Ted Allbeury - The Twentieth Day of January

“I have already put telephone calls through to the Senate Chairmen of both parties. I have asked them to come here urgently but they have not been apprised of any of the subject matter.

“Subject to what they may say, this ad hoc committee will instruct you to take immediate steps to crystallize this matter forthwith, but staying short of both Powell and Dempsey.”

Morton Harper’s face was quite impassive, there was no sign of relief or pleasure.

“Would you like us to wait outside, sir?”

Before Elliot could reply, and as if he had not heard the question, Sam Bethel leaned across the table towards Harper.

“Tell me, Harper, have your people done any evaluation of how the Soviets hoped to influence the new President?”

“No, sir, but the President-Elect’s statement last night that hinted at withdrawing American troops from Europe is indication enough.”

“But he has to convince Congress and the Senate before he can do a damn thing.”

Harper shrugged. “There would be people enough in both places who would go along with cutting the defence budget, and removing troops from NATO if that’s what a cut meant. He’s been hinting about trade pacts with the Soviets. There will be many who will see this as good sense. You will have seen the report on potential trade with the Soviets from the State Department.”

“You’re going to get trouble from the Republican Chairman on this. He’ll see this as entirely political.”

Harper folded his hands carefully as he looked at Bethel.

“I’m going to get trouble from everybody, Mr. Speaker. I’m the bearer of bad news, and in Ancient Greece they killed the man who brought the bad news. Some of them are going to wish they could do that now.”

Elliot interrupted. “Would it help you if I broached the subject, Morton, and you filled in the details?”

“Yes, sir. But that could be construed as indicating your approval of what we had done so far.”

“So be it.”

“It would help, sir, immensely. Then we could give more time to where we go from here, rather than kicking around the emotional aspects.”

Salvasan, the Republican Party Chairman, was a tall thin Texan from Austin, whose business success had been built on ancillary equipment for radio and TV stations and then a chain of motels. He had been a diligent committee man, and chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He had done much to improve the party image after the débâcle of the late seventies and had led the party through the minefields of a Democratic administration that had had the country behind it. He was an ardent advocate of what had been christened “the art of the possible.”

O’Connor was from Boston and had survived that battleground with honours, and had been rewarded with the Democratic chairmanship after holding together the Los Angeles convention when it was in dire danger of splitting three ways as it breathed deep of success. He was still red-haired and freckle-faced, and had got his limp in Korea.

They stood waiting for their drinks to be poured, and Harper wondered what instinct made them both stand at the other side of the table. They sat down at Elliot’s suggestion. When they were settled the Chief Justice looked in turn at the two newcomers.

“Gentlemen, I have some bad news, shocking news. When I have finished, Morton Harper will give you the facts in detail. Mr. Speaker and I have had time to absorb the shock, and I want to ask if you could assist us in our thinking. Time is of the essence, and there is much to be done.”

Elliot paused as if he awaited some response. When none was forthcoming he went on:

“Almost by accident the CIA discovered an indication that we may have a problem. Force of circumstances decreed that they pursued the matter, and their worst fears were virtually confirmed. Gentlemen, it looks as if the President-Elect is not his own man. There is evidence that for years, in fact ever since he entered politics, he was assisted by Communists and others in this country acting on instructions from Moscow.” He held up his hand as O’Connor opened his mouth to speak. “Let Harper outline the facts first, gentlemen.” He nodded to Harper. “The facts, Mr. Director.”

Morton Harper had outlined the facts enough times to present them now coherently, with a summary that brought the salient points together.

Looking at the two party chairmen, Harper was expecting a tirade from Salvasan. The tall Texan sat with raised eyebrows, relaxed in his chair as he looked at Harper.

“Who ordered you to carry out this investigation in the first place?”

“Nobody, Mr. Chairman. The initial facts were brought to my attention. I felt that least damage would be done if our concern was treated as unconfirmed and purely internal.”

Salvasan grinned cynically, “You’re shitting me, Harper. Who gave you the tip off?”

“It came from London through Mr. MacKay.” He nodded in MacKay’s direction, but the Texan was watching Harper’s face.

“Is that a fact. Who else knows about all this?”

“Nobody outside this room.”

“And what do you want from O’Connor and me?”

Elliot leaned forward. “Harper and his people need to go further. We felt you should know.”

O’Connor smiled, and shook his head. “Not me, Elliot. I’m not pulling your chestnuts out of the fire for you.”

Elliot had on his Chief Justice’s face, solemn and intent.

“Jimmy. This isn’t politics. It’s a constitutional issue. We are back in the impeachment game again. Just think what it’s going to mean. The country is going to be in trauma for decades unless we handle this carefully.”

Salvasan sighed audibly and theatrically. “Judge, I propose that we consider ourselves a committee to see this thing through. You will expect me to raise hell because you’re investigating our man. For us, we learned our lessons the hard way in ’75 and ’76. We shall not go down that road again, I assure you. I have no authority to speak for the party, and there is obviously no question of me discussing this with my colleagues, for reasons of security. However, I pledge my support to the investigation being pursued. If it leaks, I shall use all my influence to keep the furore under control on my side of Capitol Hill.”

O’Connor’s face showed his annoyance. “But, Tex. This guy’s the best thing that’s ever come down the pike for your people. They’ll go berserk.”

Salvasan shrugged and turned to look at O’Connor. “And if he is involved with the Commies it’s gonna come out sooner or later. It’ll do the country, and the party, more damage if it’s later.” He turned to Harper.

“How long are you gonna need, Harper?”

“Two, maybe three weeks.”

Salvasan looked at Elliot. “Can you freshen up on the impeachment procedures in case it’s necessary. We shall only have ten days or a week before the inauguration.”

Elliot looked grim. “There’s no need to refresh on that, Tex. There are a dozen experts from the Committee of ’75 still in the House.”

O’Connor said, “What do you want me to do?”

Elliot frowned. “We want you to go along with us.”

“No way, Judge. A trouble shared is a trouble doubled in my book. It’s all yours.” He stood up and said, “I’ll wait outside in the car, Tex. I’ll need a lift back into town.”

Salvasan stood up. “My position’s clear, gentlemen. You pursue this matter with my agreement.”

Elliot looked with his sharp eyes at Salvasan.

“Tex, I want you to keep O’Connor under control. He’ll see this as a divine miracle for his people.”

Salvasan smiled. “I doubt it, Judge. They’ve got too many wounds to lick of their own. But I’ll lean on him just to be sure.”