now I feel as though I don't owe anybody anything and I'm just here doing me and living my life. In that respect, there has been a little more ownership and accountability for me and what I want to do. Rather than 'how can I help you' and basing my worth off of how I'm helping other people, I am just being and existing as who I am."
"I'm not working so I find that with a lot of my free time I'm reading and reflecting and contemplating life. I just feel like there are so many layers and I've been peeling back the onion everyday, regardless of what I'm going through. If you think every day is a routine and everything's going to be the same Monday and Friday or the same as Tuesday and Wednesday, it's not like that. I'm just happy to wake up and be alive every day. Before, I was up when the alarm went off. I had things to do, things to accomplish. But now if it becomes 12 o'clock and all I did was sit in my bed with my pajamas on and read a book, then I'm fine with that."
You are here with your sister Melanie; how has she helped throughout all of this?
Michelle and her sister Melanie
"It's very interesting; like I said I was working at a K-5 school, working as a school counselor, and Melanie had taken time off from work and was traveling the world. She was going to Southeast Asia and Bali and Thailand and taking pictures with elephants and getting $10 massages and Instagramming it all, while I felt like I was going crazy here. But, at some point there I got my diagnosis and she got on the first flight home and has been here ever since."
"Melanie comes to all the appointments with me and takes care of the communication with family. She makes sure that I don't have to relive my days and explain everything that happened over and over again. She'll take care of that, and the financial stuff. She runs my 'Go Fund Me' page and works with the social worker and figures out what kind of help and resources I can get. She's been doing that since she got back. We weren't living together or on the same page before my diagnosis, so it's kind of been a relearning process where you go back to being two sisters living in a house together with mom and dad. And now my mom is overseeing the thirty-something year old. It's just been an adjustment on every level, so we're not living the same lives as before or in the same state as we were before, but I think there was some kind of divine intervention where everything had to be in its certain accordance for everything to be pulled together. Now we're here in Boston, back in the Northeast, where all of my family is. I feel more connected to the resources and support here."
What do you feel has been the biggest shift mentally?
"I've always thought about life existentially before this. I felt like I didn't have enough time to do anything action-based or implement things, like write a book, because you have bills to pay, you have deadlines, you have goals. Now, I feel like just having to slow down and having to deal with all the side effects from chemo and cancer and it being so in your face, it's relentless. It doesn't go away. The last thing that I was dealing with was neuropathy. I couldn't feel my hands or my feet and I still can't feel my hands or my feet so I've been having a lot of difficulty walking and getting upstairs. I couldn't tie my shoe laces, I couldn't open a bottle, I couldn't put a key in the door, couldn't put my socks on, couldn't zip my jacket. I couldn't open a door knob so I couldn't go anywhere; you need to be able to open a door to step up a curb, to be able to navigate through the streets and not get hit by a car because I couldn't put one foot in front of the other as quickly as I used to do."
"So just going back to basics has helped me to slow down; I feel like it's enabled me to trust my inner guidance and intuition more. Before I had to control everything. Everything had to be lined up and in order. It had to have a certain picture and now it's like the picture just fell apart so you're just trying to scramble and put everything back together. It never works when you try to force it, but if you're still and you listen, there's this innate wisdom within every cell of your body and your entire being that supports you and holds you up. I feel like I know that now, whereas before I thought 'oh yeah in theory that's great, the universe is love and we're all here on a divine mission,' but I feel it more than I think it now. I feel like it's moved my association with life from the head more to the heart."
"I definitely want to write a book. Before this I was very active. I used to run marathons, I used to do triathlons, I did a half Iron Man. I was raising money for people with cancer through 'Team and Training' and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Physically I'm not able to do that anymore, so then the counselor in me thought 'okay what coping skills can I implement now?' Now I think 'okay I need to write.' I needed to release my emotions, but then the neuropathy came and I couldn't type, I couldn't hold a pen. It comes to a point where you just throw your hands up in the air and say 'forget it, somebody needs to take care of this, I'm just done.' I think that the second that you release and accept what is in front of you, all the answers just come. It sounds silly but they just do."
What's been your greatest struggle since diagnosis?
"Well I think we touched upon it a few times because it's been the most recent, the neuropathy. I could deal with 'I'm a runner but can't run, I can walk still.' But then it was 'you can't walk because you can't feel your legs, and when you sit down you can't get back up.' The brain's not connecting with the nerves and they're not firing, and then going through all these rounds of chemo, low white blood counts, low red blood cells, blood transfusions, can't get off of the couch type-thing. The weather was bad and I couldn't even go outside. Every time I go to the hospital I get a nose bleed. Just letting go of the physical coping skills and getting more into writing, and then not being able to write and being stuck again."
"Having curve balls thrown at you has enabled me to stop thinking and kick in with that inner wisdom that my body just knows. A flower blooms because it just knows, there's not a reason, you can't figure out why it's doing what it's doing. There's this universal flow of energy that I feel is a tapestry of life that connects everything. If you stop resisting and stop doubting and fearing that, it takes over and it's more powerful than if you try to control it yourself. So, for me, my greatest struggle was the neuropathy because as soon as I couldn't run and couldn't walk, letting that go and letting something else take over has been a huge learning curve for me. It's actually lifted this cloud where I'm not afraid of anything."
"In the beginning I had this fear of dying, I had this fear of going into a slow paralysis from the neuropathy because it has this stocking and glove effect where it starts in your toes and fingers and begins to move up. It got all the way to the point of my knees and elbows. Really, you think about it like, 'what do you need your thumbs for?' Everything you don't think about, I've thought about because it's been taken away. It's just a gift to bring you back to the present and to take you out of your head, if you can call cancer a gift."
Do you have anything else you would like to add?
"I think I would say for anybody who is diagnosed that a lot of people will tell you 'this is my story' and 'this is my friend who had the same thing as you and this is what they did,' or 'this is what this one's mother did.' No journey is the same, and I feel like we all are spirits who came here to experience the 'human experience.' And we all came here for different reasons, for learning different things, so the reason why I came here may be different from the reason why 'X,' 'Y,' or 'Z' came here. Our outcomes are not going to be the same, our outlook is not going to be the same, the result is not going to be the same, and even the approach is not going to be the same. But for people to not look externally for those answers, and understand that there's this feeling inside, and if you can connect to it, then it will provide you with what you need, rather than looking for one source or oncologist, or one hospital, because there's not one person that's going to be able to fix it or heal everything. I feel like we're all self-healers."
If you're still and you listen, there's this innate wisdom within every cell of your body and your entire being that supports you and holds you up.
This interview was conducted on March 1, 2018 and has been edited for clarity.
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