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a30 people & arts
Wednesday 29 July 2020
Ex-FBI agent Strzok due out with book about Trump, Russia

By ERIC TUCKER "Russia has long regarded became a regular Twitter frequent target of Trump's
Associated Press the United States as its 'Main target of the Republican scornful tweets. In a state-
WASHINGTON (AP) — For- Enemy,' and I spent de- president's attacks, with ment announcing the
mer FBI counterintelligence cades trying to protect our Trump alleging that Strzok book, the publishing com-
agent Peter Strzok, who country from their efforts to and others in the FBI had pany said "the Trump ad-
played a key role in the weaken and undermine plotted against his cam- ministration used his private
Russia investigation but us," Strzok said Tuesday in a paign and had even com- expression of political opin-
whose pejorative text mes- statement accompanying mitted treason — an accu- ions to force him out."
sages about Donald Trump the book announcement. sation that Strzok's lawyer "But by that time," the state-
during the 2016 campaign "In this book," he added, rejected as "beyond reck- ment added, "Strzok had
made him a target of the "I use that background to less." The text messages seen more than enough to
president's wrath, is releas- explain how the elevation were exchanged with an convince him that the com-
ing a book on his concerns by President Trump and FBI lawyer, Lisa Page, and mander in chief had fallen
the president could be his collaborators of Trump's Trump routinely refers to the under the sway of Ameri-
compromised. own personal interests over two of them together as ca's adversary in the Krem-
"Compromised: Counterin- the interests of the country This cover image released "the lovers." lin." Though Mueller did
telligence and the Threat of allowed Putin to succeed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt At a fiery, daylong congres- not allege a criminal con-
Donald J. Trump" is due out beyond Stalin's wildest Books & Media shows "Com- sional hearing in July 2018, spiracy between Moscow
Sept. 8, publisher Hough- dreams, and how the na- promised Counterintelligence Strzok insisted that he never and the Trump campaign,
ton Mifflin Harcourt Books & tional security implications and the Threat of Donald J. allowed personal view- the publisher said that in
Media said in a statement of Putin's triumph will persist Trump" by Peter Strzok. points to influence his work, the book, Strzok "grapples
to The Associated Press. through our next election Associated Press though he did acknowl- with a question that should
The book will offer an in- and beyond." ing former national secu- edge being dismayed by concern every U.S. citizen:
sider's view on some of As a senior counterintel- rity adviser Michael Flynn Trump's behavior during the When a president appears
the most sensational and ligence agent with more about his contacts with the campaign. to favor personal and Rus-
politically freighted inves- than 20 years at the FBI, Russian ambassador during The text messages featured sian interests over those of
tigations in modern Ameri- Strzok helped lead the in- the presidential transition prominently in the inspec- our nation, has he become
can history, including into vestigation into whether period. Strzok briefly served tor general investigations a national security threat?"
whether the 2016 Trump Democratic presidential on special counsel Robert into the Clinton and Russia Former FBI Director James
campaign coordinated candidate Hillary Clinton Mueller's team but was re- probes, but the watchdog Comey and former Deputy
with Russia to sway the mishandled classified in- moved from his role after office said it did not find ev- Director Andrew McCabe
presidential election. Due formation on the private the Justice Department idence in either case that have each released books
out two months before email server she relied on inspector general flagged the actions that Strzok and that describe aspects of
the November election, as secretary of state. The FBI derogatory and pejora- other FBI officials took were the Trump investigation.
the book adds to the list of ultimately recommended tive text messages about motivated by political bias. Andrew Weissmann, a for-
first-person accounts from against criminal charges. Trump that Strzok sent and Strzok was fired from the mer Justice Department
other senior FBI and Justice He also played a pivotal received during the 2016 FBI in August 2018, though prosecutor who served on
Department officials during role in the Russia investiga- campaign.Once the texts he has since sued over the Mueller's team, is due out
the Trump era. tion, including by interview- were made public, Strzok termination. He remains a with a book in September.q

Silkroad’s new face: Grammy-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens

By WILLIAM J. KOLE "My keenest desire for Silk- an advocate for the con-
Associated Press road is a sharpening and temporary voices that can
Silkroad, the acclaimed reinterpretation of what it move us to work together
international musical col- means for the 'right now,'" for a better world," Ma said.
lective with a social con- Giddens said in a state- "In addition to her enor-
science, has a new face ment, adding: "What is mous musical talent, she
— and a fresh sense of more American than the fosters an immense social
purpose. Grammy-winning gathering of influences consciousness and creates
folk singer and instrumen- from disparate areas of the unity through her art," said
talist Rhiannon Giddens is globe to create something Kathy Fletcher, Silkroad's
Silkroad's new artistic direc- unique and fantastic?" executive director.
tor, taking the baton from She makes her debut Silkroad has recorded sev-
renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Wednesday evening with en albums, including "Sing
who founded the group "Recitals from the World Me Home," which won a
In this Tuesday, July 3, 2018, file photo, Rhiannon Giddens
performs during rehearsal for the Boston Pops Fireworks two decades ago, Silkroad Stage," a virtual presenta- Grammy in 2016 for best
Spectacular in Boston. said Tuesday. tion prerecorded for Tan- world music. Founded to
Associated Press The 43-year-old North glewood, the Boston Sym- "seek and practice radical
Carolina native is the first phony Orchestra's summer cultural collaboration in
woman and first multiracial home in the Berkshires of many forms," it holds train-
artist to lead Silkroad. The western Massachusetts. ing workshops and resi-
Boston-based organization Ma, who launched Silkroad dency programs for music
is known not just for its tour- in 1998 and stepped down teachers and musicians
ing ensemble comprised as artistic director in 2017, around the globe.
of world-class musicians called Giddens "an extraor- The group takes its name
from all over the globe, but dinary human being and from the ancient Silk Road
also for its efforts to use the musician." trade route that linked Chi-
arts to bridge differences "She lives Silkroad's values, na to the West, with the two
across races, countries and at once rooted in history hemispheres exchanging
cultures. and its many musics, and is not only goods but ideas.q