Consent of the Governed Ch. 04

Priya: "And that's a major reason why our competitor, the 'Point Taken' show, has those women at each other's throats... maybe literally, if what my sources tell me is true. The hostess was telling an incomplete story, trying to paint a negative image of Dr. Fredricson, and one of the other women objected out loud."

Meredith: "So none of you think the FBI might've had ulterior motives in announcing an investigation of Dr. Carmela the day before Dr. Fredricson's ethics hearing is being held?"

Greg Wallace: "I'd turn that around and ask if Dr. Lionel Carmela had ulterior motives in making these allegations against Dr. Fredricson without any evidence to support it..."

Part 21 - The Process of 'Canceling'

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, October 22nd, from the roof of a building on the west side of University Avenue, with the Psychology Building on the other side of the street in the background. "The day of reckoning for Dr. Laura Fredricson is at hand!"

After the hard-charging intro music, Bettina began: "The University's Ethics Board will convene this morning at 9:00am to decide if Dr. Laura Fredricson committed ethical violations and even crimes by running a male prostitution ring out of her Psychology Department office. Dr. Fredricson is the Head of the Department of Psychology and a tenured full Professor, but a 'guilty' finding could be grounds for her to be stripped of her tenure and fired."

Bettina: "Dr. Lionel Carmela, who filed the allegations with the Ethics Board, will be presenting the evidence and calling witnesses. Dr. Clarence P. Chase, Dean of the School of Law, will be defending Dr. Fredricson during the hearing. Channel Two News has learned that Dr. Fredricson will have legal representation at the hearing, Mike G. Todd of the Madison & Ives Law Firm, who is Donald Troy's lawyer. Again, that's Mike G. Todd of the Madison & Ives Law Firm." Viewers will remember Mike G. Todd as the lawyer who got Peter Dwayne Gordon acquitted in the Kendra Luskin rape case." (Author's note: 'Falsely Accused', Ch. 05-06.)

Bettina: "One issue surrounding the hearing will be the disappearance of the whistleblower that found evidence against Dr. Fredricson and informed Dr. Carmela. The whistleblower, who we are only calling 'Tamara', disappeared over a week ago and has not been found yet, despite an FBI search that experts are calling 'lackluster'. And now let's go to Pat Stellum, who has Dr. Lionel Carmela with him. Pat!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said Pat Stellum as he came onto the televisions of the County, with the odious Lionel Carmela next to him. "Dr. Carmela, we thank you for giving us a few moments of your immensely valuable time. The whistleblower that we are calling 'Tamara', was she important to your case against Commander Donald Troy's wife, Dr. Laura Fredricson?"

"Her testimony will be damning, if we can find her to testify." said Carmela. "I'm very concerned for her safety, especially with a week having gone by since she disappeared without a trace. The FBI apparently has no interest in doing a credible job to find her, either."

Stellum: "Dr. Carmela, what do you think happened to Tamara?"

Carmela: "Pat, just ask yourself the obvious question: who benefits from Tamara's disappearance? I'd say that Dr. Laura Fredricson benefits very much. Her husband, the racist Pig Donald Troy, benefits. And I wouldn't put it past that thug Pig Troy to do something like that."

Stellum looked stunned, and said "Uh, sir, are you suggesting Donald Troy had something to do with Tamara's disappearance?"

Carmela: "Why don't you ask him that? He'll be at the hearing, with his little pitbull Croyle. You can ask them what happened to Tamara, and if they had anything to do with Tamara's disappearance."

Pat Stellum: "And there you have it, Bettina. An important witness against Laura Fredricson has disappeared, and perhaps investigators should ask Donald Troy about it. Back to you, Bettina."

"Thank you, Pat." Bettina said, but without enthusiasm. "And in other news, the hit show 'Point Taken' has announced that hostesses Zara Zeigler and Dana McMahon will return to the show Monday after a week's scheduled vacation. The producers deny reports that the co-hostesses were fired after a verbal argument on air last week. And now let's go to Jeff Hull for Sports. Jeff!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said Jeff Hull, every black hair on his head perfectly sculpted into place. "Both the No. 5 Bulldogs and No. 4 Wildcats have open dates this weekend, and are preparing for their annual battle against each other, which will be held this year at University Memorial Stadium. Both teams are undefeated, though neither has played a team with a winning record so far."

Hull: "Rumors are surfacing that Wildcats Head Coach Erskine 'Iron Man' Marshall may be fired or will retire at the end of the year, and that a search for his replacement is already under way. Coach Marshall took over the head coaching duties after Coach Richmond suffered a mild heart attack and subsequently retired. Back to you, Bettina!"

"Thank you, Jeff!" said Bettina, her enthusiasm growing... and we soon found out why. "And finally, Channel Two News would like to welcome a new reporter to our Press Pool, Mr. James Donald of the Town & County Police Gazette. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing James Donald of the Police Gazette at the FBI Press conference the day before. Back to Bettina live, who said "As some of you may have realized, that was James Donald... Troy, the Town & County Police Commander. It would appear that Commander Troy has a secret fantasy to be a journalist. Welcome to the club, Commander Troy..."

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

Efforts to conceal laughter at the coffee klatch in the Chief's Conference Room failed. Utterly failed. And that's probably because it was me, Your Iron Crowbar, that was laughing the hardest.

"Touché." I said through my laughter. "I have to admit, That was pretty good."

"Bettina finally got one over on you." said Cindy Ross.

"Oh, I suspect that was Katherine Woodburn's idea." I replied.

The Sheriff did not share our amusement. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Crowbar. I'm not nearly as amused... at what Carmela and Stellum said about you." The sense of amusement instantly vanished in all of us.

"Yes sir, I agree." I said solemnly.

"They were close to crossing the slander and libel linnnnes." said Chief Moynahan. "Verrrrry, close."

"But not close enough, sir." said Cindy Ross. "Carmela stepped right on the line, but didn't truly cross it. Stellum stayed back from it."

"Bettina didn't like it, though." Tanya Muscone astutely noted. "She looked both worried and pissed off at Stellum for that."

"What I don't understand," said Teresa Croyle, "is why Carmela is openly goading you like that, Don."

I replied: "It shows me that Tamara is probably not going to show up today as a suprise witness, which I was halfway suspecting and expecting. That means she really has disappeared, and Carmela knows it. And he has to have an excuse for her lack of being there to testify. Ergo, he starts that line of crap."

"I don't believe for a minute you had anything to do with her disappearance, Crowbar." growled Griswold. "So who do you think did 'disappear' her? Carmela, or the Feds?"

"Sir!" protested Tanya. The Sheriff glanced over at her with something resembling a scowl.

"It really is a possibility, Tanya." I said. "Not Jack nor his team, of course. But other Federal Agents might have 'disappeared' her. But to answer your question, Sheriff... I think Carmela is behind Tamara's disappearance. Either to protect her from perceived threats, or to eliminate her as a threat to him."

"What's going on with Point Taken?" Tanya asked. For some strange reason, we all turned and looked at Cindy.

"I dunno." the Green Crowbar said as she shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't heard from my source. Maybe I will later today. What does your source tell you, Don?"

"I've heard nothing." the Red Crowbar replied.

"Then this might be a rare time where I get one over on you young whippersnappers." said Our Sheriff. "I got word that polling data was showing that a lot, and I mean a LOT, of people were upset that Zara Zeigler had left the program. And she wasn't coming back unless they brought Dana McMahon back, too. So they gave Dana a longer contract with a bigger poison-pill buyout if she agreed to come back, and she did."

"I don't know why." said Teresa. "I sure as hell wouldn't."

"That's Dana, though." I said. "She's an Establishment Republican. No spine, no honor, no principles. They waved a few dollars in her face, and she's running back to let them piss in her face again... and again... and again..."

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

8:55am, Thursday, October 22d. I was wearing my Duty Dress uniform with white shirt and black necktie as I escorted Laura through a gauntlet of reporters and security. Laura was wearing a dark blue dress and matching dark blue pumps. As she took my left arm with her right hand after we got out of my Police SUV, she said "In times like these, I know what those bitches out there are thinking. They wish that it was them on your arm. But tough shit, it's me."

I just grinned and said "I love you, too. Shall we go?"

The ropes to the door of the Administration Building, augmented by the Campus Police Officers manning the line were barely enough to contain the mob of students that were shouting unprintable curses at Laura. Fortunately, a contingent of TCSD Deputies, sent there by the Sheriff to protect me, guided us safely through to the back door.

"For God's sake." I muttered as we walked down the hallway and then up two flights of stairs. "They were supposed to shut off the parking lot, so we could get in without having to go through that gauntlet, and they weren't supposed to know we were coming in by the back way."

Laura replied "The Campus Police are notorious for allowing security breaches. And if you think the TCPD has leaks to the Press, they're nothing compared to the Campus Police and the University Administration itself." I nodded.

The hearing was in the University's Student Judiciary room. In front of the long bench where Student Judges would sit, there was a row of tables with white cloths, like some kind of dinner setting, for the members of the Ethics Board to sit. Laura and I were seated in the front row of seats, which were folding chairs, on the 'defendant' side. There were two lecterns, about eight feet apart, in front of the seats, facing the tables.

"Hey, guys." said Mike G. Todd as he came up. "Here's what's going to happen. They're going to try to make you, Laura, swear an oath, though you may not actually be testifying. I'm going to object, saying that because of your lawsuit against Carmela, you will not be speaking at this hearing. I will also tell them that Carmela, as the defendant in that lawsuit, has the right of silence, and will have to renounce his right of silence if he wishes to testify in this setting."

"Is that true?" I asked.

"It'll sure stop any legal shenanigans in the lawsuit trial." Mike said.

At 9:00am, the members of the Ethics Board filed in from a side door. I halfway expected to see them wearing robes, like US Supreme Court Justices. I recognized some of them: Mrs. Myrtle L. James, Horace Truelove, and Todd Burke, all University Regents; Dr. Stephanie Steele, Dr. Clarence P. Chase, Dr. Jan Camp, Dr. Juanita Rivera, Dr. Joseph Zenger, all Faculty members. And I smelled the offensive body odor of the offensive Dr. Lionel Carmela before I really saw him come up behind us. They seemed to naturally divide into pro-Laura and anti-Laura sides.

In the middle of the tables was University President Sidney P. Wellman. He looked much more relaxed than he'd been the day before at City Hall; indeed, he almost looked vigorous again. But there was still a slight 'haunting' behind his eyes.

Sitting next to Laura was Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle, dressed like me in her Duty Dress jacket, white shirt and black tie, but she was wearing a skirt and low heels. And to my right, nearer the 'prosecution' side, in civilian attire, was Special Agent Tracy Stone. I barely kept from grinning when I saw Carmela visibly start upon seeing her, then his dark eyes going from shock to hatred. Tracy Stone's glare at him was equally hate-filled.

President Wellman opened the session: "We are convened to hear a referral to the Ethics Board involving allegations against Dr. Laura Fredricson." He read the formal allegations, then said "This is not a formal nor legal proceeding like a trial. In hearings like this, we're following the Rules of Order if we need to. Dr. Carmela is acting as the prosecuting member, while Dr. Chase is acting as the defending member on behalf of the accused."

Sounds pretty damn formal and like a trial to me, I thought. And then Dr. Carmela stood up and made it so. He said "Would the Defendant please rise and be sworn to tell the truth?"

"I object!" called out Mike G. Todd, who rushed up to the defendant lectern.

"You can't object!" objected Dr. Jan Camp. "This isn't a trial."

"If I may speak, I will explain." said Mike G. Todd. Sidney P. Wellman gave him recognition to speak, and I saw Carmela's eyes cut to Wellman as Mike said "I am duty bound as an Officer of the Court as well as Dr. Fredricson's attorney to inform this Board that Dr. Fredricson has filed a lawsuit in Superior Court against Dr. Lionel Carmela. She will not be testifying to anything today due to that upcoming lawsuit."

"Furthermore," said Mike, "Dr. Lionel Carmela has the Constitutional right of silence, and must state his revocation of his rights if he wishes to discuss this case in this setting. And to that point, I ask that Dr. Carmela be read his Miranda rights at this time, for his legal protection as well as yours and ours. Commander, will you read him his rights?"

"Certainly!" I said jovially as I stood up. Walking over to where Carmela was, I pulled out a card and Teresa videoed me reading the red-faced, furious Lionel Carmela his rights. "Do you understand the rights?" I asked at the end.

Carmela extended his hand, bird finger pointed upwards, and loudly said "Drop dead, fascist Pig!"

I held the card up to the iPhone Teresa was using, and said "Dr. Lionel Carmela has been read his Miranda rights." I turned to Mike and said "He's mirandized. Anything he says in this hearing can be used against him in your lawsuit."

"Mr. President, I have a question." said Dr. Juanita Rivera of the Romance Languages Department. "Why are these Pigs... er, cops, here?"

"Why don't you answer that, Commander?" said Wellman.

I said "If I may, Mr. President, I'd like for FBI Special Agent Stone to answer that." Wellman nodded and Tracy Stone approached the lectern.

"We are here to collect evidence." she said. "As you know, we are investigating Carmela------"

"Doctor Carmela!" snarled Juanita Rivera.

"As I was saying," Stone replied witheringly, "Carmela is under investigation for accessing or obtaining classified Federal Government information, from the Wargrave Files that he's using to commit blackmail, to accessing Dr. Fredricson's classified projects. And if he reveals through his accusations here that he knows something he shouldn't, we can act." She turned and looked at Carmela as she said "And he has no defense, because he was just read his Miranda rights."

"Vous n'êtes rien d'autre qu'un flic méprisable, un morceau de merde sur le sol!" Juanita Rivera snarled in French.

"Zut alors!" I fired back, obviously also in French. "Vous devriez faire très attention à ne pas insulter la police devant la police! Je pourrais obtenir... fâché."

Rivera's eyes widened in total shock, perhaps not having expected someone else in the room to understand her insults, much less be able to reply to them in kind. Laura was suppressing a laugh, though I saw the amusement in her eyes. Dr. Wellman also revealed his knowledge of French by giving us a most sinister grin. This was getting fun, I thought to myself...

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

In order not to bore the readers (I know, too late), I'll just present some of the pertinent arguments made during the hearing:

Peter and Karyn were brought in to testify. Peter repeated his story that he'd floated the idea of a Babymaker ring as his thesis, and that Dr. Fredricson has nixed it. Karyn also testified that the Babymaker ring was Carl Ryder's idea, may he rest in peace, and that Peter's thesis proposal was turned down. They were the only outside witnesses that Carmela had called in.

"While we have been thwarted from bringing evidence that would expose the perfidy of Dr. Fredricson," said Juanita Rivera, "and do not have the testimony of a whistleblower who has conveniently disappeared after allegedly being browbeaten and her rights abused by the racist Pig, the Iron Crowbar, Donald Troy... whose presence here is obviously meant to intimidate those of us who would expose the truth of Dr. Fredricson's unethical and possibly criminal behavior... it is clear just from what we've seen that Dr. Fredricson is a stain upon this great University's name and reputation, and it is time to end her association with it and her humiliation of it."

Dr. Jan Camp, who was bitterly despised by a lot of people, including Regents Myrtle L. James and Horace Truelove, said "It's just one thing after another with you, isn't it Dr. Fredricson? A peaceful protester, shot dead from your office window by a racist, out-of-control cop." That would be me she was referring to. (Author's note: 'Falsely Accused', Ch. 04-05.)

Camp: "Two girls, who did theses on prostitution under your sponsorship, and both winding up dead." (Author's note: 'The Credit Card Caper', 'Midnight City'.) "Clandestine work using this University's money for one of the most corrupt organizations in the world, the Central Intelligence Agency. And now, your name in close association with the women and the men implicated in the Carl Ryder murder case, also known as the Babymaker case, a male prostitution ring."

Camp: "When does the corruption with you stop? When does the total lack of morals and ethics end? Apparently the only way it will end is when you are removed from the employment of this University, both the Psychology School and the Hospital Staff."

"So let me see if I understand this." Dr. Stephanie Steele was saying. "You have no evidence, none, nada, that Laura Fredricson did anything wrong at all. You base your complaint solely and entirely upon the gynecologist Dr. Fredricson having given women gynecological exams. Well, duh! That's what gynecologists DO!"

There were some chuckles at Stephanie's mock shock, then she said "I guess the next ethics complaint will be against me, and I'll be under house arrest... for confirming Galileo's confirmation that the earth goes around the sun! That really happened; the Court of Inquisition put Galileo under house arrest for life for daring to tell the truth!"

"And now," Stephanie said, brilliantly bringing it all together, "we have this Inquisition here, brought by a rabid Socialist with no integrity, driven by a relentless desire to wipe out all opposition to his radical views, an Inquisition based upon no facts, just a willful desire to avoid facts and suspend reality in the implementation of the politics of personal destruction."

Steele: "If we've reached the point where a doctor doing doctor things, where a gynecology practice is listed as cause to destroy a wonderful research career and 'cancel' a wonderful medical practice that has helped bring many wonderful babies into this world, then it's not Dr. Fredricson's doors that should be locked and bolted...but this entire University's doors that should be closed. When we are no longer an Institution of Higher Learning dedicated to exploring and finding the truth, but an Institution of Thugs using lies and brute force to impose an alien and extremist political agenda, it is time to just shut it all down."