Something from the pre-Clone Wars era, discussing things that needed being discussed.

Year 4 before the Empire: Tarkin discusses rearmament

Wilhuff Tarkin didn't really like going to Coruscant. He preferred staying on Eriadu, or at the very least in his sector, and do his job, and even during his stint in the Judicials between his lieutenant governorship of Eriadu and his elector to governor for the entire sector he had preferred staying away-even the Rim Merchant Einem, the cargo hauler he had used on that "black" mission, had been better than having to deal with the "elite" of the galactic capital. But sometimes, business had to be done there. And so he had reached the capital, and with his in-law Shayla Paige-Tarkin, the senator for his sector, he had got an appointment with senator Amidala of Naboo (another sign of the Republic's corruption-planetary senators. At least this one was a honest woman, differently from her former sectorial counterpart Greejatus) to discuss her opposition to the Military Creation Act. Now that it was finally due to be voted on she was among the leading members of the opposition, and if they could talk or blackmail her in their camp it would make the act passing much more likely. Though he hoped on reasoning, according to Armand senator Amidala had proven impossible to spy on ever since she took office, with bugs just burning out at random intervals and he wasn't sure his reinforced bugs would work.

Sadly, after confirming they were ready to turn off any electronic device at a moment's notice (a necessity in her office, that Tarkin guessed was part of her precautions to avoid being spied upon), the two Tarkins ran in the main issue when dealing with a honest and smart politician: they know what they're doing and why.

"I cannot support the creation of an army, not when the Separatists could feel threatened into abandoning negotiations." she explained. "And I will certainly not help in making the taxpayers fund gigantic warships that could be used only in a war."

"I'm sorry, has any of us ever mistaken a bucket for a hat?" senator Paige-Tarkin replied, referencing the odd headdress favored by important Kuati.

"We aren't supporting the creation of a large armada of those so-called Star Destroyers either." governor Tarkin added. "What we hope is to give the Republic what it needs: a force large and well trained enough to deal with piracy, and with its officers achieving higher ranks based on their skils rather than on who they know as is the current standard. It would be based mostly on ships no larger than a cruiser, supercruisers smaller than a kilometer at most, and only a few hundreds of larger ships kept around to potentially deter the barbarians from Companion Besh and the Unknown Regions and maintain the skills in case the deterrent is not enough. It would even address many complaints from the Separatist worlds, and maybe bring the Corellians back to their senses just to sell the Republic Navy the necessary ships."

Amidala looked pensive at that-but before she could say anything Jar Jar Binks, her Associate Planetary Representative for the Gungans that shared homeworld with her people, walked in with a strange device, prompting the Naboo senator to warn to shut down all devices now. And right after the two visitors followed her advice, Binks activated his-and Tarkin felt a slight shock as electricity arched through the entire room.

"Wait, is that an EMP generator?!" governor Tarkin asked.

"Yep." Binks confirmed with a smile. "Yous see, da Trade Federation haten us, so my goes and got dis bombad machineek by a Jedi palo, and use it wen mesa want-and tey can't spy, no noes."

"Well... I suppose it's not paranoia when they're out to get you." senator Paige-Tarkin admitted, trying to not show admiration at how casually the non human had beaten all attempts at spying on his boss.

Later, after leaving Amidala's office, Wilhuff Tarkin mused on what had happened. Sure, they had failed to convince her to switch sides, and they clearly couldn't spy on her to try and find out some dirt-but now he knew that Jar Jar Binks was not the fool most people thought he was, simply naive enough to be mistaken for an utter moron and humble and smart enough to admit it and compensate the best he could, and that bit of information was invaluable in case he needed help or, Force forbid, he became an enemy. An underestimated enemy is that much more likely to kill you by surprise.

notes

The things addressed here are the following. First, there's the contradiction between Palpatine, Janus Greejatus, Horace Vancil and Padme being supposedly the senators for the Chommell sector when the Naboo court has authority over their appointment (Palpatine was nearly kicked out of his post by King Veruna before the latter got into Darth Plagueis' kill list, Greejatus, who's not from Naboo, lost his post when the Naboo court took offense at his policies, Vancil was appointed by Padme as a queen, and Padme herself was appointed by her successor), so I took the fact planetary senators are known to exist and that Palpatine and Padme have been identified on-screen as Naboo's senators to make them and Vancil the senators for Naboo-with the side effect the deeply corrupted Greejatus took longer to lose his job. Second, addressing some of the arguments pro and against the Republic's militarization, and why a sensible Tarkin would have been for it. And finally... Jar Jar Binks. He's naive, and a weapon-grade klutz, and by the time the Clone Wars start he actually accepts it and tries to work around it. Not a genius, but nowhere near arrogant enough to be called a fool-and a deadly danger for anyone on his wrong side.
Also, yes, Jar Jar got the EMP generator from Anakin.