Customer Reviews

Rats in the Grain: The Dirty Tricks and Trials of Archer Daniels Midland, the Supermarket to the World

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Like everyone else, I was only vaguely aware of ADM before I read this book. I won't forget ADM soon, though. All the dirty tricks you hear about seem to have been concentrated in one company: everything from antitrust violations to bribery and intimidation. Short of treason, it's hard to think of a crime ADM didn't commit.

James Lieber has done a tremendous amount of research, and it shows. Even when no first-hand sources are available, he is often able to reconstruct a conversation or meeting, and he is very fair about drawing a clear line between facts and suppositions. My only complaint is that he can get a little carried away in his criticism, blaming ADM for practices common to many American corporations (e.g. political contributions, influence peddling, media spin). However, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise outstanding book. Buy it and read it.

Attorney Lieber deserves high praise for his objective, informative presentation of the antitrust criminal case vs. Archer Daniels Midland, the agribusiness giant, that ADM, its powerful lawyers and Clinton's Justice Department did not want published. To his credit, he continued to pursue this case after most reporters backed off and swallowed the dizzying spin and disinformation that ADM's CEO Dwayne Andreas and his aggressive lawyers gave the media, crying crocodile tears as the "victim" of an allegedly deranged ADM executive, Mark Whitacre, who became the FBI's mole, and made hundreds of tapes incriminating ADM executives fixing prices in world markets with their competitors. Lieber correctly smelled the stench of a cover-up and adroitly guides readers to make their own
conclusions after compiling evidence, omissions from court records, and other factors that allow readers to infer that the judicial process was compromised by ADM's widespread political
influence before the trial even began. Although Dwayne Andreas,
the infamous political fixer and king of corporate welfare, got immunity in a highly secretive plea bargain to Justice in 1996,
after ADM agreed to pay a record fine of $100 million, his son
Michael was convicted and imprisoned with Terry Wilson for a
mere 3 years, and Dwayne (thanks to outraged and courageous ADM
shareholders) finally resigned. Tragically, Whitacre was
convicted, fined and sentenced to a harsh term of 9 years
because of ADM's swift retaliation against him as whistleblower, for exposing to the FBI the ... corporate culture of
ADM...(anything goes-but don't get caught-and here's your big
bonus (not reported on books)to keep silent, the unspoken words
being that an employee would be fired and crucified if they
blew the whistle.
Lieber's chilling comment (p. 322)should concern every citizen
or future whistleblower who believes in due process and our rule of law: "It was expected that ADM's attorneys would savage the
snitch. What was highly bizarre in the world of criminal law was the way the Justice Department joined in the frenzy to destroy Whitacre. This was an aberration...the perpetrator was a
politically wired corporation whose law firm- the president's law firm- had unbridled entree and influence at Justice. The
mole's lawyer had none."
Lieber makes a strong case that this American corporate history- "one of the most important antitrust cases of the century"- should be closely examined. Rightly so. Why was the court record sealed, why were key witnesses (e.g., Wayne Brasser) not deposed, who could have validated Whitacre's claims that the hidden bonuses were a quid pro quo for engaging in illegal price-fixing? The author's appendices are very helpful. ADM and Dwayne Andreas not only have lobbied for years to emasculate our antitrust laws (the "Magna Carta" of free enterprise) but know that the massive soft money donations to key politicians can grease not only the wheels of justice, but also ensure that ADM continues to get huge subsidies for ethanol and other favors from Agriculture Dept. (high fructose corn syrup,peanuts) that have cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
Rats in the Grain is highly recommended, and was a difficult book to write because of the case's complexity. James Lieber should be considered for a Pulitzer Prize.

This is the type of information we should be getting on the news...instead of cats stuck in trees and dogs fallen into wells, which too often substitutes for what is really going on in America. Rats in the Grain, about the two-footed rats in suits that manipulate our diet, our government, and our economy....that is the news, ladies and gentlemen. It is fascinating reading, giving the outsider a clear view of how the individuals who make up our government's departments and big business' top offices think and act to our benefit or detriment. Next time your evening news anchor talks about rolling Easter eggs on the White House lawn, call him up and ask him what he thinks about Archer Daniels Midland's rolling our dollars into their bank vaults through fraud and market manipulation.

AGRIBUSINESS ANTITRUST CASE LEAVES WHISTLEBLOWER IN PRISON The book, "Rats in the Grain; The Dirty Tricks and Trials of Archer Daniels Midland" by James B. Lieber describes what Nicholas Hollis, president of the Agribusiness Council called "one of the most important antitrust cases of the century. It certainly was the most important to agriculture." The case developed because one of ADM's highest officials, Mark Whitacre became "one of the most productive...and...courageous" whistleblowers in history," Hollis added. He noted that Whitacre "stood up to two eight-hundred-pound gorillas, ADM with the Andreases and the federal government." He's talking about ADM's primary grandfather, Dwayne Andreas and his relatives. Ironically, the federal judicial system treated the whistleblower more harshly than it treated ADM and its leaders. Whitacre was given up to 10 years of prison (probably until 2007) while only two of his supervisors were tried and given a couple years. One of them, however, was Andreas' only son, Michael (Mick). Helpful in Lieber's 400-page account are various appendices that list people and places linked with white-collar crime close to the case. Despite its lawyer-like detail, this is not a tedious book. It suspensefully chronicles case events. Lieber also includes useful data on U.S. trust busting history. Lieber describes an epic struggle for justice and his part IV, "The Cover-Up" shows how the government avoided giving ADM the usual punishments for such major crimes. It seems justice has yet to be served. This book ought to be require reading not only for every journalism, law and business student who wants to know what goes on in the 'real' world but for every high school class studying the U.S. government. Lieber documents every truth about the ADM scandal. Read "Rats In The Grain!" - end -

If you read one book this year, read "Rats in the Grain." Behind the facade of "ADM Supermarket to the World" a criminal element operated that would have made Al Capone envious. The author reveals how a criminal empire was built on political donations to elected and appointed officials of county, state and federal governments dating back fifty years. It was these connections that kept the chairman out of prison. ADM had the power to thwart FBI investigations, decide who should be indicted, and send the government witness to jail for ten years. They concocted a coverup with the help of devious lawyers from Washington DC. The government witness Mark Whitacre is a hero and also a casualty of a corrupt Justice Department. If it can happen to him it can happen to you. This is required reading!

Lieber possesses a unique blend of talents to investigate the price fixing trial of the century.

The book chronicles ADM kingmaker Dwayne Andreas's rise to business and political power, charts the evolution of US antitrust law, and dissect's the testimony of key witnesses in the trial.

The chapters on the trial delve into ADM's chief defense: its executives were white-hatted American heroes intent on destroying an "Asian" cartel. You will find the race baiting and "we-are-heroes" defense surreal, especially since audio and video tape caught the conspirators red-handed and potty-mouthed.

Lieber presents shocking evidence to build a solid case that the US Justice Department often subjugated itself to ADM's political power and well-connected attorneys in the prosecution of informant Mark Whitacre for fraud and tax evasion. For example, Whitacre still maintains the nearly $10 million of ADM money he stashed in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands was "off-the-books" bonuses given to him by Michael Andreas with the approval of ADM president James Randall. Lieber provides multi-layered facts that endorse Whitacre's story.

The book's final chapters contain even more revelations: alleged document shredding by ADM chairman Andreas after the June 1995 FBI raid; ADM's hiring prostitutes to help steal competitors' technology; the never investigated role of ADM president James Randall--or Chairman Andreas--in price fixing conspiracies; the Justice Department's refusal to release public documents, and other sordid facts of sex, lies and videotape.

As you will discover in reading this book, justice was plea bargined away and the wishes of the Andreas crime family boss Dwayne were granted, one of which was sending Whitacre to jail for 10 years.

Lieber is to be commended for this historical document which will explain to generations to come how corporate crime destoyed our country.

"Rats in the grain" is a powerful story of how publicly traded ADM was controlled by the Andreas family and its iron fisted chairman Dwayne. He showed that being white, well connected and greasing politicians for decades was very helpful when he got in trouble.

Lieber also writes about shareholder activists who decided to expose what the media was afraid to write about. They published the ADM shareholders watch letters that infuriated ADM and its Washington law firm Williams & Connolly. They were relentless in there pursuit of justice, and for that they paid a price.

This powerful book is also a must-read for anyone who feels they would like to become a government witness. You just might change your mind after you read what happened to a top executive who got ten years in prison for playing that role. It is beyond belief how the FBI agents who handled the witness could stand by and do nothing to help him after he worked with them for two and half years. He exposed the largest price fixing cartel in the history of the United States, and then was sold down the river.

About Corruption, Greed, Cowards and Courage. Worth reading.

An intriguing story on the price fixing scandal at ADM in 1995. Also, the book highlights the pervasive web of influence of ADM's and Dwayne Andreas' in political circles through special interest groups, on both a national and international level. Throughout the years, ADM has very effectively managed to drive demand for corn fructose syrup by keeping sugar prices artificially high. Also, how "green" is the sometimes controversial ethanol(fuel additive derived from corn)? To ADM, very "green." Does the already profitable ADM really need the $430 million government grant for ethanol production? Very well-written and documented by the author, a labor and civil rights attorney.

I bought this book after listening to a NPR radio talk show in which James Lieber was interviewed about this book. I was looking to get an insight into the "bad" business practices of big business in America, and this book has given me that insight, at least with respect to ADM.

The book is quite interesting, and I rate it a 4 only because of it's story. The presentation format of the author, especially when he reach the chapters in which the trial is detailed is that of reading a court transcript, quite boring. The first few chapters and the last chapter are interesting. I found myself fighting to keep interest in the last few chapters, but i quickly devored the first few chapters because they are more interesting that any other chapters.

I would recommend this book to any first year law student in order to get a broad picture of prosecution in white collar crimes.

I would also recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how corrupt American business can get.

Rats in the Grain is a tale of corporate criminals from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. whose price fixing conspiracy was finally exposed by a government witness working undercover for the FBI for over two and half years. The FBI tapes and documents sow ADM was involved in fixing prices, technology theft, prostitution, systematic campaign voilations and the transfer of corporate funds without the proper signatures to senior executives' overseas bank accounts to avoid taxes. ADM paid a $100 million fine and was allowed to keep the USDA business worth $85 million, which was unprecededented for a corporation who pled guilty to a criminal felony. THe second conspiracy involved ADM, the Department of Justice and ADM's lawyers working together with the media to paint a picture of Mark Whitacre, the government witness, as the real criminal. Whitacre who worked undercover for the FBI was also receiving illegal bonuses. Records show ADM was aware of this, yet the government and ADM claimed that no one except those around Whitacre were involved. The FBI agents with whom Whitacre worked while recording the crimes at ADM turned their backs on him. All the departments of government in place to administer justice for the people were administering the wishes of ADM's chairman Dwayne Andreas. ADM and the Andreases have spent millions in donations over the years. Adding that to the millions spent on lawyers clearly showed that justice was for sale. Part IV of the book the cover-up is a real eye-opener. It tells of people who sold their souls aiding and abetting in the obstruction of justice which included sending the government witness to jail at the request of ADM. Lieber's book serves notice that all is not well in the heartland and conditions are even worse in Washington.