Jessica stepped forward, reaching for hisforearm tenderly, smiling weakly.
“Connor is right, Bryan. What’s important, isnot sitting back in the corner. It’s time to fight harder andcontinue the pressure, until it passes both houses. Now that it’sout of committee, there’s no stopping it.”
Bryan threw his hands into the air insupplication.
“I know. I know.”
Jessica and Connor exchanged worried looks.Nothing else was said, while their boss continued to pace beforethem for a matter of seconds, before returning to his chair andsitting down.
When he looked up and saw them both standingthere he remarked, “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s get thisdone. Jessica, dig out the files we need for a conference with themembership following the close of session in the East Lobby meetingroom. Connor, get everyone on the phones, advising the member’soffices I’ve got an announcement to make they need to hear, or,they may find themselves with egg on their faces, once I go public,if they don’t show. Say nothing else.”
“Yes, boss!” They chimed in unison, exitinghis office shoulder-to-shoulder, discussing his strategy.
OceanofPDF.com
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The East Lobby meeting room was a rumble ofactivity, as thirty co-sponsors of the death penalty bill huddledabout, along with the majority and minority leaders of the house,and the rest of the members. There was a cloud of both apprehensionand anticipation that hung heavy overhead, as they anxiouslyawaited the appearance of the Codes Committee Chairman and hisheads of staff to arrive.
Somehow, they all individually knew thismeeting was going to make history, whether in their favor, ornot.
They twiddled their fingers, replied to textmessages, quietly engaged in conversation with those sitting totheir left, or right. Heads simultaneously snapped to attentionwith precision, as Bryan entered the room with Connor and Jessicaat his flank.
Quickly, Bryan scanned the faces of the menbefore him.
What a sorrowful lot, he thought.If this is what it takes to see righteousness prevail, so beit.
“Gentlemen, I’m sure you have some sense ofwhy I’ve chosen to call you all here so urgently. I will not wasteyour time and cut to the chase. I’m tired of the rhetoric. Tired ofwash room agreements and sucking someone’s dick to push imperativeissues through committees.” There was a loud buzz in the room, buthe spoke over it. “I was nominated and elected by down-home,hardworking people, who believe we’re here to represent them in anhonest fashion. I’ve been told to my face, that my bills will onlysee passage, if I jump through the hoops I’m directed too.
You see, gentlemen, if nothing else, I valuemy self-respect and falling asleep every night with a clearconscience. Many of you in this room can’t say that.”
The outburst could have lifted the roof fromits rafters. He honestly expected the steam to burst from theirears and noses.
Good, he thought.I’ve got theirattention.Wait until they hear I’m sponsoring a bill to cuttheir terms to eight years.
Bryan had it! The bastards, holding officefor more than twenty years, were bankrupting this state, whilefilling their own coffers. There were thieves and swindlers sittingin front of him, puppets of oil barons, the top three insurancecompanies, and leading pharmaceuticals. It was time to clean thepeople’s house of corruption.
“I will not plea bargain and, giving yousufficient notice. This matter is not up for discussion or a vote.My decision is irreversible. Either join my battle to take thedeath penalty to the people, or drown on your own.
We’ve hacked at this issue for the past eightyears. Like a repeating recording, we debate it to death, solvingnothing, while innocent people are being murdered day after day. Iwill not continue to sit back and ignore what’s happening aroundus. The public … our people, gentlemen, are not only being killed,but butchered by crazed animals like the Luther Corbat’s in thisworld. The number of deaths have climbed, and keep climbing byrepeat offenders, who don’t give a damn about human life.
The crazed, unstable, corrupted, and sadistickillers in our society laugh at justice in the face, because theyknow three square meals and a roof over their heads waits for them,not death.
IcannotnorwillI turn a stone ear to my people. Youkeep doing so. I intend to do something now! I have called for anews conference first thing tomorrow morning in the Senate’sconference room. If you support me, be there at 8:45. If not, toodamn bad.”
Bryan looked them all squarely in the eyes,then turned and departed, leaving them to talk amongst themselves,fume openly, or seek refuse in the privacy of their ownoffices.
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The absolute quiet, which followed Sen.Gallagher’s departure was uncanny. One could almost hear a pin dropand the wheels turning in the minds of the senate leaders occupyingthe room.
Sen. Martin Talbot stood up and cut throughthe silence in an authoritative tone.
“I truly envy, that young man. He had theballs to do, what many of us wanted to do for fucking years!” Hechuckled lightly, as he ran his fingers through his thick, graylocks. His eyes scanned the faces of those colleagues sitting infront, to the side, and back of him.
He was a distinguished man in his mid-fiftiesand noted for his fair-game politics. He was one of those oldtimers, serving almost twenty years. He was also known as a man,who took shit from no one. His policies took a while to pass, buteventually did, without selling his soul to the devil.
Sen. Warren Shaughnessy, was a man, who feltdifferently though, and didn’t mind expressing his ire.
