<description>&lt;p&gt;Washington’s influence economy is bigger—and murkier—than most Americans realize. This week, Elisa sits down with investigative reporter Kenneth P. Vogel to unpack the sprawling web of foreign lobbying revealed in his new book, Devil’s Advocate, tracing how powerful insiders—from Rudy Giuliani to Hunter Biden—became entangled with corrupt foreign interests and why these relationships blur partisan lines. Drawing on history behind the Foreign Agents Registration Act and modern examples of access-brokers operating in plain sight, Vogel exposes the incentives, vulnerabilities, and national-security risks that allow foreign money and influence to move through Washington, often away from public view but never without consequences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/kenneth-p-vogel"&gt;Kenneth P. Vogel&lt;/a&gt; is a reporter based in the Washington bureau of The New York Times, investigating the intersection of money, politics and influence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;References:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/devils-advocates-kenneth-p-vogel?variant=43110856097826"&gt;Vogel, Kenneth P. &lt;em&gt;Devils’ Advocates: The Hidden Story of Rudy Giuliani, Hunter Biden, and the Washington Insiders on the Payrolls of Corrupt Foreign Interests.&lt;/em&gt; William Morrow, 2025.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11439/IF11439.2.pdf"&gt;Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Overview&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</description>

National Security Law Today

National Security Law Today

Foreign Money, American Power: Mapping Washington’s International Lobbying Pipeline with Kenneth Vogel

NOV 20, 202539 MIN
National Security Law Today

Foreign Money, American Power: Mapping Washington’s International Lobbying Pipeline with Kenneth Vogel

NOV 20, 202539 MIN

Description

<p>Washington’s influence economy is bigger—and murkier—than most Americans realize. This week, Elisa sits down with investigative reporter Kenneth P. Vogel to unpack the sprawling web of foreign lobbying revealed in his new book, Devil’s Advocate, tracing how powerful insiders—from Rudy Giuliani to Hunter Biden—became entangled with corrupt foreign interests and why these relationships blur partisan lines. Drawing on history behind the Foreign Agents Registration Act and modern examples of access-brokers operating in plain sight, Vogel exposes the incentives, vulnerabilities, and national-security risks that allow foreign money and influence to move through Washington, often away from public view but never without consequences.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/kenneth-p-vogel">Kenneth P. Vogel</a> is a reporter based in the Washington bureau of The New York Times, investigating the intersection of money, politics and influence.</p><p>References:</p><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/devils-advocates-kenneth-p-vogel?variant=43110856097826">Vogel, Kenneth P. <em>Devils’ Advocates: The Hidden Story of Rudy Giuliani, Hunter Biden, and the Washington Insiders on the Payrolls of Corrupt Foreign Interests.</em> William Morrow, 2025.</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11439/IF11439.2.pdf">Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Overview</a></li></ul>