Sausage and The Law Ch. 02

Laura: "And while the Governor pushed back hard against the first mention of trying to seize Teresa's Trust, the threat to the Hospital, to the Administrator, to the doctors and the employees there, could literally start a mass exodus. And then BigBenefitInsurance's Jeff Woolsey will be right there, demanding the Hospital be shut down."

"Whaa?" I gasped. I had not heard of any threats in that particular direction. I said "I haven't heard anything about that."

"You will." Laura replied. "Especially if Dr. Cordell wins his lawsuits... and now that he's getting it into Court, everyone expects he'll win. Woolsey and the other 'Big Boyz' despise us already, and they -cannot- afford to lose that one... elder George Bush's 'New World Order' of the Crony Capitalist Elites controlling us would take a devastating hit if they do... and they would love to shut the entire Hospital down rather than concede an inch to the People."

"My God..." I whispered, my voice trailing off as I began going into a reverie. Laura's voice brought me back out of it.

Laura: "It's also becoming personal with me. I was told by someone who is not our friend but who also despises Carmela that he and Jerry Moore are going to wage war against me in the Press and with the Trustees and the Faculty. Celeste Moore has told people that this academic year will be my last at the School, come hell or high water."

"You have tenure." I said. "They can't boot you. They've tried, and failed already."

Laura: "They're going to gin something up. Maybe based on the 'loyalty documents' or a massive 'cancel' operation in social media. And very possibly... violence. Unlike Teresa and you, I can't outrun bullets, nor explosions. And Carmela is so damned maniacal, he might just take another shot at our children, even knowing what you will do to him if he so much as tries." (Author's note: 'Consent of the Governed', Ch. 04-05 for Carmela's attempt to have Carole murdered.)

Seeing my mood darken considerably, Laura said "So the gist of our meeting was what to do about all this. Katherine Woodburn has a strong vested interest in it, as her hold on her seat in the Legislature could become tenuous if her District's greatest employer, the School, were to start struggling. Ditto that for the Hospital. Don't tell Teresa, but Katherine knows if Teresa ran against her, we'd have 'State Senator Croyle' after the next Election."

"Maybe I -should- tell Teresa that." I said. Then I said "I'm kidding. Don't tell Katherine, but Teresa ain't going anywhere."

"Unless it's with you." Laura replied, fully aware of where Teresa's loyalties lay. "Anyhoo, Katherine and the Governor are going to make those issues a priority in the Legislative Session. But like most things political, there's going to have to be tradeoffs. Whatever we get, we'll have to concede something. I'm not sure at all what'll come up, but something will."

I realized two things: first, that Laura wasn't telling me everything, and wasn't going to right now. And second, it was about to get crazy under the gold dome of our State Capitol...

Part 10 - It Begins

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, January 12th, from the rooftop of the building at Riverside and College, with Police Headquarters in her background. "Donald Troy's mistakes lead to the possible dropping of murder charges!"

After the hard-charging intro music, Bettina began: "After Monday's arrest of Rhonda Huntington and Randy Luna, his attorney, Michael Bertram of Gaston & Bertram, P.C., accused Donald Troy and the TCPD of violating Mr. Luna's rights by obtaining a warrant for his arrest without probable cause and under false pretenses!"

Bettina: "Far right-wing Judge Rodney K. Watts refused to dismiss the charges at Mr. Luna's arraignment, so Mr. Bertram refused to waive the preliminary hearing. Mr. Bertram is also appealing to fair-minded Judge Leahy of the Appellate Court, seeking injunctive relief for his client. Judge Leahy is expected to make a ruling today. I interviewed former ADA and current candidate for District Attorney Savannah Fineman, who had this to say. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Bettina interviewing Savannah in the copse of trees near the Courthouse. Savannah said "Donald Troy has once again flouted the law and abused the Constitutional rights of a Sovereign Citizen, and D.A. Miriam Walters marches in jackbooted lockstep with Donald Troy's acts of brutality and suppression of Citizens's rights. I call upon Miriam Walters to drop the charges based upon this falsely obtained warrant, and I can promise the Citizens of this County that when I am District Attorney, I will oppose Troy's abusive tactics and protect our Citizens's rights!"

Back to Bettina live: "D.A. Miriam Walters refused to be interviewed on KXTC Channel Two News cameras, but her Campaign issued this statement, saying, quote: 'The warrant was legitimately obtained, the suspect tried to evade arrest and resisted arrest, and later evidence that was lawfully obtained show his complicity in the crime.', unquote."

Bettina: "And now let's go to highly respected reporter Carl Lemay for a report on last night's Town & County Council meeting. Carl!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the Reporter of Color, standing on the same roof but with City Hall as his background. "In one of their most bipartisan actions in years, the Town & County Council approved putting an initiative on the May 3rd ballot that would change the Charter to separate the Public Health Service from the Public Safety Department!"

Lemay: "If passed, the Public Health Officer would become an elected position, and a special non-partisan election would be put on the General Election ballot in November. The initiative also states that the HAZMAT Team, which was widely praised for its responses to a fentanyl release and of course the train explosion last year, would remain in the Public Safety Department, as part of the EMS Service."

Lemay: "The vote was 6-4 to put the measure up for a public vote after a spirited debate amongst the Council Members as well as several persons in the audience who spoke. I spoke with Town Assemblyman Raphael Kapel after the vote. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Kapel reiterating his reasons why he thought the separation was needed. Then back to Lemay live, who said "And our colleague Pat Stellum interviewed Mayoral candidate Ryan Paulson, who said this. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Paulson saying "We need the public safety aspects of the Public Health Department. But we do not need the Socialist Welfare aspects of free medical care to Illegal Persons paid for by hardworking taxpayers who don't use the Clinics and have to pay for their own healthcare. That's just wrong, and it's why I'm running for Mayor to defeat Daniel Allgood and whatever Democrat they try to put in my way."

Lemay: "Voting for the measure were Republicans Ian McGhillie, Edward Steele, and John Colby as well as Democrats Sheila Sorrells, Edgar Silas, and Malinda Adams. Voting against were Republicans Dagmar Schoen and J.P. Goldman, and Democrats Kelly Carnes and Susan Weston. Back to you, Bettina."

"Thank you, Carl!" Bettina shouted as the feed came back to her, then said "And now let's go to reporter Pat Stellum with a special guest. Pat!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the corpulent, fat-cheeked reporter as he came on screen, the Clock Tower of the University behind him. "I'm here with Dr. Jerry Moore, President of the University. Dr. Moore, there is a push in Midtown to defund the Climate Change Center as well as outlaw the badly needed pledges of support for the great cause of Climate Change. Do you think they'll succeed?"

"No, Pat, and here's why." said Dr. Moore. "First, the funding for the Biology & Climate Change School from the current, enlightened Administration in Washington, as well as from Climate Justice supporters all over the Nation, will assure the continuation of the excellent work being done on behalf of Climate Justice. And we do not require anyone to sign pledges of loyalty to the great cause of Climate Justice; doing so is strictly voluntary."

Stellum: "Dr. Laura Fredricson, wife of Police Commander Donald Troy, but the mother of only two of his six children, has been leading the effort to oppose the Climate Change Center as well as refusing to voluntarily sign the Climate Justice Pledge. What can you say about her?"

Dr. Moore: "This academic year is the last year that Dr. Laura Fredricson will be employed at this University, come hell or high water. She is a cancer within our great School, and we are going to excise it---"

"But she has tenure." said Stellum.

"I don't give a damn." Moore said, keeping his voice relatively level. "We will find a way around that. We will find a reason to terminate her employment with the University, and also as a doctor On Staff at University Hospital. We will do whatever it takes to remove her harmful presence and influence from the University and from University Hospital."

"Back to you, Bettina." Stellum said to the camera with a huge grin on his fat face.

"Thank you, Pat!" Bettina shouted. "And we thank University President Moore for the few minutes of his valuable time. And now let's get a report from our colleague Bill Hacosta of the SNN Networks about the Legislative session. Bill!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the white reporter with possibly deliberate graying hair as he came on, either live or very recently taped. "The State News Networks have learned that a bipartisan coalition featuring Governor Sharon Marshall and State Senate Minority Leader Katherine Woodburn of the 1st District is promoting legislation concerning the University."

Hacosta: "The bills, which have been introduced in both Chambers, would do three things: first, they would separate University Hospital from the control of the University; second, they would create a new State Medical College as an independent graduate-level entity; and third, they would outlaw the requirement to sign so-called 'loyalty documents' in support of -any- political position as a condition of employment or retention in -any- State Government position or related positions, such as doctors On Staff at University Hospital."

Hacosta: "The bill does not defund the Climate Change Center nor the Biology School, which has been converted to a de facto Climate Change research school. Many donors to the University that have been skeptical of the Climate Justice Pledge do support the settled science of Climate Change, and it is hoped the passage of this bill will allow those donors to resume their generous pledges to the School."

Hacosta: "And a Select Committee comprised of Legislators of both Parties and both Chambers has been formed to begin working out the restructuring of county lines, including dissolving some counties and creating new ones. Asked if they could get a bill written and through the Legislature by the end of March, Committee Chairman Lamar Linder, the Republican State House Rep from Hamilton County, said 'I believe we can, if everyone shares the same single-minded purpose to get the job done.' Back to you, Bettina..."

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

"Where do we even start?" asked Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle as she, Sheriff Griswold, Commander Troy (me), ADA Paulina Patterson, Chief Sean Moynahan, Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone, and Chief Deputy Cindy Ross watched the propaganda-cast and drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room.

"Was that a threat to our family that I just heard, Don?" asked my first cousin Cindy Ross. "Are they going to come after your children again, like Carmela did that last time?" (Author's note: 'Consent of the Governed', Ch. 04-05.)

"Yes. Yes it was a threat." I replied. I did not mention that Dr. Moore's words were exactly what Laura had reported had been said about her earlier. Instead I said: "It was also a very calculated conversation. My only question is who that conversation was really meant for."

"I'm taking the threat seriously, of course." Teresa said. "But for them to put it out publicly like that... do you think they're trying to distract you, Don?"

"Could be. Could well be." I said musingly. "I'm also curious why they ran Stellum's interview with President Moore, then immediately followed it with the taped report by Hacosta from Midtown, which all but contradicted Dr. Moore. And don't tell me it was an accident. Bettina is Managing Editor; she put that together the way it was shown. If I were Stellum, I'd be pissed. If I were Moore, I'd be really, really pissed."

"Sheriff," said Chief Moynahan, "what should we make of Savannah Fineman's comments about the charges against Randy Looooona?"

"She's a far-Left-wing nutjob." growled Griswold. "I also found out that she is getting financial backing for her Campaign from George Schwartz, who funds Radical Leftists to run for D.A. positions. God have mercy on us if she were to actually win."

"Paulina," said Cindy, "I can hardly believe that Miriam Walters would refuse to go on the air with KXTC. Why wouldn't she go on the air with them? They -have- to give her equal time by showing it, don't they?"

"Theoretically, yes." Paulina replied. "And when I first saw that, I wondered if Bettina was lying yet again, and saying she refused when she really didn't. They do it all the time about Don not responding to their pleas for comment, but to say outright that Miriam (air quotes) 'refused'? That's getting real close to coloring outside the lines if it's not true, with ramifications involving election laws and equal time."

I said "I'm sure they twisted it in some way. Maybe they ask her to go on camera right at that moment, she says 'let me freshen my makeup first', they walk away, and then say she refused to go on."

"Or else they called her at 3:00am, she said wait until morning, and the same result." Cindy said. I nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Or maybe she -did- refuse." Tanya said. "They can be so deceitful and tricky once they get someone on camera, then hit them with unrelated ambush questions. And if it were me, I'd wait until that process works out. How -did- it go in Court, Paulina?"

"It got a little rough." Paulina said. "Michael Bertram is a thug, and he tries to be physically intimidating. He argued hard with the Judge, and when I interrupted him to factually correct him, he came towards my table. The Bailiff intercepted him, but he was bigger than the Bailiff and if push had come to shove, Bertram would've snapped his neck. Judge Watts told Bertram if he crossed the centerline again, then he, Watts, would call the Iron Crowbar over to make the arrest, and that it would physically be extremely painful to be perp-walked to jail with a crowbar jammed up his, Bertram's, ass."

We all laughed at that, then Teresa said "Would they really throw out the case? I mean, we got the evidence through Rhonda's warrant, everything was legal and correct. And if we hadn't have gotten the material witness warrant for Luna, then we still had the drugs and gun with his fingerprints. And I think the material witness warrant was fine to ask for, because his name is on the rent lease and he and Rhonda had been living together for a long time. Where am I wrong on that?"

"You're not." Paulina replied. "But Bertram is going for the narrowest possible interpretation of what you needed in order to obtain the warrant. Ironically, it might've been better if you had -not- asked for the warrant for him when you did. Luna's attempts to evade the Police and then resist arrest gave you exigent circumstances to bring him in and then get a warrant to hold him, augmented by the gun you legitimately found through her warrant."

I said "And then Bertram would say we arrested his client without a warrant as well as without cause, that his client has the right to walk out his back door. Whichever way we play it, Bertram plays the other side."

Me: "Also, I'm not trying to make excuses nor shift the blame, but Judge Doss issued the warrant. If there was a problem, why didn't she hold back and let us work through Rhonda's warrant?"

Paulina said "I'd have issued the warrant, too. Like I said, Bertram is clutching at straws. This loophole is smaller than the eye of a needle, but Bertram is going to try to drive his chariot through it."

"Changing the subject," said Tanya Muscone, to change the subject, "was that actually a fair and balanced report on the ballot measure to separate the Public Health Service from the Public Safety Department?"

"It was indeed surprisingly balanced." growled Sheriff Griswold. "Lemay reported the facts accurately, they showed both Kapel and Paulson making comments, and showed that the vote was bipartisan."

"Whaddya say to -that-, Red Crowbar?" Cindy asked, and in a challenging manner.

"I'd say they hadn't figured out what to tell us to think yet." I replied cooly. "They'll see which way helps them and hurts us in the Public Safety Department, then choose their side and tell their viewers to choose that way, as well."

"You just will never give them credit for anything, will you?" Cindy said, half whimsically, but with a serious undertone beneath it.

"In this case, Crowbar is right." growled Sheriff Griswold before I could deliver a biting retort. "The Council vote was bipartisan, with people on both sides of the measure. There's merits to either side, so the Media bides its time and waits and sees how the cards fall..."

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

11:45am, Wednesday, January 12th. Teresa and I drove to the Luigi's-By-The-River restaurant. Partly to fight the cold and partly to mask our armor that we were wearing, we were wearing our leather jackets with embroidered badges over the heart and metal ranks on the shoulder epaulettes.

When we got there, we were shown up to the private dining room. I was not surprised to see State Senator Moe Molinari (R - The City); after all, he'd called me and asked to meet here and now. I was more surprised at who was with him: State Senator Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone (D - Southport), the owner of this excellent restaurant.

We all shook hands, and both men greeted Teresa as if she were (literally) a royal princess. We then sat down at the table for four, with Teresa taking the place against the wall, not only because it was long-forgotten manners that the ladies sit where they can see and be seen, but also so she could see out and observe any threats. Cerone and Molinari's bodyguards were at tables along the walls near the door.

"I'm a bit surprised to see both of you up here while the Legislature is in session." I said.

Cerone replied "Today is all Committee meetings. Senator Molinari and I don't really bother with those unless and until we're needed to put some sense into their heads."

Our food came very quickly. The salad and breadsticks were served immediately, and we barely had time to consume one bowl of salad and a breadstick each when the lasagna and the fettuccine Alfredo came out. For the next few minutes the former Bosses of Bosses ate like they were starved dogs. Yes, the food was that good, but Teresa and I showed just as little bit more restraint and decorum in eating our food. Just a little bit more.

When the eating finally slowed down, the State Senators discussed what was going on in the Legislature. Cerone said that the 'redistricting' was going very slowly and without urgency, which suggested to him that something was a done deal behind the scenes and they'd spring it on everyone at the last moment as a fait accompli. Molinari said that the same thing was happening with the Budget, that no one was really talking about it, but that something was being put together behind the scenes.