through legitimate businesses under the cover of services rendered.
They could play golf all day, make a couple of sham phone calls to the
Hill, take a few meetings and live like kings. Hey, it’s like a super
401(k). You know how Americans are so into their stocks. Danny worked
them hard while they were on the Hill, but he would give them the best
golden years money could buy.”
“How many of them have ‘retired’?”
“None, as yet. But everything is set up for when they do. Danny’s
been doing this only about ten years.”
“He’s been in D.C. a lot longer than ten years.”
“I mean he’s been bribing people for only ten years. Before then, he
was a much more successful lobbyist. The last ten years, he’s made a
lot less money.”
“I thought guaranteeing results would bring him a lot more money.”
“The last ten years have been pretty much a charitable decade for
“The man must have deep pockets.”
“Danny has pretty much gone through his money. We started representing
paying clients again so we could continue what we were doing. And the
longer his people do what they are told, the more they will receive
later. And by waiting until they’re out of office to be paid, the
chances any of them will be caught go down considerably.”
“They must really trust Buchanan’s word.”
“I’m sure he’s had to show them proof of what’s waiting for them. But
he’s also an honorable man.”
“All crooks are, aren’t they? Who are some of the people on his
retirement plan?”
She looked at him suspiciously. “Why?”
“Just humor me.”
Faith named two of the men.
“Correct me if I’m mistaken, but aren’t they the current vice president
-of the United States and the Speaker of the House?”
“Danny doesn’t work with middle management. He actually started
working with the vice president before he rose to that office, back
when he was a House whip. But when Danny needs the man to pick up the
phone and put the screws to someone, the man does.”
“Holy shit, Faith. What the hell did you need that kind of firepower
for? Are we talking military secrets?”
“Actually, something much more valuable.” She picked up her wine
glass. “We represent the poorest of the world’s poor. African
nations, in issues of humanitarian aid, food, medicine, clothing, farm
equipment, crop seed, desalinization systems. In Latin America, money
for vaccines and other medical supplies. The export of legal birth
control devices, sterile needles and health information in the poorest
countries.”
Lee looked skeptical. “You’re saying you were bribing government
officials to help third world countries?”
She set down her wine glass and looked directly at him. “Actually, the
official lexicon has changed. The rich nations have developed very
politically correct terminology for their destitute neighbors. The CIA
publishes a manual on them, in fact. So instead of ‘third world,” you
have new categories: LDCs are ‘less-developed countries,” meaning
they’re in the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries.
There are officially one hundred and seventy-two LDCs, or the vast
majority of countries in the world. Then there are the LLDCs. They’re
the ‘least developed countries.” They’re the bottom of the barrel,
dead in the water. There are only forty-two of them. This may
surprise you, but about half of the people on this planet live in
abject poverty.”
“And that makes it right?” Lee said. “That makes bribery and cheating
right?”
“I’m not asking you to condone any of it. I don’t really care if you
agree with it or not. You wanted the facts, I’m giving them to you.”
“America gives lots of foreign aid. And we don’t have to give a
dime.”
She gave him a fierce look, one he had never seen from her before. “If
you talk facts with me, you lose,” she said sharply.
“Come again?”
“I’ve been researching this-living this-for more than ten years! We
pay farmers in this country more not to grow crops than we do on
humanitarian relief overseas. Of the total federal budget, foreign aid
represents about one percent, with the vast majority of that going to
two countries, Egypt and Israel. Americans spend a hundred times as