Chapter 704 - 328: Pledge of Fealty

Representative Hayes read the passage, his brow furrowed.

He wasn’t a lawyer, but even he could see the enormous flexibility hidden in the wording.

"Mayor Wallace." Hayes looked up, tapping his finger on the fine print. "This phrase, ’adverse changes in the external policy environment’—what exactly does that refer to? A Federation interest rate hike? Or a trade war?"

Leo picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip.

Then he looked at Hayes, his eyes calm.

"It’s very simple, Representative Hayes."

"If your votes in Washington do not align with the principles of the Industrial Revival Alliance, which I lead."

"If you attempt to obstruct, delay, or veto any bill that benefits the development of this Alliance."

"Then, I will unilaterally determine that the external policy environment has undergone an adverse change."

Leo set the glass down with a soft click.

"At that point, I will terminate our cooperation."

"All orders for your districts will be canceled, projects under construction will be halted, and any loans already disbursed will be called in for immediate repayment."

"That is what it means."

The air in the conference room instantly froze.

Hayes snapped the file shut, his face flushing red.

"Mayor Wallace, what is the meaning of this?"

Hayes stared at Leo, his voice tight with suppressed fury.

"’Align our positions?’ Does that mean from now on, we have to follow your orders on every vote we cast in Washington? That’s a gross violation of the principle of a representative’s independence! You’re trying to turn us into your puppets!"

The other representatives quickly chimed in.

"Exactly, this is absurd."

"We’re accountable to our constituents, not to Pittsburgh."

"If word of this gets out, our careers will be over."

Leo watched the agitated politicians in silence, his face expressionless.

He waited until everyone had vented before speaking slowly.

"Puppets?"

Leo let out a cold laugh.

"Representative Hayes, do you really think you aren’t a puppet right now?"

"Who were you a puppet for before? The coal companies? The insurance companies? When a lobbyist from Pfizer walked into your office with a check, did you talk to them about your ’independence’?"

Hayes was struck speechless, his mouth hanging open.

"Don’t talk to me about lofty constitutional principles."

Leo leaned forward, and the oppressive aura he exuded made everyone in the room hold their breath.

"You can refuse to sign. The door is right there; no one is stopping you. You can walk out right now, go back to your districts, and continue lecturing the elderly who can’t afford their medicine about your independence."

"But," Leo said, turning to look at Ethan.

"Ethan, if they refuse to sign, what’s our move?"

Ethan pushed up his glasses and replied impassively, "We’ll print a special public notice. The headline will read: ’An Explanation Regarding a Certain Representative’s District Being Unable to Join the Mutual Aid Medical Network.’"

"We’ll post this notice on the door of every pharmacy in your district, on the wall of every community clinic, and even on the glass windows of your campaign offices."

Leo picked up where he left off.

"The notice will make it very clear: Pittsburgh was willing to provide affordable, life-saving medicine and help restart factories. However, your esteemed Representative, for personal reasons, has refused to cooperate with Pittsburgh."

Leo stared into Hayes’s eyes.

"I will shove that rejection right in your constituents’ faces."

"I will make sure they know who is forcing them to keep paying exorbitant prices for medicine, and who is forcing them to remain unemployed."

"Mr. Hayes, what do you think those mothers waiting for life-saving medicine will do when they see that notice? Will they praise your independence?"

"No," Leo answered his own question.

"They will grab their pitchforks, storm your office, and tear you to shreds."

Hayes sat frozen in his chair.

Large beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His face went from red to white, then to a deathly gray.

’This was naked political blackmail.’

’Leo Wallace had a knife to their throats, and that knife was their own constituents.’

If they didn’t sign, it would be political suicide. The wrath of their voters would instantly consume them.

If they did sign, they would become puppets, but at least they could keep their positions. They could even take credit for the low-cost medicine to secure their votes.

Between survival and dignity, a politician’s choice is always the same.

"A pen."

Hayes said, his voice trembling.

Ethan handed him a fountain pen.

With a trembling hand, Hayes signed his name at the bottom of the document.

Once the first one falls, the second is sure to follow.

The remaining six representatives exchanged glances, each seeing the same helplessness in the others’ eyes.

One by one, they picked up the pen and signed their names on the pledge of allegiance.

「Ten minutes later.」

Ethan collected all the documents, checked them to make sure everything was in order, and placed them in his briefcase.

Leo stood up, a contagious smile on his face.

"A wise choice, gentlemen."

Leo proactively extended his right hand and shook Hayes’s.

"Welcome to the Alliance. The first shipment of medicine will be heading to Bucks County tomorrow morning. Your constituents will thank you."

Hayes gripped Leo’s hand, feeling how cold and strong it was.

He forced a smile that was uglier than a grimace. "Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I hope our cooperation will be pleasant."

After seeing the representatives out, the conference room door closed once more.

Ethan let out a long breath, excitedly patting the briefcase full of what were essentially indenture contracts.

"Boss, this is the fourth wave this month." Ethan looked at Leo, his eyes filled with awe. "But this is the first group of Federation Representatives from Washington. It seems our influence has already spilled past Harrisburg."

"Over at the state House of Representatives, our solid vote count is now over eighty. Add in the swing voters who are still on the fence but don’t dare to cross us, and we effectively control an absolute majority in the House."

Ethan found it all incredible.

"As for the Federation level," Ethan continued, "Pennsylvania has a total of seventeen Representatives in the House, and we’ve secured seven of them. Of the remaining ten, at least five or six are trying to contact us through various channels."

"Conservatively, we should be able to control twelve to thirteen votes by the election."

"As for Pennsylvania’s two Senators, one is Murphy. The other candidate, Dante Russo, should have no problem getting elected as a Senator this year, barring any surprises."

"Leo, do you know what this means?"

Leo looked at Ethan and replied, "What?"

"It means that from now on, we will be the ones who define Pennsylvania’s voice in Washington."

"Yes." Leo walked to the window, gazing in the direction of Harrisburg.

"I may not be the Speaker of the state House, and I may not be sitting in the chairman’s seat."

"But from this day forward, no bill I dislike will ever pass through the doors of the state House."

"And any bill I want will be placed at the very top of the agenda."