Bag Man

Praise

“The full sordid story of Spiro Agnew . . . [Maddow and Yarvitz] don’t hold back.” —The New York Times

“A case study in how the democratic ideal of equal justice under the law collides with the squalid realities of America’s political system . . . a brisk and engaging account [that] sheds light on the challenges—legal, moral, political—of treating presidents and vice presidents like every other citizen.”—The Washington Post

“Bag Man delivers a powerful and timeless lesson about America’s enduring principles while demonstrating that the final verdict of history may differ from self-interested contemporary accounts and highlighting how much the rule of law depends upon the character of the people who enforce it.”—Rod J. Rosenstein, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General
 
“Bag Man is a super-entertaining page-turner about a mostly forgotten—yet hugely important—chapter of American history that played out right in the shadow of Watergate. It’s a deeply wild tale of greed, criminality, and corruption infecting the highest levels of our government. But at its heart, it’s a human story, a reminder that people make up our institutions, and ultimately they have the ability to protect—and to save—our democracy when it really needs their help.”—Ben Stiller

“Long before Donald Trump disrupted the rules of politics, Spiro Agnew cheerfully derided liberals, the establishment, ivory tower professors, and the press. In Bag Man, Maddow and Yarvitz provide rich new details about the shameless corruption and astonishing fall of Richard Nixon’s vice president. Meticulous reporting and vivid storytelling bring to life the lessons from the investigation and prosecution of a leader at the top of American government, providing useful guidance today as we navigate rhyming themes. As the authors write, ‘History is here to help.’”—Barbara McQuade, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan

“Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz expand on their riveting podcast to create a work both scholarly and disturbing. Their fast-paced unfurling of Vice President Agnew’s almost forgotten crimes—which feel all too familiar to anyone paying attention to politics lately—offers a critical case study in the patterns of corruption that continue to plague our democracy, documenting how politicians abuse their office and how the good guys can bring them to justice. Both a thriller and a history book, Bag Man is a triumph of storytelling.”—Preet Bharara, New York Times bestselling author of Doing Justice and host of the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet

“A welcome reminder that, unlike today, in the case of Agnew, political crimes were actually punished (and in a nonpartisan fashion).”—Kirkus Reviews

“Colorful . . . Maddow’s fans will enjoy this entertaining and well-researched recap of Agnew’s comeuppance.”—Publishers Weekly