Kompromat: How Russia Undermined American Democracy

by Jeff Pegues

A timely and essential book from the CBS correspondent who has led their coverage of Russia election interference and the FBI counterintelligence investigation into whether the Trump Campaign coordinated with the Russians.In this compelling account of how the Russians hacked the 2016 election, CBS News Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent Jeff Pegues reveals how far the Kremlin poked into voter databases and why it happened. He also investigates the steps taken to shore up election systems in states across the country ahead of the 2018 midterm and indeed the 2020 Presidential election.Based on exclusive interviews with officials from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and cybersecurity experts, Pegues takes readers behind the scenes and into the minds of investigators following the case. He delves into the shadowy world of Russian spies, unraveling the complicated web of contacts between Russian operatives and Trump representatives during the campaign. In one chapter, he focuses on Valeri Gerasimov, widely believed to be the mastermind behind a Russian cyber strategy designed to influence and disrupt democracies. Evidence is presented showing that the Russians infiltrated not only Democratic Party computer networks in the US, but networks in the Ukraine and Europe as well. Consulting with representatives of top cyber security firms, the author discusses what states are doing to protect voting systems in the next midterm elections and beyond.Fascinating and chilling at the same time, Kompromat opens a window into the murky world of espionage, digital warfare, and a newly aggressive Russia brazenly inserting itself into U.S. politics.

Genres: Politics, Russia, History, Nonfiction, Journalism

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 10, 2018

Reviews

[Misfit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know if it's because I've reached overload on books dealing with the Russia investigation, or if it was the format this was presented in and the dryness (to me) of the writing style. The ARC I read is composed of lots of short chapters that bounce around quite a lot from 2016 to present, and that didn't flow well - I'd just get settled in and then get bounced back a couple of years. Sometimes there'd be a whole bunch of background at the beginning of a chapter as to who we're dealing with in said chapter and then I'd start another and a meeting with say Linda and there's no background on who she is. Granted, maybe she can't be named, but couldn't the chapter just start with that so I wasn't lost again?

Lastly, I know I read an ARC and typos can be expected, but I sincerely hope the publisher puts a good red-pencil guy in charge before printing the final editions, because this book is littered with them (and I skimmed a bit to finish). Putting? Really?

For those wanting a better written, more fleshed out and reads like a spy novel and doesn't bore the reader, I'd recommend Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump.

[Bettie]

Description: Based on exclusive interviews with officials from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and cybersecurity experts, Pegues takes readers behind the scenes and into the minds of investigators following the case. He delves into the shadowy world of Russian spies, unraveling the complicated web of contacts between Russian operatives and Trump representatives during the campaign. In one chapter, he focuses on Valeri Gerasimov, widely believed to be the mastermind behind a Russian cyber strategy designed to influence and disrupt democracies. Evidence is presented showing that the Russians infiltrated not only Democratic Party computer networks in the US, but networks in the Ukraine and Europe as well.
Consulting with representatives of top cyber security firms, the author discusses what states are doing to protect voting systems in the next midterm elections and beyond.
Fascinating and chilling at the same time, Kompromat opens a window into the murky world of espionage, digital warfare, and a newly aggressive Russia brazenly inserting itself into U.S. politics.

[Alma Bytyqi · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is a prolongued news article, with no depth and mostly transcripts of interviews. Though, I grant that this book opens a dialogue but remains superficial to the issue. No perspective, it doesn't describe any background. It would have been good to have a chapter on the history of espionage, cold war and origins of the spy methods Russia-US. It is essentially full of interview transcripts. And that is about it.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, compelling subject matter, but explored in a very piecemeal and scattered fashion, almost like a travel diary, or a long-form Rolling Stone article. Worth reading if the subject matter interests you, however.

[Nate Huber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeff Pegues does a good job of providing a detailed overview of the Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election.

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes it’s dry. And an important read

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL;DR

Kompromat by Jeff Pegues is an interesting mix of memoir, well-researched argument, and interviews that detail just what happened and whether it could happen again. The writing style will not be for everyone, and with many of the interviews, I feel like we’re missing part of the whole story. Recommended with the caution to read a couple of the short chapters first or check out of your library.

Full review is up at my blog, Primmlife.com.

Disclosure

Prometheus books provided an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.