The Watergate Job

Summary: "Come on People, we have a government to topple." "Is it March already?"

Parings: Nate/ Sophie, Hardison/ Parker, Eliot/ OFC

Disclaimer: I neither own nor am associated with Leverage – the Show or the Physics applications.

Inspired by and dedicated to Mr. Richard M. Nixon and Mr. Rod R. Blagojevich

Prologue:

Senator Robert Jenkins was convicted on several counts of corruption it was suggested that he and Ted Stevens should share a cell. Jenkins resigned from the senate in disgrace – only because leader from both parties agreed to vote him out if he didn't. Jenkins read the writing on the wall and left, leaving his senate seat open for the remainder of his six year term. Under Rohde Island law the Governor appoints a replacement senator. That began a new saga.

"Governor Gordon Haldeman was arrested on federal corruption charges today, these charges came after phone taps uncovered an elaborate scheme to sell Robert Jenkins empty senate seat."

"This is fucking golden, you don't just give this ting away for fucking nothing."

December 2, 2008

Rhode Island House Impeaches Gov. Haldeman

"I have done nothing wrong." Says Governor

January 31st, 2009

Governor Found Not Guilty by One Vote

"I told you so," Haldeman says.

"Let me say, to begin with, that the Senate's action today was, of course, not a surprise. My political enemies tried to destroy me, the press went along for the ride, and the unfound charges were blood in the water. I was convicted in the court of public opinion before the evidence was brought before the truth was known. They condemned me without due process of the law, before my constitutional rights were upheld.

However the Senate did hear me out, they saw the evidence, and they learned the truth. In the end they did the right thing. I am not guilty, I was never guilty, and I always that that I was not guilty. The House's action, although embarrassing and counterproductive, did provide the Senate opportunity to vindicate me. I am innocent. Let us that that fact and build a future on it, forgetting this base scandal and creating a better tomorrow by moving forward in the truth. I quoted Tennyson when this process began, and I will quote him again because his words still ring true: Though we are not now the strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are. One equal temper, of heroic hearts, made weak by time and by fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Thank you."

The Watergate Job

Disclaimer: I neither own nor am associated with Leverage – the Show or the Physics applications.

Chapter One: Who Watches the Watchmen?

"I had such hopes, Haldeman ran as a reformer. After our last Governor, Governor Daley, we desperately needed reform." Lily Adler sat at the head of the conference table of Leverage Consulting and Associates. Nathan Ford, CEO, and Holly Blake, Consultant sat to her left. Sophie Devereaux, Associate her right.

"You jumped right in to help elect him." Holly said knowingly, she observed the woman, right hand fiddling with her heart necklace, left hand resting lightly on her abdomen.

"I was a campaign chair in a county he turned – they usually vote the other way, I helped change their minds. As a thank you he offered me a position as his personal assistant, I jumped at it, I thought I was part of a Revolution."

Eliot Spencer entered the conference room a mug of tea for himself, a cup of coffee for holly. They aromatic brew stopped Lily mid word. She blanched then turned slightly green. Holly sent Eliot a look and shook her head violently until he turned and left, taking the odor with him. Lily's coloring returned.

"I started working for him and it was great… but then," she paused, "then I got this feeling, something was off. Something wasn't right. I tried to ignore it, Haldeman was reelected – the people still liked him, surly things were alright. Then the Attorney General contacted me, Haldeman was under investigation. He asked me all sorts of questions, but intuition wasn't useful in a court of law…" she paused again, sipping the water Nate had given her at the start of the interview. "But it was enough to get a phone tap. Richardson tapped the Governor's phone, that's when we discovered the whole Senate Seat Plot." Governor Gordon Haldeman tried to sell the vacant senate seat of disgraced Robert Jenkins after Jenkins resigned amidst corruption charges. It had been cable news' wet dream from the beginning, the Daily Show practically wrote itself.

"You heard about the Jenkins mess, yes?" Lily asked. Nathan and Sophie exchanged looks.

"I paid them $2,000 for food poisoning! They're not getting another cent!"

"I have to listen to this again?"

"You're going to have to leave."

"Yeah, well, I'm trying to Jackass, now tell me where my car is."

"Start a fight why don't'cha?"… "He treats me to a little romance – a little!"

"Ah, here we go!"

*BOOM*

"I called the most honest man I know, Senator Jenkins." *ring* "Don't you blame me! I helped you smuggle that money through customs!"

"We heard all about it." Nathan confirmed, smirking. Holly looked between him and Sophie from over her glasses. Lily continued.

"I was heart broken – I believed in this man and then he turns out to be a pig. And then Haldeman's goons got to Richardson, I know they did. He and Ruckelshaus stepped down, without them the Senate acquits him and justice can't be served! He's guilty of so much more than the seat but he's still in office!" She burst into tears. Sophie and Nate comforted her with kind words and hand pats; Holly recoiled slightly, she didn't do emotions. Especially messy ones. Lily eventually calmed down.

"How far are you along?" Holly asked. Lily blinked red, watery eyes.

"Excuse me?" she sniffed.

"You're pregnant."

***

"She doesn't want money?" Parker asked amazed the team was assembled for the briefing.

"She wants justice. How can you have faith in the rule of law with such a blatant failure – in a position of power?" Nathan said: a new variation on his alternative revenue stream.

"I had a US History teacher who argued that Watergate was one of the finest points in US history. Okay, Mr. O'Leary also thought he was black – the man was a leprechaun of the first order, but his point was that Watergate scandal was a perfect example of limited government and the rule of law. There is a law superior to even the president and when he violates it he can be – and in Nixon's case was (more or less) – removed from office. Justice was served. Nixon ignored the noble lie, he asked sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes. He thought there would be no reply. But the government and the people stood up and said – we do. This Haldeman case is just like Watergate part Deaux: Electric Boogaloo without Deep Throat and leisure suits. It's time to stand up and say Nos vigilo custodiae custodie." Holly said turning her navy pilot pen across her thumb, Nate nodded.

"We watch the watchmen." He whispered. Pause. "We're gunna run this one old school."