The Gist Kenneth Vogel on the "Sh*tbag Business"
Jan 23, 2026
Kenneth P. Vogel, investigative reporter and author of Devil's Advocates, delves into the rise of foreign lobbying and its murky economy. He maps Paul Manafort's model of selling access, Rudy Giuliani's pivot to security consulting, and the legal and ethical optics around Hunter Biden. Sharp, probing conversation about influence, money, and how the system incentivizes questionable players.
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Lobbying Is Hard To Eliminate
- Lobbying can't be banned because the First Amendment protects petitioning the government.
- Regulation is possible but politically difficult given entrenched interests and constitutional protections.
Scandal Alone Rarely Produces Reform
- The Russia-Trump scrutiny revealed how foreign lobbying shapes U.S. policy.
- That scandal prompted talk of reform but lacked sustained public pressure to change the system.
Manafort Sold Access As Currency
- Paul Manafort touted access to signal influence to Russia-aligned oligarchs.
- He aimed to show he could curry power if Trump won to secure future business.
