CHAPTER 32
The Collective Force
While Priscilla reflected and stewed and held herself together, others in the inner circle of the Ohio Democratic Party summoned its resources “to make it so”—or, “plainly put,” to bring Senator Madison back into the fold. In the world of organized crime, such “resources” are best labeled as “lieutenants.” In unsavory corporate circles, they are called “operations’ managers” and “troubleshooters.” In the Ohio Democratic Party of the early 1980s, those resources were surreptitiously known as “the collective force.” Like sleepers, this three-man team prepared for special assignments and were proficient in producing magnum opuses. When called upon, they would perform their roles with the utmost skill and effectiveness.
The men of “the collective force” gathe
