Separation of Power

"I want the damn party leadership over here. "The President pointed at the ground and started for the door. "I'm going downstairs. When they get here let me know." Jones started walking with him. "Do you want me to come with you?" She was a little afraid of what the President might say without her in the room.

"No!" Hayes said with zero room for negotiation. He left the Oval Office and went down one floor to the secure Situation Room. When he entered the conference room he was a little surprised that in addition to Ke

"Gentlemen, I didn't know you were here. If you'll excuse us for a moment, I need to speak with Dr. Ke

The military men were all aware of what had happened on Meet the Press. Especially the part where Rudin had mentioned the use of Special Forces perso

As the military men filed out of the room, the President gestured for Ke

"No, I don't mean that. I'm talking about what we asked you to do back in eighty-eight. The formation of the Orion Team." He shook his head. "We never thought that one of our own would blow the cover."

"Sir, I was aware of the risks when I took the job. If it were offered to me again, I wouldn't hesitate for a second."

Hayes's bowed his head. "I know you wouldn't," he said softly. "That's all the more reason you don't deserve this."

Ke

Without telling the senators and congressmen, Stansfield had decided to amend that agreement over the years. He had created a series of dummy files that he kept in the safe in the director's office. The files contained letters of notification to the House and Senate leadership, all of them dated within twenty-four hours of the start of covert operations run by the Orion Team. This was what was required by law and ultimately what Congressman Rudin was so irate about. In addition to the dummy files, Stansfield had passed along a wealth of information about a number of influential lawmakers on the Hill--the type of information they would like kept secret. Ke

Hayes brought his gaze up and asked, "How in God's name are you going to testify tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure I'm going to, sir."

There was a brief pause while the President wondered if she would withdraw her name. "I wish there was a way we could fight this, Irene."

"Oh, there is," Ke

"How?"

"It's going to involve some risks, sir, but I think it will work."

The President studied her, wondering how she could possibly get out from under Rudin's sights. "I'm listening."

"Whatever Congressman Rudin has in that file that he was waving around

today, it is classified material."

"And?"

"It is classified material that he received from an employee of the CIA. Someone, sir, has committed a crime by passing along that information."

"How?"

"If they are an employee of the CIA they have signed a national security nondisclosure document, sir."

The President looked skeptical. "It's bigger than all that, Irene. The press is involved."

"Please hear me out, sir. Much of what the Orion Team did, originally, was handled outside the CIA. Over the last year, Director Stansfield went to great lengths to legitimize the actions of the team. Giving Mitch a legitimate perso

The President was frowning. "How legitimate is this?"

"It's not a question of legitimacy, sir."

"Sure it is. What if they deny ever signing such a document?"

"They won't," Ke

Hayes took the hint. The rumors about Stansfield keeping files on people were true. "You mean they might be afraid of what would come out if they didn't go along?"

"Maybe." Ke

The President seemed ill at ease with this course of action.

"Sir, all of this is legitimate enough for you to ask FBI Director Roach to seize that file and any copies that Rudin has made."

Wincing, the President asked, "You are asking me to have the FBI bust into the home of a U. S. congressman?"

"Yes, I am."

"You can't be serious. The press will--" "Sir," Ke

The President stubbornly crossed his arms. "Where is this whole thing going to take us, Irene?"

"If I go up to the Hill tomorrow and answer questions, I'll be crucified. If I withdraw my name from the process, Rudin will hold hearings within a week, and I'll be crucified. Either way it's going to happen, and under both scenarios, sir, your presidency will be guilty by association."

"We're screwed." Hayes stood tall as if he needed a full breath of air. He placed his hands on his hips and continued, "And of all the times for it to happen, it has to come along right now when this whole Iraqi thing is about to heat up."

"There is a third way, sir," she suggested.

"I'm all ears"

Ke