Chapter 158

“Kansas Rep Harvey Wallbanger and Arizona Rep Kirtland Jasper are the two reps coming from the House Intelligence Committee,” Senator Fordes said.

While we were waiting, Frank Love knocked and then came in with several folders. He knew the Senators, “Madam President, here are the intel assessments that you wanted. I went back twelve months - the ones you wanted are marked with yellow tags. Individually the first six show a growing pattern. The next four months tie a lot of things together. The last two months paint the picture we have discussed in the briefings for the last two weeks.”

“If you want my opinion, drastic action is the only thing that is going to change the situation. I’m not sure it is possible in the current political climate but in the past a few men have tried - while there were some successes, most failed. When you get ready to read it let me know and I will bring four of the best experts we have to explain what they think it means,” Frank said.

“Have them here at 0700 tomorrow,” I said.

“Oh by the way, thank Robert for the help in fixing our communication problems from the Masqat listening post. I will have to take him out to lunch next time I am over there.”

“I see on the JBG website there is a big announcement coming in a few days,” Frank said.

“It’s for Lorrie’s group. They have been looking for a while at adding more truck stops. I’m not sure where but I think she and Marcy have found two sites on the interstate to build on and they have bought two small but active stops to upgrade into very large truck stops. That will make five truck stops in four different states.”

“They have decided they want to build a national chain of large truck stops. This will be the first group in that endeavor. If I heard right they want to do eight next year,” I said.

“I’m sure that Marcy and Lorrie have had more than ample research done, so it should be a good venture,” Frank said.

“Just out of curiosity, what’s the normal employee requirement for a truck stop?” Frank asked.

“For the one we have now is one hundred and fifty on day and evening shifts and sixty on night shift, plus there are another fifty part-timers to fill in for holidays, vacations and sick time.”

“Those numbers include the truck shops and dealership. I’m not sure if Marcy will have the truck dealership at one of those new sites or not, but there will be a tire shops at them. Judging by the amount of tire debris on the road, trucks go through a lot of tires,” I said.

“So building a new truck stop is a big deal - not only for JBG - but the local communities they serve then.”

“Most communities think so, some do not. We will just have to see,” I said.

The two reps showed up as Frank left so we could get started.

“I asked that Senators Forde and Whitby be here as they have interest in the topics,” Representative Wallbanger said.

“We are concerned that you have shortcut protocol and established procedures in this visit with the Emir of Nigeria, Prime Minister Alfred Morris and now the upcoming visit with Russian President Orbatch.”

“Traditional protocol establishes that the Senate and House intelligence committees have a complete list of all proposed discussion topics thirty days before there is any meeting with foreign leaders. Complete transcripts of any meetings or calls with international leaders that may have national security implications are also to be sent to the committees within thirty days,” he said.

“Your staff should have known,” he said.

“We therefore demand that a minimum of two House and two Senate intelligence committee members sit in on all discussions and meetings with foreign leaders,” he said.

“Leader to leader meetings are just that, I see no need to allow anyone from your committees to sit in on them. To put it bluntly; you have too damn many leaks coming out of your committees. The transcripts of those meetings are classified and entered into the official Presidential records and White House records as required by law. They will also be archived into the official records.”

“It is an insult that you seem to think that my staff doesn’t know what they are doing with the decades of combined experience they have in executive level government. The State Department also has a number of experts that advise me as needed.”

“I decide who gets transcripts of my meetings and when. The National Security Agency or the CIA are always involved in my discussions. I know you receive some of the same information and briefs that I get.”

“I will have the issues reviewed by the White House legal teams. Unless they advise me differently, there will be no Senate or House members in my meetings with other leaders or unless I feel there is a need to because of special circumstances,” I added.

Representatives Wallbanger and Jasper left in a huff. I stopped Senators Whitby and Fordes.

“You are getting current updates from the intelligence agencies - aren’t you?” I asked.

“The committee chairman gives us summaries of the reports once a month,” Senator Fordes said.