Leo Dismisses Josh's Tobacco Funding Push Amid Abbey's Return
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Josh pivots to demanding $30 million for the tobacco lawsuit, shifting focus to political warfare.
Leo dismisses the funding request with cynical realism about congressional obstruction.
Josh persists with idealistic arguments while Leo disengages, their dynamic highlighting administration fractures.
Josh announces his departure for the airport, hinting at covert poll preparations.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Exasperated weariness masking deeper crisis overload, torn between loyalty and realism.
Leo strides in, swiftly grabs messages from Margaret's desk, confirms First Lady's return with terse 'Yeah,' admits phone slip-up on Zoey's application exposing family tension, rebuffs Josh's $30M tobacco pitch repeatedly with exasperated dismissals citing futility and political peril, half-listens while reading messages, instructs staffing out the issue, and caps with pointed 'Do a job' as Josh exits.
- • Deflect and minimize Josh's idealistic funding push to conserve political capital
- • Redirect Josh to core duties like the MS poll amid mounting scandals
- • Contain personal gaffe fallout on family matters
- • Tobacco lawsuit is unwinnable regardless of funding due to entrenched interests
- • White House resources too strained for peripheral battles amid MS perjury storm
Desperate urgency fueling pleas for financial lifeline.
Invoked by Josh as Assistant Attorney General in Civil Division whose desperate report of being out of money for the tobacco fraud suit ignites the funding pitch, underscoring prosecutorial desperation amid White House budget wars.
- • Secure emergency $30M transfer to sustain DOJ tobacco prosecution
- • Mobilize White House intervention against congressional blocks
- • $30M is critical and achievable to win against Big Tobacco deception
- • Transfer laws provide viable path despite political hurdles
mentioned as not yet having told First Lady about Zoey's application
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Leo snatches the compact stack of curling notification slips from Margaret's desk in a swift sweep upon entering, pores over them mid-stride into his office, flicks through pages while half-listening to Josh's fervent tobacco pitch, and glances up from them only at the end to deliver 'Do a job,' symbolizing higher crises eclipsing idealism and splintering Leo's focus amid MS scandal shadows.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Referenced as Josh's imminent destination for covert polling on MS tolerance amid stranded travelers and jet whine, contrasting the office's intimate power clash with public anonymity risks, heightening tension as White House secrets bleed into civilian flux under scandal's gathering storm.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Department of Veterans Affairs flagged for up to $12M transfer ceiling to Civil Division per law, futile against House blocks Josh details, amplifying Leo's conviction that even escalated funds won't prevail in tobacco colossus clash.
United States Department of Commerce cited as prime transfer source under summer law for Civil Division's tobacco war, yet chained to House committee approval Josh decries as rigged, factoring into failed $30M pitch and Leo's veto.
House Committees cast as primary obstacles, their tobacco-bankrolled chairmen poised to block transfers from Commerce, HHS, and VA per law, rendering $30M plea futile and provoking Leo's dismissal, highlighting partisan gridlock strangling executive justice pushes.
Health and Human Services named alongside Commerce as tappable reservoir under transfer law for DOJ tobacco offensive, limited by House vetoes Josh laments, underscoring fiscal crossfire dooming the urgent lifeline plea.
Josh indicts Tobacco Companies as corrupt funders of House chairmen with $8M election cash, wielding veto power over fund transfers to doom DOJ suit despite laws, mirroring White House deception cover-up paranoia and fueling Leo's cynical rejection amid parallel fraud wars.
Civil Division spotlighted via Connelly's plea as financially crippled mid-tobacco fraud assault, needing $30M lifeline Josh champions against Leo's rebuff, embodying prosecutorial zeal starved by fiscal sabotage paralleling White House MS evasion strains.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Abbey's arrival at the White House is immediately followed by Leo revealing his role in escalating the domestic crisis, connecting the timing of their actions."
"Abbey's arrival at the White House is immediately followed by Leo revealing his role in escalating the domestic crisis, connecting the timing of their actions."
"Josh's demand for tobacco lawsuit funding and Leo's dismissal highlight the recurring theme of financial and political vulnerabilities within the administration."
"Josh's demand for tobacco lawsuit funding and Leo's dismissal highlight the recurring theme of financial and political vulnerabilities within the administration."
Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"JOSH: "Thirty million dollars." LEO: "No.""
"LEO: "Cause we're gonna lose." JOSH: "So you give 'em enough to win.""
"LEO: "All right... Do a job." JOSH: "Yeah.""