“The FBI is looking at all possibilities. Nobody and no organization, at this time, has been ruled out. Yes, Jim?” the president acknowledged a reporter from the BBC.
“Were these pipe bombs? Can you tell us how sophisticated the bombs were?”
“No, I cannot at this time. The FBI crime labs are still doing their research. We do know that the timing is such that whoever planted these bombs was no stranger to explosives or timing devices. The timing of the bombings themselves take considerable expertise for them to go off in synchronization as they did.
“Yes, Brittany. Brittany, right there,” said the president, pointing to a Politico reporter.
“Will you or will Congress be addressing any of the threats that were made? They said no IRS employees are safe if you do not act,” she stated.
“We don’t succumb to terrorist demands and we don’t negotiate with terrorists,” said Bartlett flatly.
“But, Madam President, how do you tell the IRS employees to show up to work now that their lives have been threatened?” Brittany followed up.
“Security is being significantly increased at IRS locations in Texas. I can’t, for obvious reasons, disclose all the details, but I would like to assure the hard-working government servants at the IRS that we do take this seriously and we will fully protect them. That’s all I have for you for now. We will keep you abreast of any developments,” concluded the president as she walked off the small platform to more shouted questions..
Meanwhile, Turner, Beard and Turnbow were at the Bunker debating whether to reach out to Lofton to see if they could arrange a private meeting. Understandably, there was serious hesitation because it was more than likely that Lofton’s team was responsible for the bombings. Any contact with Lofton after the fact could link them to the conspiracy.
In the middle of the heated discussions, Zach’s phone rang.
“Turner here,” he answered, knowing by caller ID Pops was calling him.
“Son, this is Younger.”
“Hello, Pops. Hell of a last twenty-four hours for you, I bet?” asked Zach.
“Just got one question, son, and I know you’ll answer it for me.”
Zach cringed. He knew what Pops was going to ask him.
“Any of your folks connected to the people that did these bombings?” asked Pops.
“Sir, this wasn’t one of our operations,” Zach said.
“I don’t think I asked you that. I know it ain’t. I’m asking if you know who could have done this?”
“I don’t have any direct evidence, sir,” Zach responded hesitantly.
“The IRS has been a royal pain in the ass to all of us. But you’ve got an idea, don’t you?” pressed Pops.
“I do, but I’d ask you to let me follow up on it and let you know.”
“Son, I need you to be very careful,” Pops told him. “You need to bring me into this as soon as possible. If you get linked to whatever group is doing this, I don’t know how much I can protect you.”
“Sir, I completely understand and I sincerely appreciate that.”
“If the feds get out ahead of us on this, everything will escalate again.” said Pops, a clear warning in his voice.
“I understand, sir. I definitely understand,” Zach said. “Good-bye, Pops.” He ended the call.
“You don’t want to tell him, do you?” asked Will.
“We don’t know for sure. But this is one of our guys. I don’t know if I can turn over one of us,” Zach said miserably, feeling like he was caught between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.”
“The minute, the very nanosecond he stopped listening to you and doing his own thing, he became not one of us,” replied Will.
“If he did do it, and I think all three of us believe he is behind it, we will be guilty by association, you both know that,” said Zach.
“We’ve got Pops’ trust right now. Sure would hate to jeopardize that,” admitted Beard.
“He knows we likely know. He also knows we are trying to sort through this,” Will concluded. “We need absolute confirmation Lofton did this before we offer anything to anyone.”
“Put feelers out to his crew, without implicating us in the conspiracy. I’m not exactly sure how to do that, except that we have to let Pops know we know, once we really know it,” instructed Zach.
“Look, another statement!” Beard pointed to one of the TV screens in the Bunker.
“Turn it up!” yelled Zach.
The ABC affiliate in Austin was reading from a fax, supposedly from the same source that provided the faxed statement after the bombings. It read:
President Bartlett has chosen to ignore our demands for accountability by the IRS for unlawful seizures, harassment and the terrorization of lawful U.S. citizens.
Therefore, we provide this warning to IRS employees in Texas. When you go to work tomorrow, next week or next month, it may be your last day.
To Congressmen and Congresswomen who do not immediately authorize new legislation to curtail the IRS’ authority and to pass laws allowing due process as in every other accusation under the Fourth Amendment, worrying if you will be re-elected will be the last thing you will need to worry about.
Time is short. Life is precious.
Do the right thing. Do it now!
Concerned Citizens Willing to Take Action Now
“This is not going to end well, not at all…” said Beard.
“We are going to have to tell Pops we have an idea about who it is but stress we have no way to confirm without further implicating ourselves,” said Will.
“Damn it, Hank,” cursed Zach, even though Lofton wasn’t there to hear it. “There’s other ways to rid ourselves of the IRS vermin.”
“How far will he go, Zach? You know him better than we do,” asked Will.
“The dude is dead serious,” Zach stated. “He’s obviously been pushed to his limit. I’m not sure how to stop him at this point. He’s got the full force of the federal government looking for him right now; he just doesn’t know it yet. If he was sloppy in any way, they will tie those bombs to him and they will look to take him out.”
“You have to make the call, Zach, tough as it is,” said Will regretfully. He meant that Special Forces soldiers create very unique bonds. You don’t rat on your comrades—ever.
“This is gut-wrenching. Do we have an ounce of doubt that he’s responsible?” asked Zach, looking for any angle to get out of making that call to Pops.
“Look at it this way,” Will told him with a very stark reality check. “We are going to be tied to him, no matter what. You have a duty to protect those with us. If he makes good on his threats and starts killing IRS employees, it will be that much tougher on the rest of us. Your security business will be toast.”
“Damn, it may be anyway,” Zach said sadly.
“We will survive, Zach, you know we always do,” said Beard. “Here’s your phone.”
Zach snatched the phone from Beard and looked at it for a moment, then reluctantly dialed Pops’ number.
For the first time ever when he called, Pops actually answered himself.
“Younger,” said Pops.
“Sir, this is Turner. I’ve got you on speaker with Turnbow and Beard.”
“What took you so long, son?” asked Pops.
“We’ve been discussing it. This is very hard to do,” Zach said with conviction.
“Listen, you’ve got some pal or some pals that have gone off the reservation. I understand. I also know you ain’t involved. Now, you boys know your buddies are way better off if I get to ’em before the feds,” reasoned Pops.
“You’re right, sir. First, we don’t have anything confirmed. We’ve been hesitant to make contact for obvious reasons,” Zach told Pops.
“You’ve got good instincts, son. Go ahead. Tell me what you know and why you think you know who may be behind this.”
Zach walked Pops through the last meeting with Lofton and the others. Pops asked a ton of questions,
including names, backgrounds and specialties Lofton’s crew might have. At least two in Lofton’s group were demolition experts who would know how to construct the bomb sequences.
As difficult as it was for all three, they laid all their cards on the table for Pops to make his own evaluation.
“It seems these folks are fully capable. I have to admit I enjoy seeing the IRS squirm as much as you boys, but you know we are likely headed down a road that may offer a way out from under those bastards without bloodshed if the damned federal government gets out of our way,” Pops said.
“The only people we trust in D.C. are part of our organization,” confirmed Zach, which was seconded by Beard and Will.
“Boys, as you know from the evidence you’ve gathered, these bastards are ruthless and this Deep State, as you describe it, is so tangled that it’s like a pit of vipers. You can’t tell where one snake starts and where another snake ends. That being said, I want y’all to know I’ve got your backs, but I’ve got to act on the information you have provided me. You certainly know that as sure as the sun is comin’ up tomorrow, right?”
“We understand, sir, and we appreciate it,” replied Zach. “Is there anything else we can do at this juncture?”
“Keep using your sources and find that damned Russian!” suggested Pops.
Chapter 45
“Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us?”
- Justice William O. Douglas (1898-1980)
U. S. Supreme Court Justice
The late August morning sky was gray and cloudy in Austin, with a stiff breeze from the southwest that reflected the general gloom in Texas. The world was about to witness the second funeral of a sitting Texas governor in less than two years.
In a scene eerily reminiscent of John F. Kennedy’s funeral procession down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1963, two horse-drawn wagons carried the caskets of Governor Brahman and Lieutenant Governor Wilson, both draped with the Lone Star flag, northward up Congress Avenue to lie in repose at the state capitol. Behind the carriages were the families of both men, followed by the entire contingent of Texas Rangers.
The rest of the world was watching Texas’ version of royalty. Pops Younger, mounted on Pecos, led one hundred sixty-two Texas Rangers. The Rangers all wore crisp white western pearl snap shirts, Wrangler jeans and straw cowboy hats. The modern-day Texas Ranger looked every bit like their 1880s version. It was the first time anyone could remember the full command of the Texas Rangers on horseback and together in one place. The rest of the world was mesmerized by the scene they witnessed on television.
“And there they are, arguably the most recognized law enforcement unit in the world, with no doubt the richest history and tradition,” said the Fox News analyst covering the funeral live. “The Texas Rangers serve at the pleasure of the governor of Texas and my goodness, what a tribute to Governor Brahman and Lieutenant Governor Wilson!. Buckingham Palace has nothing on the pomp and circumstance of these Texans. And, of course, there, on his horse Pecos, is the most famous Texas Ranger in modern history, Pops Younger. Wow, what a sight!”
“What strikes me is the silence. There are nearly one hundred thousand mourners or more here by some accounts, but other than the sound of those Lone Star flags popping in the wind and the clopping of the hoofs of the Texas Rangers’ horses on the pavement, nobody says a word. Incredibly solemn. It’s hard to describe and I’m actually down here on Congress,” said a correspondent from C-Span.
Lone Star flags lined Congress Avenue with thousands of Texas mourners waiting for a glimpse of the carriages carrying the two Texas leaders and the Texas Rangers. It was quite a sight to see in person, but the rest of the world was seeing their version of what most outsiders think Texas is all about, cowboy hats and horses.
As the procession crossed East 5th Avenue, the clouds parted and sun peered through, seemingly called on to light up the procession as it traveled slowly north. The crowd remained silent. A lone bugler standing on the east side of Congress began playing “Texas, My Texas,” the Texas state song:
Slowly, like the wave at a sporting event, the crowd began singing the song all Texans learn in elementary school. Crowds who could barely hear the bugler from both ends of Congress Avenue began singing when the sounds of the song reached them:
Texas, Our Texas! All hail the mighty State!
Texas, Our Texas! So wonderful so great!
boldest and grandest, withstanding ev’ry test
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.
Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of Freedom! it sets our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.
Texas, dear Texas! From tyrant grip now free,
Shine forth in splendor your star of destiny
Mother of heroes, we come your children true.
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
As the chorus grew along the length of the procession, some TV commentators noted they could see tears streaming down many faces in the crowd, even on many of the Texas Rangers as they rode by.
As the procession reached the state Capitol building, a throng of state employees and politicians awaited on a hastily built grandstand at the south Capitol steps. Once the procession entered the Capitol grounds under an ornamental iron gate, the entrance split into two paved narrow roads with a green belt in between. The carriages carrying the caskets, followed by family members and clergy of the Brahman and Wilson families, took the path to the right. The Texas Rangers and the state troopers walking behind them took the left path.
The procession passed the Confederate Soldiers monument and the monument dedicated to the heroes of The Alamo, which sat in the greenbelt area. CNN and MSNBC couldn’t help adding their own editorial comments about how Texas still allowed Confederate memorials on the Capitol grounds. They went on to criticize other statues on the Capitol grounds, including Terry’s Texas Rangers Confederate Cavalry statue, Hood’s Brigade statue and the monument to the Ten Commandments.
“Yes, indeed, Texas is different than the rest of the country,” snarked a CNN political analyst in his attempt to mock the state.
As the Texas Rangers dismounted, eleven pre-selected Rangers went to the carriages to act as pallbearers. Pops Younger went to the families; he took off his cowboy hat and went down the line comforting each of them. At the end of the line, acting Governor Strasburg stepped down off the grandstand to make sure he got in the photo op with Pops.
The Rangers were waiting for Pops, the final pallbearer, to make his way through the line of mourners to assist with the caskets. Once Pops got through the throng of family members, he turned to them, nodded and put his cowboy hat back on. Strasburg was right behind and waited for Pops to acknowledge him with the hundreds of video cameras on the spectacle.
Pops looked at him as Strasburg stuck out his hand to shake Pops’ hand. Pops took a step closer to him and locked onto Strasburg’s hand to pull him in closer. To most, this seemed like an intimate moment of both sharing their grief over the magnitude of the moment.
Strasburg looked at Pops’ steel-blue eyes now inches from his face.
“If I find out you had even the slightest involvement in this, I’ll kill you myself with my bare hands,” Pops murmured.
Strasburg, visibly shaken by Pops’ threat, moved away and somehow managed to smile for the cameras.
Chapter 46
“We are rapidly entering the age of no privacy, where everyone is open to surveillance at all times; where there are no secrets from government.
- Justice William O. Douglas (1898-1980)
U. S. Supreme Court Justice
Nils Ottosson
arrived back in Washington, D.C. after a visit with his employer’s leadership at corporate headquarters in Stockholm, which was preceded by two days of debauchery in Amsterdam.
Ottosson was not happy. He was previously a regular in meetings with Bartlett’s chief of staff and various other cabinet members, but he hadn’t been invited back in months. What was obvious to others wasn’t so obvious to him.
His womanizing was a liability, but the administration and politicos in the Democratic Party put up with it simply because his lobbying efforts were so effective. His relationships with members of Congress was surprisingly strong. His ability to maneuver various statehouses to get the CIS voting systems in place and past huge hurdles was admired by many.
The effort to federalize the elections had long been a plank in the Democratic platform. Losing presidential elections where their candidate won the popular vote, only to get trounced in the Electoral College, was a volatile and painful talking point for them.
The Democrats had a simple formula for permanent change. First, the flow of illegal immigrants who were granted amnesty over time by either Party continued to tip the scale of the popular vote to the Democrats. If the Electoral College was eviscerated and replaced by a popular vote in presidential elections, Democrats would almost assuredly win every time. The federalization of elections was simply an outgrowth of the government’s plan to become the centralized authority. This process was begun by Lincoln and had grown more powerful and centralized with every administration.
Democrats successfully used the race card, citing supposed voter suppression efforts and mythical violations of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to shift public opinion from state to federal control, with oversight of every federal and state election. The CIS election system was the tool they needed to put their plan in play, and the relationship had become a mutual lovefest between CIS, the Democrats and even powerful moderate and establishment Republicans. CIS had craftily found loopholes and established corporate subsidiaries in the United States to be major political contributors to their campaigns.
Purge on the Potomac Page 25
