Perez was intently focused, trying to see what was happening up front with the leadership.
“Look at McCray. The Florida votes have him stunned,” Perez shot back as Broussard turned his attention to the activity in front of the chamber where the Senate leadership was huddled tightly.
Georgia, Senator Bloom – “Nay.”
“Maybe some sanity has gained hold now,” commented Broussard.
But the calm didn’t last long.
Two Republican senators from Indiana voted aye for Haverton.
Then the lone Republican senator from Iowa voted aye.
The panic setting in on the GOP was palpable. The Democrats had used the recess to flip votes. Nine votes had already flipped and they hadn’t gotten through half the roll call vote.
“We don’t know if Senator McCray miscalculated the votes he had or if his dislike of Senator Perez clouded his judgment,” stated the CNN anchor. “If two more votes flip from what we generally expected to be Nay votes, then his move to regular order will go down as one of the most significant miscalculations in American political history. And we just thought it was to block a potential Senator Perez filibuster,” chuckled the anchor.
Missouri Senator Cargill – “Yay”
“There’s another GOP flip. Wow, we still have four Democratic senators who are in primarily red states who haven’t voted yet who were expected to vote against this nominee’s confirmation,” said the Fox News panel analyst.
Twenty minutes later, the Fox News set in their Washington, DC studios was in shock. Their expert panel was visibly stunned; even the Democratic guests on the show were surprised but getting happier by the minute.
The votes continued. Three of the four Democrats who were expected to reject the confirmation on Haverton’s record of being overturned, flipped and voted for her.
“The vote roll call tally has a slight delay. This is just unbelievable; the events that have unfolded here today will be remembered for a long, long time, no matter how the vote turns out.” The Fox News anchor swiveled in his chair to look at his five panelists. “We don’t know if we have seen another Supreme Court confirmation like this in history. This looks like it’s coming down to the wire. Looking at the rest of the votes, how does the panel see it?”
“I think this nominee is going to fall one to two votes short, so much closer than anyone expected but, in the end, she’s not going to be confirmed,” said the University of Virginia political professor.
“Too close to call,” said the popular political blogger. “But I’m with the professor. I think McCray miscalculated some, but ultimately he will whip just enough votes to kill the confirmation. He’s been in the Senate, what―forty years?”
“Here they go, back to the vote,” said the anchor.
“Damn it!” said a red-faced Senator McCray, looking at his Senate whip while huddled at the front of the Senate chambers near the podium with John Nurvalt, the senator from Nevada. “Why is this that close?”
“I don’t have an answer, Mr. Leader. I’m sure Bartlett changed some votes at the last minute.”
“She ain’t that damned good! Would those votes have flipped without the pause for regular order, John?” McCray asked.
“I don’t think so, sir. I looked many of these folks right in their eyes. We had sixty-one votes; we both knew it.”
“We are one vote flip away from confirming this nominee, John!”
“Sir, we are looking at our tally.” Nurvalt looked down at his sheet. “If all goes according to plan, we should defeat her by one vote.”
“Damn it, you better be right!” hammered McCray.
Texas Senator Simpson – “Ma’am, Texas would like to abstain until the end of the vote.”
“What the hell is he doing?” screamed Perez.
“The senator from Texas abstains until the end of the vote,” said the vice president.
“Mr. President, this Texas senator will not abstain. I vote Nay for confirming this unqualified judge to the Supreme Court,” said Senator Perez.
Texas Senator Perez – “Nay”
The roll call of the senators continued with no surprises, casting their votes along party lines. Every Democratic senator who was expected to oppose the confirmation, didn’t.
McCray and the Senate leadership were beside themselves.
Wyoming Senator Nelson – “Nay”
Wyoming Senator Landry – “Nay”
Before receiving the next and final vote, to everyone’s surprise, the aye vote for confirmation was at forty-nine, with the nays at fifty, with only one vote left.
“It appears this nominee will not be confirmed by the narrowest of margins,” said the ABC host. “The only vote left is Texas Senator Simpson. What we can’t understand is why Senator Simpson temporarily abstained from the roll call vote, unless it was entirely for political theater. Did he know he would be thrust into the limelight at this juncture? His vote alone would effectively kill Haverton’s confirmation. If he votes nay, which everybody expects, the vote would be fifty-one to forty-nine, and the confirmation dies. If he votes aye, and the vote is split fifty-fifty, it would mean the vice president, a Democrat, would cast the tie-breaking vote.”
Circuit Judge Ferguson-Haverton was one vote from confirmation or going home after a narrow and acrimonious confirmation process.
“There seems to be a small huddle of senators around Texas Senator Simpson. It also looks like some choice words are being used. What in the world could be going on down on the floor?” asked the Fox News anchor. “Now you see the junior senator from Texas, Perez, walking over to Simpson. We know there is bad blood there. Let’s watch the suspense as this nominee’s confirmation hangs in the balance with Simpson’s vote.”
“Ken, what the hell are you doing?” asked Perez as he muscled his way into a tight circle of fellow senators.
Simpson didn’t answer Perez, but continued conversations with several other senators.
“Order, order, order,” came the call from the vice president as he swung the gavel down forcefully three times on the lectern.
“We have one final vote to tally. Texas Senator Simpson, are you prepared to cast your ballot, sir?”
“Yes, I am.”
“On the motion before the Senate to confirm this nominee to the United States Supreme Court, how do you vote, sir?”
“After much deliberation, consultation and prayer… I vote aye.”
The entire Senate chamber and gallery broke into chaos. Many senators threw papers in the air in celebration and some threw them in the air in disgust. The gallery above the chamber floor was abuzz. LGBT and gay rights protestors on the Capitol steps and in front of the Supreme Court sent up a roar from their crowds that could be heard for blocks in D.C.
Senator Perez made a beeline to Senate Majority Leader McCray, who had just exited the chamber.
“What the hell was that? Huh? Never lose, my ass!” Perez shouted at McCray.
The staffs of both McCray and Perez had to be separated before a fight broke out.
“Get out of my face, you imbecile. If you hadn’t threatened a filibuster, I wouldn’t have had to invoke regular order.”
“You never had sixty votes, you tired old man. Bartlett outflanked you. Your leadership in this chamber is over!”
McCray’s staff ushered him away to avoid the press. They knew they needed their boss to regain his composure before he talked to them. Perez, on the other hand, went straight to the media.
With dozens of cameras around him, Perez took a deep breath, “Ladies and gentlemen, this United States Senate has just filled the vacated seat of one of the most prolific legal minds and conservatives in our history, Chief Justice Noyner, with the most overturned, anti-Bill of Rights, radical progressive circuit judge in history. It is a sad day for America.”
“Senator, what did you say to your fellow senator from Texas who cast the tying vote, allowing the vice president to break the tie
and thus confirm?”
“I am literally disgusted by his vote. To think Texas contributed in any way to the confirmation of this radical judge is incomprehensible. I am shocked. I am saddened. I am mad as hell.”
Perez went on to answer many more questions before news broke that President Bartlett had made a public statement congratulating Judge Haverton and making an important announcement at the same time.
“Senator, Senator,” yelled a Huffington Post reporter. “Can you make a statement on the announcement the president just made?”
“Well, young lady, I’ve been out here with all of you so I didn’t get to see or hear her announcement.”
“She congratulated Judge Haverton on her confirmation, thanked the senators who she called brave for casting votes for her, then announced she will make Haverton the chief justice!” she beamed.
Perez looked at her quizzically for a few seconds. “Excuse me, did you just say the president is going to make her the chief justice?”
“Yes, Senator, apparently that is the prerogative of the sitting president.”
“Yes, yes, I know the Constitution, but that is hardly the accepted norm. This radical judge hasn’t sat one minute on the Court. For her to pass up much more qualified justices is a dereliction of her duty, in my opinion, if what you are telling me is true.”
The Senate leadership was all in McCray’s office. It was as if there was a funeral going on, hushed voices and guarded sentiment.
McCray sat at his large desk and put his head in his hands. He knew he had let his animosity for Senator Perez cloud his judgment, but his pride wouldn’t let him admit it. Chief Justice Noyner had been a respected friend.
“Time to face the music,” said McCray as he stood up to put his jacket back on.
“Sir, we have prepared this statement. Can you read and approve it? It’s short,” said his chief of staff.
“Yeah, yeah,” McCray said as he read, “looks okay to me.”
As the somber entourage walked out of McCray’s office to go face the media, the majority leader’s thoughts went back to his friend, Clarence Noyner, and how he felt so bad that he had let him down. With McCray presiding as the majority leader, with the Republicans holding a majority, an ultra-radical leftist had somehow been confirmed to take the place of the late U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Clarence Noyner.
The Supreme Court of the United States now swung to the left by a 5-4 margin. To make matters worse, Sally Ferguson-Haverton, the most radical liberal to ever sit on the Court, was now poised to be its next chief justice.
Chapter 27
“Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. Liberty is a man-of-war, and we are all crew.”
- Kenneth W. Royce
Libertarian Author
Zach Turner was beside himself.
An American patriot, a member of Special Forces and former CIA operative, he thought he had seen everything. Until today. The files Beard revealed from Ottosson’s devices were beyond belief. What the hell was he supposed to do with this information? Who would believe it?
Zach called in his top guys. He needed help. This was bigger than him. As he sat in the Bunker conference room, he looked around at his top lieutenant and best friend Will Turnbow and four other guys he had been willing to die for in past Special Forces and clandestine operations.
And then there was Beard. Although he didn’t have the Special Forces chops of the others, Beard was a top-notch, analyst-turned-operative for the CIA that worked closely with Zach. They also trusted each other with their lives.
“Gentlemen, Beard has briefed Will and me on the Ottosson files. Before we go one step further, I want to make this perfectly clear. What we are about to show you will probably change your life as you know it. Just the mere revelation of this information will put you in immediate danger and, make no mistake about it, this includes your family and loved ones,” he stated in the most serious tone he could muster.
“Damn, Zach, we’ve been in some pretty tight spots. Hard to believe we could be in more trouble than those three days in Kosovo!” laughed one of the men as he attempted to keep the conversation light-hearted, but referring to a time when the federal government, CIA and military abandoned Zach and his team, thinking they were dead.
“Zeke, that was downright bad news in Kosovo, no doubt about it. But this is here. This is our homeland. This is the good ole US of A. It’s disturbing in its content and it is shocking in scale. It involves almost every level of government. The Deep State is alive and well, and it’s more evil than even we imagined.”
“Okay, Zach,” said Luke, “you ain’t scared nobody off, so let’s have it.” He looked around the room. Nobody made an effort to get up and leave.
“You should be scared off. The trouble is, I don’t know what anyone else would do with this information, or what they could do with it. The Deep State is so entrenched that we wouldn’t know who our enemies are at Langley, or anywhere else for that matter,” replied Will.
“Gentlemen, what we do with this information from this point forward may be the most important decision we ever make in our lives. Beard is going to take us through it all. You’re going to have a lot of questions; many we can’t answer yet,” he told them.
“Beard, as you know, ran the ops in D.C. that snagged this information from the CIS lobbyist known as Ottosson. The level of corruption runs all the way to the Oval Office. I would like input from all of you as to what, if any of this, we disclose and, more important, to whom. There are very few men outside of this room I completely trust, but deciding who and when to bring into the loop on this is extremely critical,” stated Zach.
Beard stood up and clicked a remote to turn on the two big screens in the conference room. For the next three hours, Beard led Zach’s team through the information, stopping to answer dozens of questions along the way.
When he finished, he said, “Well, there you have it, gentlemen.”
The room remained silent for about fifteen to twenty seconds.
“This is much bigger than us, much bigger than what we can probably do to fix it,” said Luke. “But we have to do something.”
“Langley is out of the question,” said Will, who was never coy about his distrust of his former employer. “Although there is a very small number of buddies there I can trust, the Deep State is so rooted there and in the Department of Justice and FBI that I can’t see how we can bring them in.”
“I agree,” said Will. “I don’t trust any of those bastards.”
“Zach, you’ve got some good relationships with some high ranking military, including a Joint Chiefs major general,” suggested Zeke..
“As you know, he was ousted by the Johnson administration right before the Texas Crisis, but he still has contacts. I’m just not sure what the military itself would do with this information. They would have to involve the FBI, NSA, CIA and other departments. Too risky,” Zach replied.
“Whoever this goes to, I’m not sure if we offload everything. We need to test whomever we give the information to with bits and pieces. The enormity of it is simply too much. We have to do it incrementally. We are going to need help,” stated Will with conviction.
“Will makes a great point. I’ve been thinking, where would we start?” asked Zach. “Who can we trust? What makes the most sense? Then I have an idea I want to run by everyone. There’s an unsolved murder out there that we have proof of who committed it, right down to the man who pulled the trigger,” Zach finished.
“State Senator Milsap!” exclaimed Luke.
“Yep, we have it all. But the motive of the murder brings in the much larger scheme here and really opens Pandora’s Box,” replied Will.
“Who would you share that information with, Zach?” asked Luke.
“The only law enforcement I trust is Texas Ranger Pops Younger,” Zach said.
“I think you and Will are the only ones who really know him. Can you really trust him?” as
ked Luke, realizing that was probably a dumb question after he asked it.
“It’s not like he’s my best friend, guys, but I’ve been around him enough to know he thinks like us and he’s trustworthy. I think we go at this carefully, but Pops is no dummy. I would be shocked if this doesn’t lead him down the path we’ve already seen. And I’d much rather this information be held here in Texas than D.C.,” Zach reasoned.
“He has resources we don’t have,” said Luke.
“And we have many resources he doesn’t.” Will referred to a very tight-knit group of operatives they’d cultivated over the years throughout the world.
“Well, I’m not making light of all the militia contacts and operators we have throughout the country, guys, but we have to find a way to activate our emergency network quietly and without panic of any kind. I have no idea where this is going to take us,” said Zach.
“We have to tell our brothers at least something, Zach. These are guys we have bled with,” Zeke stated.
“You know our brothers and they will want to take immediate actions to stop this, but the timing is critical and we better have the right friends in government and law enforcement on board before any of this becomes public or, for that matter, divulged in any way. Does everyone understand and agree to that?” Zach looked around the room at each of the men.
“Yes, sir,” came back in unison from the group.
“I’m telling y’all, even a hint of some of this will put some of our brothers into immediate action of some kind. We will lose control of the response and put everyone in jeopardy, and I do mean everyone.”
“What is this op they keep referring to as Madison? We know nothing about it. That concerns me,” added Luke.
“And it should concern all of us. We’ve got Ottosson under twenty-four-hour surveillance. We’ll figure out this Madison thing but, with these guys, it’s going to be tough to sleep knowing they have something planned we don’t know about. It can’t be good.”
“Zach, I’ll reach out to the Texas Rangers to get a meeting with Pops. I’ll have to drop your name,” said Will.
Purge on the Potomac Page 14