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Midnight in Washington

How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could

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Midnight in Washington

By: Adam Schiff
Narrated by: Adam Schiff
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About this listen

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The vital inside account of American democracy in its darkest hour, from the rise of autocracy unleashed by Trump to the January 6 insurrection, and a warning that those forces remain as potent as ever—from the congressman who led the first impeachment of Donald J. Trump

“Engaging and informative . . . a manual for how to probe and question power, how to hold leaders accountable in a time of diminishing responsibility.”—The Washington Post

With a new afterword by the author

In the years leading up to the election of Donald Trump, Congressman Adam Schiff had already been sounding the alarm over the resurgence of autocracy around the world, and the threat this posed to the United States. But as he led the probe into Donald Trump’s Russia and Ukraine-related abuses of presidential power, Schiff came to the terrible conclusion that the principal threat to American democracy now came from within.

In Midnight in Washington, Schiff argues that the Trump presidency has so weakened our institutions and compromised the Republican Party that the peril will last for years, requiring unprecedented vigilance against the growing and dangerous appeal of authoritarianism. The congressman chronicles step-by-step just how our democracy was put at such risk, and traces his own path to meeting the crisis—from serious prosecutor, to congressman with an expertise in national security and a reputation for bipartisanship, to liberal lightning rod, scourge of the right, and archenemy of a president. Schiff takes us inside his team of impeachment managers and their desperate defense of the Constitution amid the rise of a distinctly American brand of autocracy.

Deepening our understanding of prominent public moments, Schiff reveals the private struggles, the internal conflicts, and the triumphs of courage that came with defending the republic against a lawless president—but also the slow surrender of people that he had worked with and admired to the dangerous immorality of a president engaged in an historic betrayal of his office. Schiff’s fight for democracy is one of the great dramas of our time, told by the man who became the president’s principal antagonist. It is a story that began with Trump but does not end with him, taking us through the disastrous culmination of the presidency and Schiff’s account of January 6, 2021, and how the antidemocratic forces Trump unleashed continue to define his party, making the future of democracy in America more uncertain than ever.

©2021 Adam Schiff (P)2021 Random House Audio
Politicians United States Thought-Provoking

Critic Reviews

“When American democracy faced a near-death experience, Adam Schiff served as an able guardian, protecting our nation from enemies foreign and domestic. Schiff not only provides riveting details in this compelling account, he delivers a much-needed warning about the threats facing America from within and an urgent how-to guide for preserving our nation.”—Stacey Abrams, founder of Fair Fight Action

“Adam Schiff has performed a great public service with this engrossing and illuminating new book. By taking us inside the impeachments of the forty-fifth president, Schiff has written an important first draft of history—history that is not remote or retrospective but all too immediate, for the threats to the republic he so deftly describes remain with us. If you care about American democracy, the rule of law, and the future of our imperiled nation, this is essential reading.”—Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

“In this thoughtful, absorbing, and revelatory memoir, an important champion and defender of American democracy shows us how he became a national leader and, from his experiences on the inside, how close the Trump regime brought us to losing our system. Please read Adam Schiff’s book carefully and pay close heed to his warnings about the dangers that remain.”—Michael Beschloss, New York Times bestselling author of Presidents of War: The Epic Story, from 1807 to Modern Times

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should be required reading

beautiful. i found it the most poetic book about politics ever. a tragic joy to listen to.

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Midnight in Washington

Beautifully written, thought provoking analysis of the former guys time in office.
I enjoyed every minute.
So glad that there is an honest record of some of the malfeasance that will serve as a warning for future generations.

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Truth about Trump

It’s not easy to find the truth about Trump. I believe Adams book sheds light on Trumps presidency. The epilogue is thought provoking as to what the future could or could not be. A wake up call for all of us, not only Americans!

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I lisened to this right to the end never thinking that I would - thank you for writing it all that so needed to be said out loud I live here in Australia and the Trump legacy has impacted even here it's so scary he seems to have made it ok for people to say and behave in a way that you just can't believe l have no idea what the answers are to this but thanks again

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thank you Adam Schiff

I was left with the knowledge we could be looking at a global part of morality.

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Finally, the terrible truth we all suspected.

It's equally reassuring & terrifying to hear this insider story from Adam Schiff himself. His measured tone & mellifluous delivery imbue his insights with the gravitas deserved for so disturbing a tale. History will treat Mr Schiff with all the respect & admiration the 45th President craved but never received. Schiff was there as American democracy began its skeleton run down the slippery slope to fascism. it's a shame that his GOP colleagues were too self-serving to recognise that before long, they'd all be tired to that handcart on its way to hell. A wonderful & frank account of the most devastating episode of American politics ... until now. Schiff reflects what was great about American democracy. It's a shame that this is only the beginning.

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Superb! Breathtaking! Compelling! Terrifying!

I binge-listened to the whole book over two days and I’m about to start it again! Adam Schiff’s recounting of these most important and terrifying events in world history, from his vantage point was utterly breathtaking and compelling. So well written and impeccably narrated. I felt like I was right there in the box seat! Just brilliant! Thank you! 🙏

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Masterclass in the importance of process and perseverance

For a masterclass on the importance of information governance, due process, natural justice and the rule of law in preserving a liberal democracy, look no further than @RepAdamSchiff @AdamSchiff's
chronicle of the work required by all citizens to maintain liberty and order.

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Sit up and pay attention

Brilliantly written and utterly terrifying. For those of us outside the US this book gives a clear, detailed, professional insight into the disastrous reign of Donald Trump. It also gives us reason to sit up and pay attention not only in the US but around the world’s democracies.

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Incredible

A stunning book written by a fine man about a truly horrible one.
The detail and facts are mind blowing.
A must read.

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