Separation of Power

When the music for the show came on Clark put the paper down and hit the record button. He sat and gri

Russert started the segment by introducing his guests and saying, "Congressmen, this is truly a historical week in Washington. For the first time in its fifty-plus-year history a woman has been nominated to head the Central Intelligence Agency. What are your thoughts?"

Congressman Zebarth jumped on the question first. "Dr. Ke

Russert turned to address Rudin. His eyes were open wide, he had a bit of a grin on his face, and his head was cocked slightly to one side. He knew practically every politician's politics, and hence, nine times out of ten he knew the answer before he asked the question. "That's one heck of an endorsement coming from a Republican." Russert knew his guest detested the President's nomination.

Rudin's face looked as if he'd just bitten into a bad piece of fruit." I have no problem with a woman ru

"So, you don't agree with the President's nomination," suggested Russert with a faint smile.

"No, I don't. I've been warning the White House for months that Ke

The gossip was all over town that the President had taken Rudin to the woodshed about the Ke

"The only one who publicly disagrees," Rudin was quick to add. "For reasons I can't figure out, this President and his administration have forced this nominee down our throats without doing their research."

In a strange twist of politics Russert looked to Zebarth, the Republican, to defend a Democratic President. "Congressman Zebarth?" "As I've already said, I think Dr. Ke

Hank Clark was on the edge of his seat. Zebarth had just lobbed a big fat hanging curve ball. Clark clapped his hands together and said, "Come on, Albert. If there's ever a time to hit one out of the park, it's now."

Rudin reached under the table and produced a file. With a grim look on his face he shook his head and said, "I feel a little bit like Winston Churchill today, Tim."

Clark frowned at his TV and said, "Don't get carried away here, Albert."

"I've been warning my colleagues for years about what was going on at the CIA. I've been harping that we need more oversight. I've been complaining that we weren't getting the truth from Director Stansfield when he testified before my committee, and the same goes for Dr. Ke

"What are you saying, Congressman Rudin?"

"I have here in this file," Rudin waved it in the air for emphasis, "proof that Dr. Ke

Over the years Congressman Zebarth had heard an unending litany of baseless accusations from his colleague. To his ears, Rudin's diatribe sounded like a last ditch effort from a desperate man. "Albert, I've heard you say this many times before, and frankly I think it is despicable that you continue to assassinate the character of this fine woman."

"I'll tell you what's despicable," Rudin fired back. "A Congress that refuses to do the work the American people sent them to Washington to do. A Congress and a White House," he added with emphasis, "that refuse to make even the slightest effort to protect the Constitution."

Zebarth, an old-school Virginian and a throwback to the days when the rules of debate truly ruled the day, was genuinely insulted by Rudin's blanket accusations. "Albert, if you have any proof of wrongdoing by Dr. Ke

"I find your use of the word assassination rather amusing," snarled Rudin.

At home, in the solitude of his study, Clark realized how poorly Rudin came off on TV. It would make the senator look all the more stately when he began asking Ke

Zebarth balked at the question and refused to answer.

"It is a clandestine organization that was founded by Thomas Stansfield and run by none other than Dr. Irene Ke

Sounding disinterested so as not to give Rudin's words any weight, Zebarth asked, "And how did you discover this secret organization?" Beneath his calm exterior Zebarth was ablaze. He knew of the Orion Team. He was one of a select group of congressmen and senators who had told Thomas Stansfield to take the battle to the terrorists.

"Since my own committee has refused to allow me to investigate the CIA, and President Hayes has also tried to silence me at every turn, I had to proceed on my own. Through my own diligence, and at great personal sacrifice, I found a very senior person at the Central Intelligence Agency who was willing to talk to me. Someone who is as disturbed as I am over the abuses that were committed by Thomas Stansfield and continue to be perpetuated by Irene Ke

A name meant nothing by itself. If that was all Rudin had, it wasn't enough. Glancing down at the file on the table, Zebarth felt the urge to call his colleague's bluff. "If you have proof, I'd like to see it." He pointed at the file.

Rudin was more than willing to oblige. He whipped open the file saying, "I have the names and dates of people that this organization assassinated. I have proof that U. S. Special Forces perso