“But judge, suppose this Committee on Justice decides, after its three-month deliberation, that they don’t like the settlement number,” Jim Blake said. “Maybe they think it should be lower, maybe higher. Do you think they can do that?”
“Jim, look at the word approve. The right to approve assumes the right to deny. We’re suddenly in a different world, guys. But I have a suggestion. Why not start a class action lawsuit based on this piece-of-shit document? I bet you can round up a few dozen plaintiffs right now in this building. Hey fellas, I gotta break up our meeting. I have another settlement conference coming up. That should be fun.”
As Jim Blake and Murray Blanken walked out of his chambers, Judge Dworkin looked at the statue of Lady Liberty on his desk. He shook his head.
Chapter 66
Dee and I had breakfast at 6 a.m. in our apartment. Bartholomew Martin had taken office as president in January, 10 months ago. We were slowly adjusting to the subtle scary changes in our lives.
***
At 6:30 a.m. our intercom buzzed. It was Jerome, the doorman, saying he had an important package for us. He brought it to our door. It was a large special delivery envelope with a return receipt attachment. I signed for it and opened the envelope.
“Holy shit,” I yelled to Dee. “Our bank and investment accounts have been frozen on orders of the new administration. We can’t even take interest or dividends. The letter doesn’t say why, or what steps we can take, it simply advises that our accounts are impounded.”
I made a phone call to Phil Tomlinson, of Tomlinson and Jones, the attorney we use for any matters involving finances or investments.
“This is probably the 20th call I’ve gotten like this in the past two days, Matt. Our firm is going crazy trying to sort this shit out, but apparently the law that enabled this action came right down from the White House by executive order. For right now, you and a lot of other people are stuck. I know you think it’s obviously illegal, and so do I, but when the president’s signature is on an order, it carries the rule of law until a court decides otherwise. I’ll let you know as soon as we can figure something out.”
I called my office to let them know I’d be in late. Dee had no classes that day, so we spent our time trying to figure out the strange new turn in our lives.
“Hey, Matt, let’s try to think positive.”
That’s my Dee. I don’t think she really knows how to think negative. “Okay, so our accounts have been frozen for some reason we can’t figure out. The only immediate problem is that we can’t make some planned transfers into our charitable foundation. We still have a large income between you and me. We can handle this.”
“We can handle it financially, Dee, but can we handle it in our heads. I feel like we’ve been mugged. We know who the mugger is, but we can’t even call a cop. I know this sounds negative, but I’m feeling a little helpless. I’ve always thought of the law as being on your side when something weird like this happens. Just bring a lawsuit, make a few motions, and straighten the crap out. But for the first time in my life, the law doesn’t seem to be on our side.”
“Hey, we’re not alone, Matt. Didn’t Phil Tomlinson say that this was among 20 calls he’s gotten about an asset seizure for no reason? And that’s only one law firm. Multiply that out over the past few days over thousands of law firms and I think we’re looking at a scandal the press can’t ignore.”
“Right,” I said. “Maybe Bill O’Reilly can give this story a 30-second spot between his cooking segments.”
“Hey, babe,” Dee said, “yes it sucks, but we’re in a new world, and in the near future we’re going to learn more about it.”
Chapter 67
The devastation of the Yemeni government compound in Aden received little press. The CBS Evening News carried a brief report that discussed an “apparent explosion” at some government buildings in Aden, and wrapped up the report by saying that the “matter is still under investigation.” No mention was made about the attack on the American embassy.
***
Imam Faisal Abdullah sat in front of an Al Jazeera reporter and could barely disguise his anger. The government of Yemen has been destroyed and the American press is silent. The infidels think that they can attack Islamic governments with impunity and not be held to account for it, he thought. Hundreds of people have been killed, and the Americans are silent about the event.
“Could this be in retaliation for an attack on the American embassy the day before?” asked the Al Jazeera reporter.
“Attack? A few people were killed in an attempted robbery,” Abdullah lied. “But the American attack on the government of Yemen is an affront to Islam.”
After the interview, which was conducted at the Al Jazeera studio in the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah walked around the corner to a parking garage to retrieve his car. His bodyguard met him at the entrance. As they approached the vehicle, his bodyguard looked around. He drew a Sig Sauer P226 pistol. He fired once, hitting Abdullah in the head, killing him instantly.
***
Amand Bushar, a spokesman for the Glory of Islam, a splinter group of CAIR, the Council of Arab American Relations, sat with his assistant, who also served as his talent agent, getting him bookings on various TV and radio shows. They were in the assistant’s office in Manhattan.
“Muhammed, it’s been three months since I’ve been booked on any American show, either TV or radio. The last time I was booked, for a 60 Minutes segment, I was canceled a half hour before the taping. Do you have any idea what this can be about?”
“I am as confused as you are, sir. It appears that in the past year or so, the American press has lost all interest in the Muslim community. I know most of the producers well from our contact over the years. They all say basically the same thing—don’t call us, we’ll call you. I’ve been researching this carefully. The only show that even touched on Islam in the past few weeks was The O’Reilly Factor, which has largely become a cooking program. The segment was all about the correct preparation of a halal dish. Exciting segments, such as yours, seems to be lost on them. You always provided excitement, not to mention the truth. Your carefully thought out denunciations of the heathen society always gave them a boost in ratings. But they apparently do not want to hear from you anymore. Even Al Jazeera America seems to be very careful these days.”
“Is it because of that insane new president, Bartholomew Martin?”
“It seems to be that way, sir. We are almost certain that Martin was the head of NFL, the group of heathens that relentlessly attacked Islamic targets. Now he is President, and both houses of the American Congress are on his side.”
“Have you ordered my car, Mohammed? I have to give a talk in a mosque in Connecticut. At least I am welcome to express my thoughts and feelings at mosques when I am among the faithful.”
“Yes, Amand. Your car awaits you. Your driver is Ali Islam, a good man and a good driver.”
Amand Bushar climbed into the back of the Ford Expedition for his trip to Connecticut.
He was never heard from again.
Chapter 68
Senator Andrew Locklear, whom everyone referred to as Andy, had just been overwhelmingly elected to the office of Senate Majority Leader. Prior to his election as senator, Locklear had no political experience. He had never held elective office, nor had he held a post in government before. His entire background was military, having risen to the rank of brigadier general in the United States Army. He resigned his Army post three years before, and lent his expertise to NFL, Not For Long, the organization founded by Bartholomew Martin. Locklear’s military specialty was advanced weapons.
“Good morning, Andrew,” said President Martin, as he paced around his desk in the Oval Office. Martin insisted on referring to people by their first names, but only their formal names. He would never call Andy Locklear Andy, only Andrew. Prior to his election, Martin insisted on being called Bartholomew, but he rather liked being called Mr. President, so he made an exception for hims
elf.
“Good morning, Mr. President. I have some very good news.”
“Please, Andrew, be so kind as to avoid opinions. ‘Very good news’ is your opinion, but it tells me nothing about the data, the numbers.”
“Yes, sir, here are the numbers. The bill that Congressman Bill Hart introduced in the House, the Americans for Action Bill, passed by a vote of 350 to 145 with 5 abstentions. In the Senate, it has been reported out of committee and is due for a vote tomorrow. We have 68 votes, all 60 from our Freedom from Terror Party, plus five Republicans and three Democrats. The law will be ready for your signature next week.”
“Good work, Andrew. You are growing into your political job. Please tell me about the opposition to the bill.”
“The opposition was quite furious, Mr. President, but they simply don’t have the votes to make a difference.”
“Again, Andrew, no opinions please. Give me the details that underscore your word ‘furious.’ ”
“Well, sir, Senator Kyle Jenkins for the Republicans, and Senator Frederick Morton for the Democrats attempted a filibuster. But, of course, with our voting power a cloture motion passed easily and the filibuster was broken. Both senators were on TV last night, appearing together on the CBS evening news. They both referred to the bill as ‘totalitarian.’ ”
“They actually appeared on CBS? Is something being done about that?”
“Yes, sir. I understand that Chief of Staff Schmidt will be meeting with some CBS executives behind closed doors. I’m sure Simon can give you more details, sir.”
“Thank you for your succinct analysis, Andrew. I’m due to meet with Simon in a couple of minutes. Keep up the good work.”
***
Simon Schmidt, Chief of Staff to President Bartholomew Martin, knew Martin from their days at the Naval Academy, and also from their service as Navy SEALs. After his military service, Schmidt ran for office as a Democrat and easily won election in his district in Northern Virginia. The two men liked each other, and President Martin was impressed by Schmidt’s fondness for data driven decisions. When Martin launched his third-party campaign as the leader of the Freedom from Terror Party, Schmidt changed parties and joined his old friend.
“Good morning, Simon. I just met with Senate Majority Leader Locklear. It looks like the Americans for Action bill will pass the Senate easily.”
“I’ve been keeping a close eye on the votes, Mr. President. I can predict that the days of sentimental attachment to an ancient Constitution are drawing to a close.”
“So, Simon, it looks like the legislature is behaving responsibly. Do you see any other problems?”
“Yes, sir, the problem will be in the Supreme Court. Many organizations are planning to launch a constitutional challenge to the law as soon as the opportunity presents itself.”
“Please define ‘many organizations,’ Simon.”
“At least 100 plaintiffs are waiting in the wings Mr. President, including 20 law schools who will join the suit as ‘Friends of the Court.’ I discussed this with Sam Rugirello, the Attorney General, and he predicts a problem. In his opinion the law will be declared unconstitutional, at least with the current make-up of the Supreme Court bench. Rugirello sees that the tally will be at least two votes shy of what we need.”
“Well, let me worry about the make-up of the Supreme Court, Simon.”
Chapter 69
Supreme Court Justice Monica Kelly sat in the comfortable wing chair in the chambers of her old friend, Supreme Court Justice Wilbur Townsend. Kelly, age 78, had been on the bench for 30 years, and Townsend, age 82, had served for 35 years. They had been close friends for years, and their families often celebrated holidays together. Kelly and Townsend were known as strict constructionists because of their belief that constitutional decisions should be based on the original words in the constitution itself.
“Care for another coffee, Monica?”
“Yes, thanks, Will. My nerves are already jangled so a little more caffeine can’t hurt.”
“So what do you think about this outrageous bill that just passed the Senate, Monica—the Americans for Action Bill? They may as well call it Americans Fork over the Government to the Chief Executive Bill. In all my years I’ve never seen a more sweeping change in our government without a constitutional amendment. I know this is not a case before us, but I expect it to be on our docket in no time.”
“The law is a piece of shit, Will, if you pardon my blunt legal analysis. Give me any set of facts and I could write the outline for my decision right now. If this law is found constitutional, there’s no such thing as the constitution. I’ve jotted down a few notes about the main parts of the law.
Care to listen?”
“Fire away, Monica. I’d love to hear your thoughts.”
“I’ll give you my main bullet points, but I wish I could fire bullets at the law itself.
Any decision by the Chief Executive that in any way touches on national security shall be immune from review by the legislature, except by two-thirds majority. Any such law shall also be immune from review by the judiciary.
The words national security shall not be confined to military or police functions of government, but shall be interpreted to mean any situation that impacts the welfare of the nation in any way.
Any Executive Order arising under this statute shall have the immediate effect of law.”
“So there you have it, Monica. As of the Senate vote yesterday we now live in a different country.”
“Will, I have 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. You have 19 and six. You and I are getting up there in years. It gets me sick to think that these kids will have to live under a future like this.”
“You know, Monica, I’ve always loved science fiction stories where an asteroid or a comet comes from out of nowhere and hurdles toward earth, about to destroy it. That’s exactly how I feel about last year’s election. Where the hell did this guy come from?”
Justice Townsend got up to get the coffee pot. He gestured to Justice Kelly.
“No thanks, Will. This coffee tastes weird. Hey, I gotta run to finish reading a brief, my friend. See you later.”
***
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, Gretchen Carlson here for Fox News. I have a strange and sad story to report, one that has a lot of people shaking their heads. United States Supreme Court Justices Monica Kelly and Wilbur Townsend both died today within hours of each other in their respective chambers in the Supreme Court building in Washington. They both passed away from massive heart attacks. Justices Kelly and Townsend were old friends, and their families were also close. They were known as staunch members of the conservative block of strict constructionists of the Constitution. How this event will impact the direction of the court’s decisions will be analyzed for us later by Fox News contributor, Duane Langston, professor from Yale Law School.
In an unrelated item, we have no further news to report on the explosions in the government buildings in Aden, Yemen a few months ago. The story remains a mystery.”
Chapter 70
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, Bill O’Reilly here. The O’Reilly Factor is on. And now for my talking points memo.
You’ve often heard me say here on The Factor that I’m looking out for you. Well, I have a confession to make. In the past few months I’ve been doing anything but. You’ve probably noticed that we’ve had a lot of cooking specials on our show—that’s right—cooking segments. There was a time when nobody would have believed that Bill O’Reilly would be hosting cooking events, but that’s what’s been happening.
No more, folks. The Bill O’Reilly whom you’ve grown to know and trust is back. I’m back with my skeptical mind and my loud mouth. And tonight, I want to turn your attention to what your humble reporter sees as a constitutional travesty, a law that just passed the Senate called Americans for Action Law. It’s a piece of garbage, ladies and gentlemen, and there’s no other way to put it.
In a sweeping move
, the House and Senate have approved a bill that gives vast powers to the nation’s chief executive, powers never seen since the beginning of the republic. The handover of legislative and judicial power is so breathtaking it almost gives our president dictatorial powers. His pen now has the firepower of a cruise missile. Please folks, write to your congressman and senator and demand that this horrible law be repealed. Our nation’s future is at stake.
That’s the end of this evening’s talking points memo, ladies and gentlemen, but not the end to the points I made. You’re going to hear me talk quite a bit about this travesty in the days and weeks to come. After our commercial break we’ll meet with Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz for his take on this groundbreaking new law.”
***
Dee and I were watching the O’Reilly show and not believing our eyes or ears. Dee, always ready for an explosive outburst of enthusiasm, picked up a baseball and flung it at a chair on the side of the living room.
“Yesss,” she screamed. “Holy shit, did you just hear O’Reilly, hon? Talk about a breath of fresh air.”
“You got that right, Dee,” I said. “I’m glad to see that O’Reilly decided to dust off his brass balls. What we just heard almost gives me some hope. Hey, the commercial’s over. Let’s see what Dershowitz has to say.”
Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz is a super star of legal punditry. His libertarian views of the United States Constitution can be summed up in a simple phrase—“The Constitution guarantees freedom.”
The Reformers: A Matt Blake Novel (The Matt Blake legal thriller series Book 2) Page 27
