Price No Object Ch. 03

Meredith: "And in Midtown, the Legislative session is off to a rough start." She went through the Tasheeka Harris comments and Katherine Woodburn's response, then said "And now let's go to our colleague Priya Ajmani in Midtown. Priya!"

"Good morning, Meredith. Good morning, Catrina." said the beautiful Indian reporterette as she came on the screen. "I spoke with Tasheeka Harris after her Press Conference, and this is what she told me. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Priya saying "Representative Harris, you're saying that a shutdown is a win as far as defunding the Police, but that would also stop funding to our schools, our hospitals and clinics, as well as welfare. How do you address that?"

Tasheeka Harris: "If that happens, it would be the Republicans's fault for not accepting our conditions for a Budget. And in any case, defunding the Police is the most important thing. We must show white cops that Police brutality will not be tolerated."

Priya: "Could defunding the Police be made part of an overall bill for bail reform and sentencing reform that the Black Caucus is introducing, which might give the rest of the Budget a chance to pass with bipartisan support?"

Tasheeka: "All items in the Budget bill must either spend money or create revenue, that is, taxing or spending. So as good as those ideas are, we cannot put Bail and Sentence Reform in the Budget. Therefore, we have to defund the Police via the Budget bill, or else the Republicans will just sabotage it."

Back to Priya live: "And other groups are drawing their lines in the Budget battle as well. Establishment Republican Wilson Hammonds and Conservative Governor Sharon Marshall are at direct odds, with State House Majority Leader Hammonds demanding that there be no funding that, quote, 'discriminates against hardworking Undocumented Workers', close quote; while Governor Marshall says she will veto any bill that does not contain funding specifically earmarked to, quote, 'round up Illegal Persons and turn them over to the Federal ICE, as well as prosecute any company that hires Illegal Persons', close quote."

Priya: "And State Senate Budget Chairman Katherine Woodburn of the 1st District has renewed her demands for a stronger SBI with total jurisdiction over every county Sheriff and every county's LEO units. Back to you, ladies!"

Catrina: "Thank you, Priya! That was Priya Ajmani at the State Capitol, covering a tense Legislative session. Meredith, do you think they'll be able to get anything done at all this session?"

"No." Meredith said simply...

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

"That was... interesting." I said as Tanya, Teresa, and Captain of Detectives Claire Michaels watched with me prior to the 'Angels+1' meeting.

Tanya said "What, that KFXU keyed on the Davalos arrest that KXTC didn't even mention?"

Teresa added "And KFXU didn't try to throw Jeff Cawthorne under the bus like KXTC did."

I nodded vigorously in agreement, then said "You're both right, but it's their different treatments of Davalos, who is a fringe member of the Swamp Frogs, that got my attention."

Teresa said "Should I be surprised that the Fox News reporter Priya got more out of Tasheeka Harris than KXTC or the SNN Networks did?"

I shrugged. "Priya's been everywhere and worked for all of the networks. And she's not white, so Tasheeka Harris would give her a minute where she wouldn't give Amber Harris, no relation, nor Bettina the time of day."

"Question for the group." Claire Michaels said. "Will a Budget get passed?" They all looked at me, but I pointed back at them, and indicated Claire should answer her own question first.

Claire said "I just moved from the People's Republic of California, where the Democrats have Totalitarian control. I'm a little surprised that this State is so evenly divided. But I think in the end they'll pass something, some kind of continuing resolution."

I said "They can't pass continuing resolutions, per the State Constitution. They have to pass a Budget for the entire fiscal year. And to that point, they could bring the Budget they passed two years ago forward, and pass it this year. That's what Molinari and Cerone's fallback position is going to be. But I don't think it will work. Teresa?"

Teresa said "Todd's lobbyists think Tasheeka Harris and her 'Squad' don't have as much Mainstream Democrat support that they think they do, so their rhetoric is just that: rhetoric. And that rhetoric may just galvanize the Republicans to unify and force a Budget bill with Police funding through, with moderate Democrat support."

I looked at Tanya, who said "I can't agree with that. The Republicans are totally fractured between the Establishment and the Conservatives. Each side is saying the other is not the true Republican position; both are saying the other side are the RINOs, Republicans In Name Only. And the Dems may argue, but they are better at unifying, as their passion is to defeat the Republicans more than anything else. So I think the Republicans will fold, and pass most of what the Dems demand."

And now all eyes were upon me. I said "I think Priya's interview with Tasheeka Harris showed what's going to happen. The far-Leftists, which call themselves the 'Progressives', like the name of the insurance company. want the Police defunded. And they know that a shutdown achieves that goal. Soooo, it will come down to whether or not the Democrats can blame the Republicans for the shutdown and make it stick."

Me: "The Mainstream Media will carry their water, and do everything they can to paste the Republicans as 'obstructionists' and blame them for a shutdown, if it occurs. If they succeed, and people blame the Republicans, there will be no Budget. If they don't succeed, and the People of the State see that it's the Dems and their mantra of defunding the Police that are causing their welfare, health services, and schools to shut down... then a Budget will pass."

I sat up and said "Okay, enough of that. Let's run this Police Department for a few minutes. Anything besides the Matheson deaths to talk about?"

"Yes sir." said Claire Michaels. "Karina White of the FBI used to be with ATF, and she has asked us to cooperate with an ATF investigation into illegal liquor being brought into the Northwest Tri-Counties area of the State."

"Targeting the University and its underage students?" Tanya asked.

"To some extent, ma'am," said Claire, "but the ATF believes that they're selling to the bars along University Avenue and in the Tenderloin District, and that so-called 'speakeasy's, fully illegal bars with illegal liquor and maybe gambling, are being set up."

Teresa said "And the World Whiskey Tasting Championships are coming to the Hyatt Hotel next month. I know this because Our Sheriff entered the contest. He will be competing against some of the best whiskey tasters in the world, and he believes he can win."

"And he just well might." I said. "It amazes me how he can taste a blind sample and be able to tell what brand it is, what distillery, what the proof is. Me, I can tell Scotch from Bourbon, and that's about it. But is the WWTC involved with or a target of the illegal whiskey imports?"

"We don't know yet, sir." said Claire. "But I would imagine the ATF will be all over the WWTC competition. Anyway, I put Lieutenant Rudistan and Vice on it and asked them to work with the Feds. But I told Karina that our Intel Branch is off-limits to the Feds."

"Goooood." I said, glad to see that Claire was learning, at least when it came to the Miltons and the Feds. "Okay, keep me informed on that. In the meantime------"

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

The door to my office opened to reveal our Chief of Police, who said "Mis-ter Crowbarrr, Captain Michaels... D.A. Walters and ADA Fineman are in the Main Conference Rooooom. Let's join them, shall we?"

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

With considerable foreboding, I went with the Chief and Claire Michaels to the Main Conference Room. The Chief sat at the near end of the table, his usual spot. I went around to sit at his left, my back to the window. To his right, facing me, was District Attorney Miriam Walters, her beady eyes as black as her hair. To her right was Savannah Fineman, whose long platinum blonde hair and blue eyes were a total contrast to Miriam's.

"What can we doooo for you, Ms. Walters?" asked the Chief.

Miriam said "We came here to discuss a few things, including the structure of the D.A.'s Office."

"Where's Paulina?" I asked.

"Handling the hearing on the warrants for BigCommo's employee records." replied Miriam Walters. "Or do you not want those anymore?"

"No, I want them. They're important." I said. "Though keeping Richard Davalos in jail is even more important. Is Paulina not handling that?"

"No, I am." said Savannah. A smirk formed on her face as she said "And I'm dropping the charges against Mr. Davalos..."

To be continued.