Darren Priest Mysteries Collection

Chapter 11

Four Weeks Earlier

The White House

Winston Ebert was the most powerful man in Washington. As the Republican Majority Leader of the Senate in a divided government, “Willy” Ebert held only half the cards in the Capitol Hill’s deck, since Democrats controlled the House of Representatives. But the authors of the Constitution made sure to give more power to the Senate than the House. Creating a bicameral legislature required a distribution of powers so that one chamber could frustrate the dictatorial aims of the other. The House maintained certain powers while the Senate was given control of presidential appointments.

Winston Ebert was the most powerful man in Washington. As the Republican Majority Leader of the Senate in a divided government, “Willy” Ebert held only half the cards in the Capitol Hill’s deck, since Democrats controlled the House of Representatives. But the authors of the Constitution made sure to give more power to the Senate than the House. Creating a bicameral legislature required a distribution of powers so that one chamber could frustrate the dictatorial aims of the other. The House maintained certain powers while the Senate was given control of presidential appointments.Ebert knew this as well as anyone, and he knew that his chamber controlled who served in the President’s Cabinet and which jurists rose to the bench of the Supreme Court. So, he gave up his chance to be Mike Pendleton’s vice president, preferring instead to keep his senior position in the Senate and prepare himself to be elected the GOP’s Majority Leader. It was only a matter of time, he long believed.

Ebert knew this as well as anyone, and he knew that his chamber controlled who served in the President’s Cabinet and which jurists rose to the bench of the Supreme Court. So, he gave up his chance to be Mike Pendleton’s vice president, preferring instead to keep his senior position in the Senate and prepare himself to be elected the GOP’s Majority Leader. It was only a matter of time, he long believed.His lifelong association with Pendleton would have argued for the other choice. The two had been friends since childhood. They both went to Yale – Ebert remaining in New Haven after graduation to attend law school and Pendleton moving on to Princeton for an M.B.A. Both entered politics and rose through the ranks as political appointees, using their pedigree and position to advance their careers. Pendleton was chosen to be the Secretary of the Army; Ebert acquired years and experience in the Senate, serving as the chair of Judiciary Committee, then quitting that position to become Majority Leader when his friend Pendleton was elected to the White House.

His lifelong association with Pendleton would have argued for the other choice. The two had been friends since childhood. They both went to Yale – Ebert remaining in New Haven after graduation to attend law school and Pendleton moving on to Princeton for an M.B.A. Both entered politics and rose through the ranks as political appointees, using their pedigree and position to advance their careers. Pendleton was chosen to be the Secretary of the Army; Ebert acquired years and experience in the Senate, serving as the chair of Judiciary Committee, then quitting that position to become Majority Leader when his friend Pendleton was elected to the White House.Now, as long-respected pillars of the society, they shared the halls of power in America. The only one great difference between them was that Mike Pendleton accepted the limits of what society would tolerate from its leaders while Willy Ebert pushed to see how far he could go without sanction or retribution.

Now, as long-respected pillars of the society, they shared the halls of power in America. The only one great difference between them was that Mike Pendleton accepted the limits of what society would tolerate from its leaders while Willy Ebert pushed to see how far he could go without sanction or retribution.“Leave it open,” Pendleton said to the Secret Service agent standing by the door in the Oval Office. The square-shouldered man with the earwig dangling from his collar stopped in mid-motion and turned his head toward the President.

“Leave it open,” Pendleton said to the Secret Service agent standing by the door in the Oval Office. The square-shouldered man with the earwig dangling from his collar stopped in mid-motion and turned his head toward the President.“The Majority Leader is on his way and we want to have a private conversation out there,” Pendleton added, pointing to the door that led out onto the West Colonnade and the Rose Garden that was nestled into the bend of the paved walkway.

“The Majority Leader is on his way and we want to have a private conversation out there,” Pendleton added, pointing to the door that led out onto the West Colonnade and the Rose Garden that was nestled into the bend of the paved walkway.“Yes, sir,” the agent replied, before crossing the room and exiting through another door leading to the outer office of the President’s secretary.

“Yes, sir,” the agent replied, before crossing the room and exiting through another door leading to the outer office of the President’s secretary.As the agent pulled on the doorknob to leave, Willy Ebert walked in. Life had been good to the Senator, at least if it was measured by his waistline. Shorter than his boyhood friend, the President, Ebert’s weight gathered around his torso, held in check by a long belt but unable to be contained within a suit jacket that always appeared to be two sizes too small. But physical appearance was not Ebert’s main focus in life.

As the agent pulled on the doorknob to leave, Willy Ebert walked in. Life had been good to the Senator, at least if it was measured by his waistline. Shorter than his boyhood friend, the President, Ebert’s weight gathered around his torso, held in check by a long belt but unable to be contained within a suit jacket that always appeared to be two sizes too small. But physical appearance was not Ebert’s main focus in life.Power was.

Power was.“Hello, Mr. President,” he began, maintaining formalities only until he heard the door click behind him. When they were alone, the Senator relaxed into a more informal session with Pendleton.

“Hello, Mr. President,” he began, maintaining formalities only until he heard the door click behind him. When they were alone, the Senator relaxed into a more informal session with Pendleton.“Mike, you’ve looked at the funding bill for HHS, right?”

“Mike, you’ve looked at the funding bill for HHS, right?”Pendleton nodded, but hooked his finger and pointed out to the West Colonnade.

Pendleton nodded, but hooked his finger and pointed out to the West Colonnade.“Well, it looks good on paper,” Ebert continued, walking toward the door but not willing to wait till they had the privacy of a walk outside the Oval Office. “But some nobody-congressman from Connecticut slipped a freebie in there,” he said as they stepped through the doorway into the shade of the colonnade.

“Well, it looks good on paper,” Ebert continued, walking toward the door but not willing to wait till they had the privacy of a walk outside the Oval Office. “But some nobody-congressman from Connecticut slipped a freebie in there,” he said as they stepped through the doorway into the shade of the colonnade.“What kind of freebie?”

“What kind of freebie?”“Not free for the government. It’ll cost us twenty-seven million.”

“Not free for the government. It’ll cost us twenty-seven million.”“What does it do?” pressed Pendleton.

“What does it do?” pressed Pendleton.“It funds some research and publishes brochures on the availability of health insurance plans.”

“It funds some research and publishes brochures on the availability of health insurance plans.”“Which plans?”

“Which plans?”“Basically, all of them,” said Ebert.

“Basically, all of them,” said Ebert.“What’s the problem with that? Shouldn’t people get to know their options?”

“What’s the problem with that? Shouldn’t people get to know their options?”“Oh, sure,” the Senator said with a theatrical agreement that sounded more like condescending impatience. “Let’s spend more money to help people who should be doing their own due diligence.”

“Oh, sure,” the Senator said with a theatrical agreement that sounded more like condescending impatience. “Let’s spend more money to help people who should be doing their own due diligence.”“Not everyone can,” Pendleton suggested. “Insurance plans, tax forms, all that stuff. It’s a labyrinth for most people….”

“Not everyone can,” Pendleton suggested. “Insurance plans, tax forms, all that stuff. It’s a labyrinth for most people….”“You mean most people who didn’t bother to get a decent education in the first place,” complained Ebert. “Mike, we can’t just throw more money at these things. Do I agree that people should carefully weigh their options? Sure. But do I think the government should shell out millions to weigh their options for them? No.”

“You mean most people who didn’t bother to get a decent education in the first place,” complained Ebert. “Mike, we can’t just throw more money at these things. Do I agree that people should carefully weigh their options? Sure. But do I think the government should shell out millions to weigh their options for them? No.”Pendleton looked down as they walked, considering what the Senator was saying.

Pendleton looked down as they walked, considering what the Senator was saying.“I think…”

“I think…”“No,” interrupted the senator. “You think that ‘times are tough, and we’ve got to stop wasting money.’ That’s what you’ll say.”

“No,” interrupted the senator. “You think that ‘times are tough, and we’ve got to stop wasting money.’ That’s what you’ll say.”The President looked at the Majority Leader and knew that the game was on. Ebert was there to lobby for him to veto the measure or let him fight it out in the trenches. And he knew that if the Senator was against something, he would leverage all his power to veto it.

The President looked at the Majority Leader and knew that the game was on. Ebert was there to lobby for him to veto the measure or let him fight it out in the trenches. And he knew that if the Senator was against something, he would leverage all his power to veto it.“Not sure, yet,” Pendleton said.

“Not sure, yet,” Pendleton said.Ebert stopped and turned toward the President, causing him to stop, but a couple of feet away.

Ebert stopped and turned toward the President, causing him to stop, but a couple of feet away.“Just read it, and we’ll talk,” the Senator said.

“Just read it, and we’ll talk,” the Senator said.Then he continued down the path to leave the White House grounds.

Then he continued down the path to leave the White House grounds.