THE FIX

Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government

New York Times bestselling author of Attack from Within and former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade offers a piercing, urgent, and deeply informed exposé on the escalating threat of far-right politics to American democracy and national security—and a clear roadmap for how to stop it.

In The Fix, Barbara McQuade draws on her decades of experience as a federal prosecutor to show us the detrimental effects of a government that uses corruption, cruelty, and chaos as tools of control. Eye-opening and grounded in the author’s abiding faith in the US Constitution to help restore power to the people,

more …

As a US Attorney, McQuade became all too familiar with corruption cases, prosecuting former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, the “underwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and Volkswagen, among others. Here, she exposes how rampant corruption and cruelty are being weaponized to manipulate every facet of American life. Weaving together courtroom stories, lessons from history, and real-time legal analysis, McQuade shows how each corrupt offense, each act of cruelty, is a step toward total authoritarianism.

Yet The Fix is not just a critique of power gone awry. McQuade offers clear strategies that ordinary Americans can utilize, from organizing teach-ins and protests to running for local office, to reclaim the rule of law and ensure that elected officials serve the public’s interest, not their own.

less …

Seven Stories Press
Hardcover
June 2026
432 Pages
9781644215555

Buy the Book

$35.00

About Barbara McQuade

BARBARA MCQUADE is a professor from practice at the University of Michigan Law School, her alma mater, where she teaches courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, national security, and data pri-vacy. She is also a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, and co-host of the #SistersInLaw podcast. From 2010 to 2017, McQuade served as the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was appointed by President Barack Obama and was the first woman to serve in her position. Earlier in her career, she worked as a sportswriter and copy editor, a judicial law clerk, an associate in private practice, and an assistant US attorney. McQuade is author of the national bestseller, Attack from Within. She and her husband have four children and live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Praise

“The Fix is in. Barbara McQuade exposes Donald Trump’s gangsterism and mastery of corruption and cruelty. More importantly, McQuade gives us the tools to take power back from this weak strongman and put it where it belongs—with we, the people. And we, the people need to act. Now.” —Robert De Niro

“Prosecuting organized crime taught Barbara McQuade how to recognize key Trump behaviors. If we want the rule of law, her recommendations are a good place to start.” —Timothy Snyder, author of the New York Times bestseller On Tyranny

“In these disorienting times, Barbara McQuade has performed the extraordinary service of seeing the truth clearly, prosecuting the case against Donald Trump’s corrupt pursuit of wealth and power, and offering deeply informed ideas for how to overcome authoritarianism through mobilization. The Fix is a powerful guide to what has gone wrong in our democracy and how to reclaim power from a strongman.” —Ben Rhodes, author of All We Say: The Battle for American Identity, former deputy national security advisor to President Barack Obama

“With The Fix, Barb McQuade has somehow managed to produce a book that is both uplifting and pragmatic, one that is sorely needed in this moment but will continue to be a worthy guide for years to come. She draws upon history and the experience of other nations to not only diagnose what ails us but to realistically prescribe what can fix us. It’s a republic, and we can keep it.”

—Preet Bharara, Former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York

“Drawing on her years as a federal prosecutor, Barb McQuade confronts a sobering question: what happens when those in power govern like a crime syndicate? Blending courtroom stories with sharp political analysis and historical insight, she reveals how rampant corruption, disinformation, and retribution corrode institutions from within—and how the rule of law can still prevail. With clear-eyed reforms and practical strategies for civic action, The Fix is essential reading for anyone determined to safeguard American democracy and save our country.” —Vanita Gupta, former Associate Attorney General of the United States, former President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Discussion Questions

Barbara McQuade argues in this book that corruption, cruelty, and chaos are deliberate tools of authoritarian control. Which examples from the book felt most convincing—or most alarming—to you, and why?
In The Fix, McQuade balances legal analysis with a call to civic action. What do you think about her proposed solutions—examples like local organizing, protests, and running for office—and do you have any to add yourself?
How does McQuade’s background as a former U.S. Attorney influence the way she sees current political events and government behavior and did her firsthand experience prosecuting corruption and terrorism make her arguments more persuasive?
The book considers the fragility of our democratic institutions and the rule of law. Were there moments in the book that changed how you think about the Constitution or the justice system, in protecting democracy?
McQuade writes with both urgency and optimism, warning about authoritarianism while expressing faith that Americans can “take it back.” Did you finish the book feeling hopeful? What do you think the author most wants readers to do after finishing the book?