The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 306: Longfin Smelt and Habitat Protection Act

[Chapter 306: Longfin Smelt and Habitat Protection Act]

Throughout January and February, Hawke devoted all his energy to the company -- restructuring its organization, recruiting new employees, establishing more standardized management systems, and driving further development. 

In his scarce free time, he also went on dates with Erica or Megan. 

...

During this period, Hawke made several trips to Covina to directly oversee Brian's campaign operations. Brian officially hired Hawke as a special campaign adviser with a salary of $5 million. 

In the office, Brian remarked, "I know you're a billionaire now, so you probably wouldn't care about a mere $5 million." He added, "The rest will have to wait until after I'm elected."

Of course, Hawke did not mind the $5 million -- a sum more than enough to hire dozens of elite mercenary teams from Latin America. He said, "Just transfer the money to the account of West Coast Studios, as before." 

Brian immediately called the financial manager and then asked, "We've already set the ball rolling on the meteorology front -- God willing, those experts have predicted that the rainfall in Los Angeles will decrease over the next few years, so we won't have to put in too much effort to fabricate support for that." 

Hawke replied seriously, "That means even the weather is on our side. Next, it's time to deal with the environmental groups." 

Brian continued, "I've reached out to several influential figures in the environmental sector; as long as they're paid, they'll do the job." 

Hawke nodded, "We shouldn't skimp on money in this area; get in touch with the media and start building momentum." 

After a moment's thought, he added, "With the Oscars coming up soon -- and environmental causes always being a favorite among celebrities -- let's have the aquatic movie, , featured at the Oscars, with Hollywood stars speaking up for them." 

Brian remarked, "I know those folks in Hollywood all too well -- once you stir up some buzz, they will definitely follow suit."

One matter made Hawke uneasy, so he asked, "Is that secret fund handling the money transfers resilient to investigation?" 

In a lowered voice, Brian replied, "Of course. This is a foundation my grandfather established over a decade ago under the name of someone who outwardly leaned Democratic. Over the years, he funded the Democrats on multiple occasions." 

Hawke then said, "The Ferguson family has been investing more and more resources in you." 

Brian looked serious and admitted, "I'm under a lot of pressure." 

...

Under Hawke's guidance, a university re

Hawke added, "The proposals the Democrats put forward -- and the laws they pass -- will eventually backfire on them." 

After a pause, Brian said, "Antonio Villaraigosa will be the first to take the fall." 

He then asked, "When do we launch the next phase?" 

Hawke replied, "First, we'll wait until the state legislature passes the protection act; after a while, we'll publicize the tragic plight of the 9/11 firefighters." 

Brian recalled related cases his team had found -- several involving California firefighters, including two from Los Angeles. 

"Excellent," Hawke instructed. "Make sure their work is solid, and release the information when the time is right." 

These steps had to be taken one at a time; acting too hastily would have yielded poor results.

...

In mid-March, two Democratic state legislators -- Clint and Dalot -- jointly proposed a protection bill for the Longfin Smelt. 

The move won fervent support from eight major environmental organizations, and Democratic-controlled media helped build the hype. 

Since the environmental movement had been underway in California for many years and was considered politically correct, even Fox Television reported on it. 

Twitter, like other media, did not miss out on the hot topic. 

The eight organizations convened thousands of people from all over California who gathered in Sacramento on Ninth Street and staged a sit-in in front of the state capitol to support the legislators' initiative. 

For outsiders, it was hard to understand the fervor of this politically charged environmental movement. In Hawke's earlier view, he dismissed these people as merely idle and overindulged -- after all, while the Longfin Smelt was scarce in California, it was not uncommon worldwide. 

In the end, it didn't really matter what was being protected; what was most important were the economic and political objectives achieved through the protection.

...

Days of continuous support activities were widely reported by the media, capturing the high ground of public opinion. 

It seemed as if everyone in California supported protecting the Longfin Smelt, and when necessary, the efficiency of political activism could be astonishingly swift. 

Legislators Clint and Dalot formally submitted the bill, and it passed at the special California legislative session in March. However, the bill was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. 

According to regulations, a vetoed proposal would be sent back to the legislature, which could override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote. 

With 2004 being an election year and the race looming, the Democrats would never give up -- the battle had already begun. Countless Democrats scrambled and networked, hoping that this bill would secure the full support of environmental organizations and the California public for the remainder of the year.

...

Soon, the Democratic-controlled legislature reconvened and, with a two-thirds majority, overrode Schwarzenegger's veto -- turning the proposal into an actual law. 

A local California law called the Longfin Smelt and Habitat Protection Act was officially promulgated. 

Once in effect, the law essentially eliminated the possibility of diverting water from northern-central California to Southern California. 

The official enforcement of the Longfin Smelt law delighted the Democrats and boosted their morale significantly. 

Many already foresaw an absolute victory in the election year. 

Although the Republicans had won a round in California last year, California ultimately belonged to the Democrats -- and at the onset of an election year, the Republicans were not as formidable as they might have imagined.

*****

/Sayonara816.