Consent of the Governed Ch. 03

Amber: "But how do you achieve your noble goal of putting Donald Troy and Cindy Ross in their places by stripping their Police Force of every dime of budget money?"

"Cori Bowman: "We have a number of tools available to us. Remember, Amber, that if there is no Budget at all, then our goal of denying the Town & County Police of any money will be achieved. And with that in mind, the racist white Republicans have no choice but to acquiesce to our demands."

"Thank you, Ms. Bowman." said Amber with a big smile. "Back to you, Bettina!"

Bettina; "Thank you for that important story, Amber, and that's a great job on your part to get Ms. Bowman to join us for a few moments. And now let's go to Pat Stellum for more. Pat!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the fat-cheeked, Al-Capone-lookalike Pat Stellum, reporting from the Courthouse complex, with City Hall at the other end of Courthouse Square behind him. "We have with us Republican Assemblyman Ryan Paulson.. Mr. Paulson, the Democrats are digging in to ensure that Donald Troy's Police Department is completely defunded. Will the Republicans work with the Democrats on this, or will you support the racism of Donald Troy and the White Nationalism of Jared crony Sheriff Griswold?"

Ryan Paulson: "The Republicans believe in the Rule of Law, and we will be fully funding the Police Force. I don't think the Democrats are going to want to face their constituents when they're asked who to call when their wives and daughters are being raped by Southside criminals. This is a totally losing issue for the Democrats."

Pat Stellum: "Mr. Paulson, if no Budget is passed, then the Police are defunded by default. How can you stop that?"

Ryan Paulson: "It's an empty threat. If there is no Budget, then there are no County health services for their voters, there's no welfare services that many blacks depend upon, no money for public education. The Democrats know this, and they'll have to accept a fully funded Police Force if they want to buy votes by funding welfare programs."

"Back to you, Bettina." said Pat Stellum, his voice dismissive of Republican Ryan Paulson.

"Thank you, Pat." said Bettina, equally dismissively. "And now let's go to political reporter Carl Lemay with an important breaking story. Carl!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said Carl Lemay, who was on the roof with Bettina and Amber, but with the State Office Building behind him. "Channel Two News has learned that The City is mass-mailing ballots to all addresses, has authorized drop boxes to collect those votes, and also has ordered that absentee ballots not be verified, but accepted in good faith. However, White Nationalist Governor Val Jared and the State Republican Party filed lawsuits in State and Federal Courts to stop the drop boxes and ballot mailings. Social Justice groups accuse Jared of trying to deny minorities their right to vote..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was a very quiet coffee klatch in the Chief's Conference Room, which consisted of the Chief, the Sheriff, Me, and my three Angels. We were all stunned at what we had just heard and seen.

"Where to beginnnn?" drawled the Chief.

"With what was not reported." I replied. "The Council had their second readings, and approved Cindy, Tanya, and Claire Michaels's hirings and promotions. So congratulations Chief Deputy Ross and Deputy Chief Muscone."

"Was it just me," said Cindy, "or did Ryan Paulson come across as racist?"

"He came across as tone-deaf, for surrrrrre." said the Chief agreeably.

Teresa said "He was stating the other side. At the local level, it's trade funding the Police for funding social programs. At the national level, it's military spending in exchange for social programs."

I said "Ryan Paulson is an Establishment Republican, and the Chief is right that Paulson comes across as tone-deaf. And that's what Establishment Republicans do... they fuck up the messaging every time. I remember years ago when there was flooding along the Mississippi River. The Democrats were pushing for emergency relief funding. It was a legitimate emergency, too."


Me: "So what did the Establishment Republicans do? They tried to hold the emergency relief hostage to some sort of deficit spending restrictions. The Democrats and the Media pilloried the Republicans for it, and rightly so. And that's the Establishment Republican Party... even when they're right, they find a way to fuck it up and make themselves look like the bad guys. I truly wonder if they don't do it on purpose, sometimes."

Sheriff Griswold said: "I don't disagree with you guys on that. Paulson could've found a better way to say that, or not say it at all. Totally unforced error on his part."

Cindy said: "I get what you're saying, Don... but my sense is that it wasn't an error. I believe Paulson said it that way on purpose."

Tanya: "Pandering to the wealthy white elites in the northern parts of the County? Trying to help Bill Redmond beat Kelly Carnes?"

"You're half right." I replied. "Paulson is pandering, but not to the wealthy white elites. He's trying to get the Conservative whites that strongly support the Police, the Flag, the Constitution... that support Mayor Daniel Allgood. Paulson is laying groundwork to primary Allgood in two years, and he apparently believes the Mainstream Media's lies that patriotic Americans are by default racist."

"Sooooo," said Chief Moynahan, "will the Town & County Police be funded for next year?"

"Yes sir." I said with alacrity. "Unless the State Legislature fails in its duty, and does not pass a State Budget."

"By the way," Teresa asked, "when is Laura's situation going to be resolved?"

I said "The full University Ethics Board convenes Friday." I said. "The Faculty Ethics Board, which is composed of far-Leftwing cronies of Lionel Carmela, has voted that Laura committed egregious ethical violations as well as criminally violated the law, and has recommended that she should be stripped of her tenure and summarily fired."

Teresa said "They better be able to prove the criminal charges, or Laura can sue them."

"She's way ahead of you." I replied. "Mike G. Todd is filing that lawsuit even as we speak."

Teresa said "The full Ethics Committee has Regents like Myrtle L. James on it, Professor Stephanie Steele is on it, and Dr. Richard Searles is on it. And University President Wellman supports Laura. So if Carmela and his fellow dirtbags can't prove their allegations, she'll be cleared... won't she?"

I replied "But Dr. Jan Camp, Dr. Juanita Rivera, and Dr. Joseph Zenger are also on the full Ethics Board, and they are anything but friendly to Laura. Also, I'm halfway expecting Carmela to have a dirty trick or two up his sleeve..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At 9:00am, Teresa and Cindy came to my office and we turned on 'Point Taken'. Curious to see what would happen, we were.

The day before, neither Dana McMahon nor Zara Zeigler had been on the show; instead, guests Jenna James, who was State Senator Katherine Woodburn's Press Secretary, and Cynthia Freeman of the SNN Networks had filled in. The situation with Laura was not mentioned at all.

As today's show opened, Connie Chen, Rosie Berkmar, and Donna Roselle filed in. Jenna James was a guest host again, but this time Jenna Stiles was the fifth person.

"Jenna Stiles?" Teresa said skeptically.

Cindy said "Priya told me they're going to talk some legal stuff, so they asked Jenna Stiles to appear on the show again. And Priya also told me that they haven't fired Dana McMahon yet because Zara Zeigler said she'd quit the show if they fired Dana. Zara is very popular with viewers and well respected, and they don't want to lose her."

"Wow." said Teresa. "Zara is the 'Joe Manchin' of the women's talk show circuit."

"Good analogy." I said. "But Alison McFarland told me yesterday at the Council meeting that Connie Chen called her, Alison, and offered her Dana's spot on the show. Alison turned it down flat; she's been a guest before, and she wants no part of that toxic atmosphere. And she didn't say it out loud, but I happen to know that she, Alison, will have opportunities to be a regular on 'The Four' on KFXU. But I wonder if Zara would've come back if Alison had accepted Connie's offer."

"I don't know." said Cindy. "Priya said Zara is really tired of the partisan manipulation of stories, and that's on top of her despising Donna Roselle's blatant race-hatred. So when Connie Chen started twisting things about Laura, and wouldn't back down after Dana called her out, Zara had just had enough, and she's now taking a stand."

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was my Police iPhone, and it was Our Sheriff calling. After finishing our brief one-way conversation and disconnecting, I said "Cindy, you and I have to go to City Hall. The Sheriff wants to see us in his office."

"Really?" Cindy said. "He usually comes over here to talk to us. Any idea why he wants us to go over there?"

"Ours is not to reason why, ma cousine." I replied. "Teresa, try not to burn down the Station while we're gone."

"You take away all my fun." Teresa pouted (not really) as we all exited my office...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My Intel Detective Christopher Purvis's styled hair was very black; so much so that it was joked that he used shoe polish on both ends of him. In a like manner, Inspector General Horace S. Wellman's hair was equally seemingly unnaturally black.

By way of contrast, his older brother University President Dr. Sidney P. Wellman's hair was pure white. No silver, no gray, just pure white. Except for that, the brothers looked remarkably alike, and even had the same sinister smile.

Horace Wellman looked vigorously healthy, and I had not seen Dr. Sidney Wellman for some time. So when Cindy and I went into the Sheriff's office and saw the University President in the room, I was shocked at his appearance. Sidney Wellman looked aged, his face haggard, his body weak.

"Hello, Doctor." I said, shaking his hand. "How are you feeling?"

"I guess it shows." said Dr. Wellman. "Especially to the Iron Crowbar's eyes."

"Cindy," said Sheriff Griswold, "why don't you and I go measure for drapes in your new office?"

"Uh, sure, sir." Cindy said, allowing Our Sheriff to lead her out of the office, leaving me alone with Dr. Wellman. We sat down in the two chairs in front of the Sheriff's desk.

"I'll just come to the point, Don." said Wellman. "As you know, Laura's hearing before the Ethics Board is Friday morning. Dr. Carmela and Dr. Jan Camp are leading the charge against Laura, and they intend to use innuendo and insinuations as (air quotes) 'proof' that she's committed ethics violations. That won't pass muster for proof of criminal charges, but a finding that she committed ethical violations will go a long way to preventing her from winning her lawsuits against them."

"I'm not so sure about that." I replied. "But are you saying that she's going to be found guilty of the ethics violations?"

"I don't know." said Wellman. "I can't gauge how everyone will react once the hearing takes place." He paused, then said "Look, Don, Laura has been a friend, a good friend, to both me and Sally, and to the University. I knew she was with the CIA, and I appreciated the considerable money the University got in grant money because of her many projects for them."

Wellman: "But a lot of that money is drying up. And the Director of National Intelligence, Brendan Chapel, is making a point to cut off any more funding she once had. Now that in itself is not a problem, and Laura continues to publish and do good work in the Psychology Department. But that may not be enough to save her... this time."

I peered at him and said "And for some reason, the considerable influence you have as University President over the Ethics Board might not be effective... this time?"

"As they say, not much gets past you, Commander Troy." said Wellman. "Carmela is a cancer, a disease that is destroying my University, and he is relentless in pursuing his Socialist goals. He hates Laura with a passion, and he means to get her thrown out as a University Professor, come hell or high water, and by any means necessary. She might well have been assassinated by now if it weren't for the fact Carmela knows what her husband will do to him in retaliatory response. And he can't achieve his goals if he's dead." I nodded most vigorously in agreement.

Wellman: "And after he's destroyed Laura, he's going to come after me. The University Presidency is his real lodestone. He believes Hoyt Stenson will be Governor and Corey Coons Lieutenant Governor, and once I'm ousted, they'll make sure that he, Lionel Carmela, becomes University President. But he has to take out Laura first, then me."

"And you can't stop him, because..." I queried, letting the sentence hang.

"Because..." said Wellman, "Dr. Lionel Carmela is blackmailing me..."

To be continued.