Leo Swiftly Approves Fraud Amendment After Sam's Evidence-Driven Reversal
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Sam and Ainsley enter Leo's office with a proposal for small business fraud prevention, interrupting Leo's phone call.
Sam presents the fraud prevention amendment, citing statistics from an independent study to support their recommendation.
Leo questions Sam's initial opposition and acknowledges his change of stance, approving the proposal.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Bewildered confusion shifting to thrilled awe at power's pace.
Enters Leo's office behind Sam, attempts to interject as Sam ushers her out; in hallway, voices repeated confusion over the meeting's brevity; steps from Sam's office into Communications bullpen, smiles wide observing the frenzied activity.
- • Clarify and participate in the decision process
- • Absorb lessons on White House dynamics
- • Her conservative logic merits full voice in debates
- • Executive decisions operate at unprecedented velocity
Calmly authoritative, blending wry amusement with laser-focused efficiency.
On the phone, Leo holds up a finger to interrupt his call, listens intently to Sam's pitch and stats, probes the fraud triangle and Sam's reversal with curiosity, approves decisively with a 'Doctor Zhivago' joke, dismissing them efficiently.
- • Quickly vet and approve viable policy amendments
- • Confirm staff conviction before endorsement
- • Reversals based on evidence strengthen policy
- • White House demands instantaneous decision-making
Assured and energized, reveling in the pitch's success and reversal's vindication.
Barges in with Ainsley, delivers confident pitch citing Commerce amendment, independent study stats, and fraud triangle rationale linking to minimum wage strategy; admits prior opposition and reversal under Leo's questioning; ushers Ainsley out, then explains high-stakes process in hallway.
- • Secure Leo's approval to advance the amendment
- • Initiate Ainsley into White House operational tempo
- • Strong data trumps initial biases in policy
- • Rapid chain of command propels effective governance
referenced by Sam as the next approver after Leo
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Sam wields the independent study's damning stats—30% of employees plan theft, 30% succumb occasionally, 5% always, 85% under fraud triangle pressures of need, opportunity, rationalization—as irrefutable ammo to pitch the amendment, credibly flipping his stance and compelling Leo's approval in the high-stakes frenzy.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Ainsley emerges from Sam's office into the throbbing Communications bullpen, panning across staffers filing, scribbling, dodging in chaotic harmony; her dawning smile crystallizes the nerve center's frenzy, embodying the 'live ammo' stakes Sam just unveiled.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Sam invokes the Commerce Department's urgent push for White House endorsement of a fraud prevention amendment shielding small businesses from employee theft epidemics, channeling their policy crusade—fueled by independent study stats—directly into Leo's fast-track approval amid broader legislative assaults.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Sam and Ainsley's entry into Leo's office naturally leads to Sam presenting the fraud prevention amendment."
"Sam and Ainsley's entry into Leo's office naturally leads to Sam presenting the fraud prevention amendment."
Key Dialogue
"LEO: "You weren't going to go the other way on this?" SAM: "Yeah, I was." LEO: "You got turned around?" SAM: "Yeah." LEO: "Okay, good. Thanks.""
"AINSLEY: "That was it?" SAM: "Yeah." AINSLEY: "I don't understand." SAM: "Leo said yes, that's the end of meeting.""
"SAM: "Well, we play with live ammo around here. You convinced me, I convinced Leo, Leo'll convince the President.""