Original subtitles

The picture you're about to see is dedicated as a loving tribute to that

special breed of human being who, from the beginning, has been the backbone and

wonder of that spirit that was to become the American dream.

The individual who would stand up and fight for what he believes is right, no

matter how overwhelming the odds.

The story takes place in our nation's capital, when certain isolated groups of

people were beginning to ask for a freeze on the building of nuclear plants

and the stockpiling of nuclear weapons.

About six months before our story begins, Congress had appointed a

committee under the chairmanship of Senator Sam Foley to investigate the

allegations of these groups.

that through campaign contributions and lucrative construction contracts, the

nuclear industry had actually gained control over the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission and the governmental agencies that were supposed to police it.

As our picture opens,

Senator Foley, after months of closed sessions without warning, abruptly

cancels the hearings and, in an unusual move, mysteriously seals all the

information uncovered during the investigation as classified top secret,

and then quietly gives the green light for the continued development of nuclear

plants and nuclear weapons.

Well, I...

I'll take the questions one at a time, and you can manage that. Senator, I've

been hearing that you didn't actually want these hearings canceled. Is there

someone who's been ordering these hearings canceled? You know better than

that, Joe.

There have been so many accidents and so many deaths that have been reported that

the public is beginning to suspect the cause.

Senator, if your committee, which is supposed to police nuclear safety, is

cancelled, who's going to do the policing? My announcement stands.

I see no point in any further responses.

Give me the urgent desk, please. Pardon me.

Pardon me. Are you Senator Foley's aide?

She is.

Okay, here's his briefcase and all his papers.

Oh, I'll give them to her. Okay, thank you.

I'm going to go call his wife. Okay, honey. Be right there.

That's all right. I'll get it. That's fine. That's fine. All right.

Bye-bye.

Yes, operator.

I want to make a person-to-person call to Governor Hubert Hopper and bill it to

my office number. This is Senator Joseph Payne.

Hello.

You're kidding.

I know it couldn't have come at a worse time.

Call Bailey. Tell him I'm taking the next flight home.

What is it, Hubert?

Sam Foley died.

I don't even understand the question.

Just go back and tell them that I don't even know what they want from me

anymore. Do you have Foley's nuclear file?

That's all I'm asking.

I tell you, on Saturday they come after you. You try to take an afternoon off,

can't even play a game of tennis.

What was that all about?

Oh, some... some clown from the Justice Department.

He's asking me if I've got any of that material that Foley's committee had on

the nuclear contracts.

Do you?

No, I don't know whatever happened to any of that stuff.

I do.

What?

I have it.

What?

That, honey, is our ticket up.

Dan, are you crazy?

Hey, I'll tell you about it later, okay?

I love you.

McGann, go in there and tell Bailey that I've got to give them an answer.

Why don't you tell them? You'll be after all. It's your office.

All right.

My concern is that with this Willett Creek nuclear plant on the fire... Well,

what's wrong with it? It's ready to roll, isn't it? Oh, yeah.

It's attached as a rider when no one will notice it.

What are you worried about?

Nothing, unless the man we appoint as senator begins to ask questions.

I mean, unless you're absolutely sure of him.

It might be better to postpone the nuclear plant till the next session of

Congress. No, Joe, it's just not possible to postpone. We'll just have to

appoint somebody we can trust.

Oh, wait a minute.

Someone we can trust.

Who did you think we'd appoint? The chairperson of a feminist league?

Well, there you go again, Jim.

Is that all you're ever concerned about is Washington? Don't you guys ever think

about my problems down here in the state? You're panicking, Hubert.

In my judgment, the simple thing to do is to slip this through just the way

it's going and get it over with. Don't you agree, Joe?

Oh, absolutely.

But we've got to be sure the man we pick will go along.

Judge Miller.

Miller, oh, for God's sakes. Come on, will you?

Horace Miller, it's a good idea.

I mean, he was a reliable guy before we put him on the bench. He's a reliable

guy now that he's on the bench. What have you got against him, Hughie? I

mean, he's exactly what you want. He's got class, dignity. He's always kept his

skirts clean.

You forgot one little thing, Jim.

Those people out there won't stand for it, not for a minute.

We've given you your man. Just make the announcement.

I won't do it.

Look, I can't just go out there and give them an ultimatum. I've got to make them

feel like they have a voice.

Look, how about if we work for some harmony here, gentlemen? Huh? What do

you say? A little harmony?

Horace Miller.

Billy, Jack.

A half-breed Indian nut? And an ex-convict. He's not even eligible.

He is now.

I've already granted him a full pardon and restored all of his rights, enabling

him to be appointed. And you have also buried yourself, Hubert.

Governor, that's the most stupid political stunt anyone's ever tried to

pull on Bailey.

Jim!

Jim, you want to hear me out?

Jim, listen to me for a minute.

Look, Jim, it's only for two short months. Now, even if he takes the

appointment, he'd never run for re-election, and he'd never make it if

he did run. The man is so disinterested in everything political, he probably

wouldn't even show up in the Senate.

And look, by appointing him, overnight our party gets a whole new image.

You know, we get the human writers, we get the environmentalists, the Indians,

the blacks, the Chicano, all those who feel left out. We get the youth vote.

Now, all of that rubs off on us for the next election, and in two months he's

replaced. Now you tell me, what the hell's wrong with that?

Makes a lot of sense, Mr. Bailey. It's very clever.

We can really use that to create the image of the party that's bringing

everybody together.

That's real middle-of-the-road America stuff.

And it fits in perfectly with your campaign of Joe Payne, man of the

people. It's still a risk.

Okay, all right.

But don't let that dumb cowboy... India.

Cowboy, Indian, whatever.

Don't let him open an eye, an ear, or more important, his mouth.

Our grandfather.

What do we know of Washington, let alone the dirty world of politics?

Maybe that's where you should go.

As a test.

Politics has its own kind of violence.

But how can I even think of changing things out there when I have so much

work to do on changing myself in here? If you want to become a whole person,

you must first try to make society better before you have a right to turn

your back on it.

I don't think that I could do it away from here, though, Grandfather. I mean,

the Canyon Lady is all my strength now.

Then pray to her at sunrise.

If you ask her spirits to guide and purify you, dedicate your work to her,

and do the best you can, then your work will be your prayer, and the results

need not concern you.

You know that classified material Senator Foley was waving around before

he had his heart attack?

I have it.

A lot of people wondered what happened to that stuff.

I can leak it, or I can trade it.

Well, what do you have in mind?

A White House-level appointment and a salary of, say, $48,000.

You play dangerous games, Dan.

Jerry, I'm not playing games.

You get back to me within 72 hours or I'll have to leak this thing to the

Post. Or maybe I'll give it to some crusading young senator who needs the

publicity.

Well, all I can do is make a report.

And in that spirit, we have gathered here tonight to acclaim and to bid

Godspeed to the newest.

and maybe in time, the best senator our state has ever seen, Billy Jack.

Thank you, Governor and ladies and gentlemen.

I don't think we need two men in Washington when we have a senator like

Joseph Payne representing us.

he probably doesn't remember me but you see he knew my uncle very well

william trotter was the name they put on him in the christian school man of the

bear was his indian name and well senator payne and my uncle worked

together on the restoration of that indian land up around green lake years

ago and well i remember that my uncle told me that Joseph Payne was the

finest man that he had ever known.

Billy is so much like your uncle.

Thank you.

When I look at you...

I can almost see him sitting behind that roll-top desk with his hat on, getting

out his newspaper.

He said he always kept the hat on so he'd be ready to do battle.

William Trotter, man of the bear, editor, publisher, and champion of lost

causes. Now, he always said that the only causes worth fighting for were the

lost causes.

You don't need to tell me.

We're a team, the two of us.

Struggling Indian out of journalism school, struggling lawyer.

They used to call us the twin champions of lost causes, and we took on plenty.

You might call us the first of the storefront law centers.

We didn't have much to eat, but we sure had plenty of lost causes.

That was before your time.

Yeah, but our people still talk of those battles.

His last fight was his best, Billy.

He and that four-page newspaper against the mining syndicate that had come to

strip mine the land, just like Black Mesa.

Steal the reservations, pollute the air, and rape a sacred hill.

They tried everything.

Bribery, intimidation.

And then... What happened?

They found him slumped over his desk one morning.

Shot in the back.

When I got there, I can still see him sitting at that roll-top desk.

Still with his hat on.

Still with his head on.

Come in.

Am I interrupting?

Oh, come in, Saunders.

Sit down. Sit down.

Now, what's all this about your wanting to quit?

Look, Senator, I wasn't given a brain just to tell some nature boy what time

it is. I'm not a registered nurse.

Sam Foley couldn't get along without you.

And neither can I at the moment.

Five minutes, Senator. You've got to get to the floor. I'll be right there. And

get that foreign relations material ready, will you? It's right there at

your fingertips, all of it.

Now, look, Saunders, I haven't got time to go into all this, but Foley told me

wild horses couldn't pull confidential material out of you.

I'm an old hand at following instructions, Senator.

I need someone who can be trusted to occupy Billy Jack and keep him out of

trouble. Well, Senator, I just...

I won't do that. Sandra, you're too bright a girl to do anything foolish.

Now, if certain things happen to me, I'm taking everybody up with me.

Sir, when I first got to this city, my eyes were big green question marks.

Now they're big green dollar marks.

All right.

You finish this job properly.

Keep him away from anything that smells of politics.

And not only will you receive a very handsome bonus, One of the best jobs in

Washington.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you very much, Senator.

Oh, Senator, does the smell of politics include the Willard Creek nuclear

reactor?

If you're speaking of the deficiency bill, especially that.

Good morning.

We were a little curious as to why you'd be voting on the energy bill.

Oh, I'll be voting no on the energy bill.

I see.

Is this the way that Senator Payne advised you to vote?

Senator Payne is also voting no. Is that what you mean?

Yes. Thank you.

To my mind, I can think of nothing more pressing in view of the depletion of our

resources. and the advance inadequacy of our technology to magically solve our

problems, as we have supposed.

And in view of the imminent possibility of our running out of energy of all

kinds, I urge immediate passage of the gentleman from Colorado's bill.

Pardon me, Senator, but either I'm hearing things or I actually heard you

just urging passage of the energy bill. That's right.

Well, sir, I just told the press outside that both of us were voting no.

I am voting no.

I'm sorry. I don't understand.

You see, half the people back home wanted a speech urging passage of the

bill. The other half wanted us to vote no. This way, everybody's happy.

In order to get the vital issues taken care of, you've got to sugarcoat the

rest. So there's a little something for everybody.

Sir, this is a vital issue. Exactly.

It's much too sensitive to ever come up for a vote.

It'll be referred back to committee and it'll be buried.

You'll get used to it.

Joe, I'd like to work out a little trade on my cotton subsidy bill.

Frankly, Senator, I think I made a mistake when I accepted this

appointment. No, wait a minute.

Didn't you say something about a national children's camp?

Now, I assume you were in earnest about that.

Oh, yes, very much so.

Well, I've got a job for both of you.

Why don't you put a bill together to accomplish that and present it to

Congress? That would be a great experience for Billy and for you as a

legislative aide.

You know, if we could do just that one thing while we're here, I mean, if we

could make that children's camp become a reality... Well, what's to stop you?

Saunders will help you with it.

There isn't anyone on the Hill smarter than Saunders about Senate procedure.

You know, this whole business of politics is a kind of art. Hand me down

from one generation to the next art at that.

It's all been arranged.

White House or State Department?

Junior executive level for six months, then it's up to you.

When will the appointment come?

30 days after delivery.

How will they know that delivery is all that you have?

You wouldn't hold back any hidden copies from me, would you, Dan?

Hey, come on.

How long have we known each other?

You have my word.

What do you mean the head man's writing a bill?

He's a senator, isn't he?

Wants to work all night.

Honey, you know Foley's classified file?

Does anyone besides me know you've got that?

Hey, honey, not now, okay?

We'll talk about it later, okay?

Don't work too hard.

And have a good time.

Do you have any idea what it takes to get a bill passed through Congress?

I haven't the vaguest idea what it takes to get a bill passed, but Payne said you

were an expert. Just tell us, what do we have to do? Let's pretend it's tomorrow

and your bill is ready.

You just take it on over to the Honorable Senate and you introduce it.

How? You get to your feet and take a deep breath and you start spouting. Then

a curly-haired page will take it down to the desk where a long-faced clerk will

read it and refer it to the right committee.

Why committee?

Because that's how Congress or any other large body has to be run. All your work

has to be done through committees.

Yeah, but why?

You can't just take a bill nobody's ever heard of before and discuss it among 100

men, most of whom aren't there anyway because they're often campaigns or

committees. Anyway, where are we?

We're in committee.

In committee, right. All right, well, they hand it down to a subcommittee, and

then they really give it a going over. They hold hearings, they call in people,

they ask questions.

Now, days are going by, Senator, days, weeks maybe.

All right, say finally after all that they think it's quite a bill.

It goes on over to the House of Representatives for a debate and a vote.

Only it has to wait its turn on the calendar.

A calendar?

Calendar, you know, the order of business.

Anyway, your bill has to wait way back there in line unless you know somebody

on a steering committee and you can get them to think... What is that?

What? A steering committee.

It's a committee of majority party leaders.

And they decide whether a bill is important enough to be moved up to the

head of the list.

I bet you we could get Payne down. Oh, yeah.

Yeah,

he'll be a big help.

Oh, okay. Where are we?

We're in the House.

The House makes more changes and more amendments, and they send it back over

to the Senate.

The Senate doesn't like what the House did to the bill, so they make more

changes. And then the House doesn't like those changes, so stymied.

So they have to call in a man from both houses, and they go into a huddle called

a conference, and they battle it out.

Now in the meantime, all the lobbyists interested are holding cocktail parties

for and against the bill, and unmarked envelopes are being generously supplied

with cash and passed out to all the swing votes.

Anyway, after all this vivisection, it begins to be traded.

Now that means that somebody can trade off a portion in their bill if you'll

trade off a portion in your bill and make everybody happy.

And after all this, the bill finally comes to a vote.

Oh, yeah.

The big day finally comes, and Congress adjourns.

Any catching on, Senator?

Sort of.

Well... When do we start?

What?

Senator, do you think we could get on with the particulars now?

400 acres, you say?

Where's it gonna be located?

Situated in Ambrose County, Cary Canyon.

Right at the fork in the river, about a mile and a half upstream on Willett

Creek.

Where? Willett Creek.

It's just where the stream rolls down into the river.

In Cary Canyon?

Yeah, why? Do you know about it? Have you ever been out there?

No, no, I haven't.

Have you discussed this exact location with Senator Payne?

No, not the exact location.

Why?

No reason.

No reason.

400 acres, either side of Willett Creek.

Oh, you know, honey, dragging me up at the hill at this hour. This really

better be good.

I don't know if it's going to be good, but it's certainly going to be

interesting. You know, for a guy who's supposed to have been so brave, I've

never seen anybody more nervous about getting up and reading a bill.

By the way, honey, do you know where the keys to the safe deposit box are?

Yeah. Why, don't you?

Oh, sure.

Oh, what'd you ask for? Just checking.

Come on.

Sit tight, fellas. The show is about to begin.

What show?

Would you tell us what's happening?

Certainly. If you look right down there, you'll see the principal actor in our

little drama, Don Quixote with the bill. And over there, a very important

supporting character, Mr. Clean.

Mr. Clean?

McGann. You mean Bailey's deep throat?

The same.

And right below you is the co-star, our man of the people, soul of honor, on a

tightrope. You all set? Oh, yes.

Got it here. Good luck.

Thank you, sir.

Saunders, what part do we play?

Oh, anything you like.

Shortstop, center field, whatever. What are you good at?

I'm going to have to excuse her, people. She's a little freaked out. No, Don.

Now, listen.

In a couple of minutes, Don Quixote over there with the bill is going to stand up

and repeat two very important words.

Will it creak?

When that happens, our man of the people will fall right off of his tightrope,

and Mr. Clean over there will disappear in a white tornado.

Dan, who are those kids supplying her with?

Should we give her a blood test or something?

Why, do you think she's pregnant?

That's not exactly what I had in mind. I'm sorry.

I don't really think that's even funny. Well, I'm just asking. Or asking her.

Excuse me.

It's me.

Oh, are you?

All right.

Introduction of bills, adjourned resolution.

Sir!

The chair recognizes...

The rather strong-lunged junior Senator Jack.

Mr. President, I have here a bill that I would like to introduce to the Senate.

You may speak louder, Senator.

I said that I have a bill here, sir, that I would like to introduce

here to the Senate.

Order in the gallery.

Our junior senator is about to make a speech.

I am sending to the desk, Mr. President, for appropriate reference, a

bill that would result in the appropriation of a sufficient sum to

establish a national youth camp, the money of which would be paid back to the

United States Treasury by...

fundraising activities done on a voluntary basis by youth all over

America. You see, this camp would be situated on and adjacent to a stream

known back in my state as Willett Creek in Cary Canyon. And it would

be for the purpose of bringing together children from all walks of

life who have been impoverished, deprived, and abused.

And they would come... Listen, Joe, I'm getting leery of this guy.

Everyone keeps calling him dumb, but we forget he's a West Point graduate.

And when he finds out there's a nuclear plant going up where he wants to build

that kid's camp, he's going to start asking questions six ways from Sunday.

Quiet, Chick. I want to think. How could Saunders let him pick Willard Creek?

No, I'm sure Saunders had nothing to do with picking the location.

The important thing is, the deficiency bill is going to be read in the Senate

tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Joe?

He'll hear that section on the nuclear plant. He can't be there tomorrow.

I know that. Get hold of yourself.

I'm in over my head. I'm calling Bailey. You'll do nothing of the kind.

Bailey's methods wouldn't work in a situation like this. He'd come in with a

bulldozer.

Get Saunders over to my office as soon as you can.

Convention? What kind of convention are you talking about? I'm not really clear

on it, Senator. It's a national coalition of citizen action groups. Come

here to try to get a national initiative passed by the Congress.

You know, like that referendum thing they had in California on nuclear

energy. Nuclear energy? Well, don't worry. It's just a rinky-dink grassroots

type of thing.

All right, then. Get him over there. Him and Gene and those kids.

I don't want one of them anywhere near the Senate when that deficiency bill

comes up on the floor.

I can count on you, Saunders.

Anything for a bonus, Senator.

Joe, Billy Jack's little raiders.

They're digging up some very sensitive material on the whole nuclear program.

That's making a lot of people all over the hill very nervous. Enough to get

some pressure applied if you need it.

No.

I don't know who your friends are.

But no.

I'll handle this.

See, what this is, is these are people from all sorts of consumer advocate

groups who have...

found that doing their own thing in their separate places isn't enough.

So added to that, they've kind of gotten together, not instead of what you're

doing, but in addition, right?

And they've decided to put all their power together and try to get a national

initiative. Or a nuclear freeze.

You've got to help me just for a... I don't know what that is, the national

initiative. Well, the initiative basically means that people can write

their own laws.

And if they get enough signatures on petitions, then it goes on the ballot

for all the people to vote on.

And if 50% plus one of the people vote for the law, it becomes the law of the

land. So you want this instead of a Congress? No, no, it'll be as well as a

Congress. The Congress can do their work. They can get the laws through.

They'll continue the same way they're going on now, through bribery mostly.

But this will be an addition. This will be a chance for the people themselves to

have a direct say in the government.

It costs so much now to get elected that the congressmen aren't any of them free.

They belong to the people who paid for their elections. They don't belong to us

at all.

I mean, how many times have you heard someone complaining about something but

totally unable to do anything about it?

And besides that, it makes government responsive to the people. You need an

alternative route. If the Congress is bought out on an issue, like they are on

nuclear power, for example, you need an alternative route for the people. And

when they get mad, there should be a creative response by the people. Think

of what would have happened in 1967 and 1968 during the Vietnam War.

If the people could have gone and petitioned and put on the ballot a vote

against the Vietnam War, we would have ended it in 1968. We wouldn't have had

to have the demonstrations. We wouldn't have had to have the Kent states.

Might not have had to have a war.

It's also going to influence the members of Congress because they like to be on

the right side of an issue.

And if they know it's a very controversial issue and it's going to be

a national initiative if they don't take action, they're going to be more

hesitant about it. They're going to say, it's going to make me look like a fool.

They're going to be more careful.

What is it you want him to do? I don't quite understand.

Well, we'd like him to sponsor a bill in the Senate to give people a national

initiative. Right.

But he just...

Sponsored a bill. Isn't that what you just did? What are you doing on your

lunch hour?

There's this tiny little catch to this thing. Remember before when I was

introducing these people, I told you about this neat picnic that we're

having?

Yeah. Well, we're all invited, but you're kind of specially invited because

in order to get people to know about the nuclear freeze, they're having this huge

parade and rally.

They'd just love to have a senator to be the

grand marshal.

Like what? For you to be the grand marshal?

What fun it would be. I mean, you could write it under special events in your

diary.

Miss all of it?

There's no country boy.

Let me give you a little advice.

Pigs get fat.

Hogs get slaughtered.

You were a fool, Dan.

I wish there was someone we could help, Saunders.

Is there anything we can do?

Do you know anybody who had it in for him?

I mean, there must be some reason.

Come on, Billy.

This is Washington, baby.

The big league.

Murder is just a way of life here.

Do you really believe that?

They murder presidents here, Billy.

They murder men who are running for president here.

They murder the Martin Luther Kings and the Jimmy Hoffas.

Lobbyists.

Lobbyists like Dad?

Small fry. They go in a week.

It's always made to look like a heart attack.

Or rape, murder.

An overdose.

Or suicide.

Is there some way we could use the office here to investigate it?

Oh, would you two come off your goddamn decency crap?

Do you know how much money is spent here every week?

$12 billion.

That's $250 million an hour up for grabs each and every hour.

That's why it's all secret groups and who you know.

Cliques.

Secret groups within the secret groups.

Read this, Senator.

Senator Jack, read it.

This is the deficiency bill, Senator.

Have you heard of it?

Read it! Check section number 40.

Do you know what's going up right where you want your little camp to be?

A nuclear reactor.

Remember the name?

Nuclear reactor, Senator, going up right where Never Never Land is supposed to

be. Did you ever read about that?

Of course you didn't. They read all about it today in the Senate, but you

weren't supposed to be there.

That's why we dragged you down to that stupid convention and bull-crafted you

into thinking we were going to really help you get it financed.

That's why they sent you here in the first place.

You wouldn't know a nuclear reactor from an erector set.

You want to be a senator.

Why don't you just try and mess up Mr. Bailey's little graft?

And all the other Baileys are gonna come in here year after year.

You can't.

Baby, you can't. Not in 19 million years.

Why don't you just go home?

Go home before they kill you.

You gave me a chance to get dressed.

I apologize for barging in at this hour, sir, but this is extremely important to

us. Of course, of course. Come on in.

No, thank you, sir.

Well, can I get you something?

Check. No, thank you, sir.

Senator, look, I may not know Washington and how things operate here, but I do

know that Willard Creek District like the back of my hand.

And tonight I was informed that a nuclear plant is going to go up there.

That was bothering you. Jake, I thought from the way you sounded there was a

fire somewhere.

Senator, that's right next to a big earthquake fault.

No, that's all been put through the state legislature and approved.

They had to find a seismologist and geophysicist in the country to take over

that site.

That's just the point.

I mean, there are at least a hundred places in the state that are obviously

safer.

Senator, something very strange is going on here, and I'm sorry, but I am not

going to vote on that bill until I get a lot of questions answered.

Billy, you're jousting with windmills.

How so?

You're trying to understand in a month everything about a project that took two

years to set up. The reasons, the surveys, the benefits.

Speaking of benefits, what does a man named Bailey have to do with all of

this? What makes you think Bailey has anything to do with it? Senator, we

heard that the whole thing was his idea.

Do you fully realize what you're saying?

You might as well accuse me of helping to frame a bill to benefit one

individual. of helping to frame a scheme for graft.

Oh, no, no, no, no, Senator. Nobody's trying to imply that, but, well, we do

know that this Bailey has something to do with it. And I think that it's

critical for both of our sakes that we find out exactly what.

All right, I want everybody up. I want to find out all about this Mr. Bailey.

And I don't mean just his newspaper, radio, and television stations.

I want to find out how many of his companies are making a profit on this

nuclear reactor.

And I'd like to know exactly who he's paying off here in Washington in order

to get all the contracts.

Just find the secret file Foley had on him when he had his heart attack.

Why? What has Foley's file got to do with Bailey?

We're pretty sure it contained all the names, dates, and amounts of all the

nuclear payoffs, including Bailey's.

Not to mention who's been canceling all the nuclear hearings.

Next, you guys will think Bailey can reach all the way into the White House.

Are you kidding?

This town is just one big clique, and everybody's in bed with everybody else.

All right, then let's find out who exactly is in bed with Mr. Bailey.

Now he wants to talk to every one of the congressmen, including Bill from Willett

Creek District here.

He's got all their names, their voting records.

In one month, he's got more groups out to destroy him than any man in the

history of the Senate. Come on now, McGann, don't be ridiculous.

If it's so ridiculous, why has the White House already got a whole unit

investigating it?

I don't see the problem.

Let the White House take care of him. Now, just a minute, Jim.

This is ridiculous.

I told you I'd handle him.

I strongly object to your bringing Jim into this.

Mr. Bailey, Senator Jack is here to see you.

Oh, fine. Show him in. Did you ask Billy Jack to come over here?

Jim,

if you bring him in here, you can count me out.

Count me out.

Good morning, Senator. Mr. Bailey's expecting you.

Senator.

Glad you could make it.

Chick, does the Senator know all the boys here?

Some of them, Mr. Bailey. Fine. You know Congressman Underwood, I'm sure.

And Mr. Barkoff of the Utilities Commission?

Chick, I'm acquainted with the others and have Alondra bring up some

breakfast. Excuse me for one moment.

Senator, this is Joe Sandoe from the interior.

And you're Tillard of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Jim, that boy is a senator, however it happened.

He's a United States senator.

Now, we're not back home.

This is Washington, D.C.

So?

This boy is different.

Honest. He's a decent man.

And besides, he thinks the world of me.

We can't do this to him.

Joe, some of our closest friends are liable to go bankrupt if this bill

doesn't go through.

Now, I am not going to let that happen. I don't care how much he worships you.

I won't stand for it.

You won't? That's right.

I won't have any part of crucifying that boy.

Oh, I see.

Well, maybe I can fix it so that you and your half-breed friend in there can go

back home together.

What are you talking about?

It seems such a shame after all these years.

Especially with the last elections and the party scattered.

I mean, you were shaping up to be the logical man to build it all back

together again.

It only takes 20 or 30 of us to pull off a national convention. You know that.

Well, I guess we're just going to have to find somebody else.

But right now, you go back in there and explain to Mr. Jack all about Willett

Creek.

Well, after all, it's your bill.

You engineered the whole thing.

Well, what do you think he's going to do when you tell him the whole story, huh?

Smile, roll over and show us his belly just because he worships you?

All right.

I'll take the next plane home, Joe, if that's what you want.

I'm just sorry it had to work out this way.

No hard feelings if I have to come after you.

Jim, it's just that I like this boy, and I

don't want to see you get too rough on him.

Oh, you know, you really have me worried there for a minute.

Listen, why don't you go back to your office, huh?

I'll give you a call as soon as I'm through.

No, you don't have to go back that way.

Oh, sorry to have kept you waiting, Senator, but I had a small domestic

problem to cope with.

But since I'm in town for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd take this

opportunity of knowing you better.

A little coffee?

No, thank you.

They tell me that you're right on your toes.

Made a lot of enemies overnight.

Oh, that's fine. Great.

Means you're doing something.

You know, a lot of people told me that you were dumb.

But somehow, I think that you're smart enough to understand a situation when

it's explained to you.

Like what?

The reactor on Willett Creek.

Mm-hmm.

Just, uh, just what's your interest in this reactor, Mr. Benny?

Well, you should know the answer to that, Senator.

I mean, as chairman of the political party and office in our state, anything

that benefits the state is of interest to me.

And besides being a politician, I have a lot of holdings in the state, like

newspapers and some other odds and ends. Construction companies, equipment

companies, architectural firms, things like that.

I told you he was smart.

Good.

Well, let's lay out everything on the table, Billy.

If I thought that you have the welfare of the state at heart like I do, well,

for example, if you were to be cooperative about this project instead

of obstructive, well, then I'd say you'd be a man to watch.

For instance, there's no reason why you couldn't come back to that Senate seat

for as long a time as you wanted.

Take these gentlemen here, or your idol, Joe Payne.

They don't have to ever worry about being re-elected, or anything else for

that matter, because they take advice.

Are you trying to tell me that you tell all of these gentlemen here, and that

you tell Joe Payne what to do?

Joe Payne has been taking my advice ever since he started running for office over

30 years ago.

You're a liar.

Billy, Washington is a very small and incestuous town.

I came here prepared for you. I'd give you my word on that.

If you so much as open your mouth on that Senate floor tomorrow when that

bill is read...

Now that... is exactly what I think of your threat, Mr. Boehling.

No, I think she went to the deli.

The deli? This time of night? Who went with her?

Um, I don't think anybody went with her. You're kidding.

Oh, cripes.

What the hell's going on out here?

Okay, who are you guys anyway?

Why are you doing this?

What do you want?

We need your clothes.

Off.

Looks like one of your neighborhood welcoming committee dropped this

expensive walkie-talkie back there.

They aren't neighborhood.

Who did hire you?

Oh, come on, fellas.

You can tell us. There's nobody else in the warehouse here.

FBI?

CIA street fighting team?

Or maybe Bailey.

Whose idea was it to use black agents, fellas?

Is it supposed to make it look like a racial incident?

You guys ought to be ashamed of yourself.

I mean, Kunta Kinte would turn over in his grave if he saw you hire out to the

man like this.

You know, it's bad enough when...

Policemen break the law by opening people's mail, tapping telephones, but

rape?

I mean, you know, the next thing is... You guys would get it in your heads to

assassinate somebody.

You don't buy any of that, do you?

No way.

Well, I guess it makes us even, because the one thing that I really can't buy is

policemen who break the law.

I'll tell you, friend.

Now, you really are one hard man to

purify.

Ah, Senator.

And what can I do for... Oh, hello, Billy.

Come on in.

Well, did you have your talk with Bailey? I had my talk with Mr. Bailey.

He told me that he's been telling you what to do for the past 30 years.

I called him a liar.

Listen, son.

Come on over here and sit down, will you?

I'm sorry.

I don't feel very much like sitting down, sir.

I know how you feel.

I was hoping you'd be spared all this.

You've been living in a dream world, Billy.

The idealist sees everything as black and white, angel and devil, but that

isn't how it goes in the real world.

It's cruel, brutal, unfair.

You don't belong here, Billy.

Forget Bailey and what he said. Forget you ever heard of the Willard Creek

reactor. That doesn't answer my question.

Does Bailey tell you how to vote?

Now, listen, Billy.

Please try to understand.

I know it's tough to run head on into the world of facts, but it's a question

of give and take.

You've got to play by these rules. You've got to compromise.

The one who shut his eyes at a reactor has to be built. It's a small

compromise.

The best man ever to serve in the Senate had to make deals.

Do you understand that?

You're Thomas Jefferson.

Had to make one on slavery.

But the Declaration of Independence would never have got out of committee.

Now, believe me, I know how you feel.

30 years ago, I had those ideals, too.

I was you.

I had to make the decision you're being asked to make today, and I made it.

I compromised.

Yes, I compromised so that all these years... I could sit in the Senate and

serve the people in a thousand beneficial ways.

You have to make alliances with organizations like Bailey's and the big

corporations. You have to play ball or you can't survive.

You can't count on the people voting.

You know how many people voted in my last election?

Less than 22% of the registered voters.

All I had to do was get 11%. And Bailey's machine can turn that out every

time.

I know you're not going to decide as I did. I can see that in your eyes.

I told you all this because... I've grown very fond

of you, like a son, in fact, and I don't want to see you get hurt.

The powers here and the Baileys, they're ruthless, Billy.

I think you're beginning to see some of that.

too far.

You're no longer safe here.

That deficiency bill comes up in the Senate tomorrow. Stay away.

Just stay away.

It's that simple.

Please.

Just stay away.

Under previous order, the Senate resumed consideration of yesterday's unfinished

business, which the clerk will read.

A bill, H.R.

7700, providing for deficiency appropriations for the fiscal year 1977

and for other purposes.

The bill is open to amendments.

Mr. President.

Senator Jack. Mr. President, I wish to address myself to Section 40 of the

bill. I want specifically to talk about the nuclear plant on Willett Creek.

Mr. President!

Will the senator yield?

Yes. Yes, sir.

Mr. President, I have risen to a difficult task.

To say that out of evidence that has come to my attention, I consider Senator

Jack unworthy to address.

The chair will clear the gallery unless order is restored.

What in the hell is going on?

I don't know.

Payne's jumping belly jack about something.

Proceed, sir.

I have hesitated to speak, but in all conscience I must. It is a charge as

grave as has ever been made from this floor against a fellow member.

I refer to the bill he has introduced in this chamber, providing for his national

youth's camp.

Senators.

I have conclusive evidence to prove that my colleague

owns the very land described in his bill.

He bought it the day following his appointment to the Senate, and he is

holding it, using this body and his privileged position for his own

personal profit.

Tonto had a racket.

It doesn't make sense.

Accordingly, I offer a resolution for an immediate inquiry

by the Select Committee on Standards and Conduct as to the fitness of my

colleague to continue to sit in this chamber.

Ready calls. Governor Hopper, please.

Governor Hopper.

Governor, were you there the morning that Mr. Allen was present?

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I was present the morning that Kenneth Allen came to the

state capitol, bringing proof that Billy Jack had a deed to that campsite.

I, frankly, was in a state of shock. I mean, Billy Jack of all people. He is a

hero to people all over my state. Governor.

What did you do when Mr. Allen brought this to your attention?

I had a consultation with the head of the Department of Records, Mr. Arthur

Kim.

Mr. Kim, do you remember recording this deed?

Yes.

On the date set forth here,

Mr. Kenneth Allen came before me to record this deed, setting over these 400

acres in the name of Billy Jack.

How long have you known Senator Jack, Mr. Allen?

Oh, many, many years.

He often camped around Willett Creek.

Now, a lot of people were afraid of Billy Jack, but I liked him.

And then when he came to me with this proposition... What proposition,

please, Mr. Allen?

Well, he said he had a chance to sell that leased land for at least $5,000 an

acre. Me, I was happy to get $500 an acre.

So we set it up like this.

I deeded him the land, and he gave me a contract guaranteeing me half of what he

got if he made the sale.

Well, in a way, it sounded kind of fishy at the time, but that's the way most of

these developers work.

So it wasn't until he sent me this telegram that I realized there was some

really dirty business going on. May we see the telegram, please? Yes.

Thank you.

Urgent.

Camp Bill introduced.

Senator Payne will help.

You have a deal on that land.

Contracts to follow.

Billy Jack.

Order, please.

That contract you mentioned, have you got that document?

That land wouldn't be in his name if I didn't, yes, sir.

Signed, sealed, and delivered.

Order, please.

After a long study of this signature, It is my professional opinion that it

definitely is Billy Jack's own handwriting.

Therefore, it is my opinion as a professional and as an expert on

handwriting that the signature of Billy Jack on this contract

is a forgery.

It is difficult to tell the real thing and a clever forgery.

And you'll get differing opinions from experts.

But I'd be willing to stake my 40 years in this profession on the fact that this

is not a forgery and is the actual signature of Billy Jack.

Chairman.

Gentlemen.

This is an excruciatingly painful duty for me.

This young boy is the nephew of my very dearest friend.

I sponsored him in the Senate.

I helped him frame his camp bill.

And when he presented it to the Senate, I...

went over to congratulate him, but I pointed out to him that a nuclear plant

was going up on the very site he had selected for his camp.

I said, there are hundreds of equally good campsites nearby.

I suggested that he choose another site for his camp.

He got furious.

He said, move the plant.

I had heard about his violent temper, but I was amazed at his

reaction. He began to argue with me.

He said that unless I get that very same site, I will attack the

Willow Creek plant. I'll charge graft.

Political motives.

He would use...

Anything he could think of to defeat it.

Well, faced with that, gentlemen, in spite of my

very deep personal feelings for the boy, my sense

of duty required that his expulsion from the Senate

would be the only acceptable solution.

Senator Jack, please.

The committee is ready for your testimony now, Senator Jack.

He's drawn and quartered. You know, I didn't think he was guilty until this

moment.

Will you? The whole thing.

Over all the front pages.

Yeah, we'll be sending you some photos for the TV coverage.

Now listen, make sure you give Joe Payne a big build-up, will you?

Yeah, oh, sort of a...

And Abraham sacrificing his son for the good of the people, sort of thing.

Yeah, sure.

Yeah, they're having a hell of a time.

You never guess who I found.

Saunders.

And guess what she found in her safety deposit box?

All of Foley's classified material.

She's willing to come back and make a fight of it if you are.

To make a fight of what?

You mean you're going to quit?

Who's the enemy I don't even know who I'm supposed to be fighting Look Billy

who better than you knows that you can't reform Congress from within So why don't

you use the filibuster as a way to teach people how they can get a national

referendum?

Even if you lose who cares you will have taught people how to get around a

corrupt Congress

Your quitting is sure going to shatter a lot of hopes.

I'm sorry about that.

But this is different.

It's... It's just too sophisticated.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe if the only solution you have to crucial problems is to take off your

boots and kick people in the head, maybe you just should go home.

have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility

against every form of tyranny

over the mind of man.

Thank you.

that we here highly resolve that this nation shall under god

have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people by the

people and for the people shall not perish from the earth

Santa will come to order.

Clark will call the roll.

Well, we got a full house today, haven't we?

Yep. You always turn out for the execution.

Hi, Ralph.

Hi, Sweeney. You're going to expel Senator Jack today, huh? Well, where are

the drums, the guillotine?

In fact, where's Senator Jack? I guess he hasn't stopped running since he left

that committee room.

Hey, Ralph, by the way, what are you saving the two seats for?

I don't know. Gene asked me to hold them.

Mr. Hiram?

Mr. Jack. Here.

You know, that guy is either crazy or a glutton for punishment.

Maybe both.

Mr.

Jethro. What's Saunders doing here?

Saunders? What's Saunders doing in town? Saunders, where have you been?

Hi, guys.

Saunders, are you behind these shenanigans?

Me? What shenanigans?

Mr. Zimmerman. Here.

Four, Mr. President.

Four, Mr. President. Mr. President.

Senator Burton.

Mr. President, on behalf of the Select Committee on Standards and Conduct, I

sent to the desk a report of that committee on the investigation of

Senator Billy Jack, as unanimously directed by the committee.

I also report an original resolution for the senator's expulsion...

which I ask to be read.

Without objection?

So ordered.

Whereas it has been shown by the investigation of the Select Committee of

Standards and Conduct that Senator Billy Jack, as a United States Senator, did

engage in a course of unethical conduct calculated to benefit his own personal

and financial worth,

and whereas such conduct derogates from the public trust expected of a senator

and brings the Senate into contumely disrepute and dishonor, resolved that it

is the judgment of the Senate that Senator Billy Jack be, and hereby is,

expelled from the United States Senate. Mr. President, I move the immediate

adoption of the resolution and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I address the chair first, sir. I'm about to ask for a roll

call on the passing of this resolution without any further delay.

Mr. President, I believe I address the chair first, sir. The senator can say

nothing at this time. That would not be in bad grace, sir.

Senator Jack is still a member of this body.

And as such, has equal claim to the attention of this chair.

You are about to recognize me, sir.

That is merely your assumption, Senator.

Let him speak!

Before I proceed further, I would like to say to the visitors that they are

here as our guests and they should conduct themselves as such. And we might

add that such crudely voiced sentiments will in no way affect the judgment

of this chair.

The chair recognizes Senator Jack.

Thank you, sir.

Hold on to your hat, Gene. Here we go. Well, gentlemen, I guess you're in a

pretty tall hurry to get me out of here.

From the way that the evidence is piled up against me, I can't say that I blame

you much.

And I'm perfectly willing to go, Mr. President, as soon as this group has

legally voted that way. But before I go, there are some things that I want to say

to this body.

Mr. President, will the senator yield?

No, Senator, I will not yield.

Now, I yielded once before, and if you'll recall, I ended up being

splattered across the headline of every newspaper in this country and was

practically never heard of again.

And incidentally, gentlemen, we might as well all get together on this yielding

business right now.

You see, I had some pretty good coaching last night, and I found out that if I

yield only for a personal privilege, a point of order, or a question...

I can hold this floor until doomsday, or at least as long as I can stand on my

own two feet.

In other words, Mr. President, I have a piece to speak, and come hell or high

water, I am going to stand on this floor and speak it. Mr. President, will the

Senator yield?

Will Senator Jack yield?

Yield how?

Will he yield for a question?

For a question, yes. For a question. I wish to ask my junior colleague this

piece he intends to speak.

Does it concern section 40 of the bill? It does.

Every aspect of this matter was dealt with during the committee hearing.

Mr. President. I wish to ask my distinguished colleague, has he one

scrap of evidence to add now to the defense that he did not give and could

not give during that same hearing? There are no defenses against forged papers

and you know it, Senator. That committee ruled otherwise.

The gentleman stands guilty as charged. I stand guilty as framed.

I believe I speak for every member present when I say that no one cares to

hear what a man of his condemned character has to say about any section

of any legislation before this house.

Mr. President, I was guilty as framed.

And I was framed because I was going to stand up here and tell that Section 40

is nothing but a nuclear ripoff.

I was going to stand in this chamber and tell about a certain James Bailey back

in my state.

who wanted to put that plant through for his own personal profit. Mr. President,

will the senator yield? No, I will not yield.

Now, this same James Bailey promised me a seat in this chair for the next 20

years if I went along and voted for something that he knew and I knew was a

fraud on the American people.

And he also told me that if I dared to stand up in this chamber and oppose that

nuclear plant, he would break me in two. All right.

All right, Mr. President, I stood up the other day, and I tried to address myself

to Section 40.

And the long arm of Mr.

Bailey reached into this sacred chamber, and he grabbed me by the back of the

neck! Mr. President!

Mr. President!

A point of order.

Mr. President, do I have the floor?

Senator Payne will state it.

It was I who rose in this chamber to accuse him.

He is claiming that I was carrying out... criminal orders, and falsified

evidence. He has imputed to me conduct unworthy of a senator, and I demand that

he be made to yield the floor.

Mr. President, I did not say that Senator Payne was in that room. But I

was in that room.

Order.

I accuse this man by his tone, by his careful denials.

of deliberately trying to plant damaging impressions of my conduct.

I'll tell you why.

Because Mr.

Bailey, a respected citizen of our state, had brought with him the evidence

against this man. And we were urging Billy Jack to resign.

Why? To avoid bringing disgrace upon a clean and honorable state and upon this

body. But Senator Jack refused.

He threatened to bring that very disgrace down upon the state and all of

us present.

If we refuse to let him go through with this contemptible scheme.

Mr. President, do I... Finally! Mr. President, do I have the floor?

There was only one way to answer this, man.

The truth, which I rose and gave to this body.

Mr. President, he is trying to blackmail the Senate, just as he tried to

blackmail me.

To prevent his expulsion, he would probably even try to hold up the

deficiency bill vital to the entire country, which must be passed

immediately today.

Do I have... Gentlemen, I have lost patience with this gentleman.

I am sick and tired of this contemptible young man. I apologize to this body for

his appointment. I regret I ever knew him.

And I refuse to stay and listen to him any longer.

And I hope every member of this chamber feels as I do.

Senators will be in order.

Senators will address the chair.

Mr. President.

Senator Warner.

Mr. President, what does the gentleman want of this body? I'll tell you what I

want. I want one week.

Just one week to bring proof of the charges into this chamber that I brought

against Mr. Bailey.

And I want the Senate to promise me that they will not pass the deficiency bill

for that one week. Will the senator yield?

For a question only. Has the senator the effrontery to stand there convicted and

in disgrace and try to force the postponement of this deficiency bill for

one lousy week?

Mr. President, I appeal to the senator.

Is he fully aware that this bill has been months in both houses, delayed and

delayed? Mr. President.

If the Senate yields to this kind of blackmail at this time from this man,

whatever credibility this body has left will be totally destroyed.

Mr. President, it is an insult to this body to have to listen.

An insult to our colleague, Senator Payne.

And I, for one, will follow the senator's example and refuse to remain

in this chamber as long as that man holds the floor.

Senator Jack. It looks like I'm just going to have to present my case from

this floor, Mr. President. That is, if you, ladies and gentlemen of the press,

will carry my remarks accurately.

In other words, sir...

Wild horses are not going to drag me off of this floor until I've at least had

the opportunity to present my evidence to the people of my state.

And I don't care if that takes me for the rest of this year.

Bill Buster!

Bill Buster!

Hey.

Joe, get this.

Billy Jack got the floor just there ready to throw him out and he's holding

it. Bellabuster.

Billy Jack is bellabustering in the Senate.

Farrell. Listen, you got to give me everything he's saying to the networks,

okay? Consider it done. Thanks. Great story.

Come on, Ralph. Saunders, I promise you they're going to hear about this in

Patagonia. They better.

The entire Senate got up and walked out. Oh, Ralph, come on. Now, that's straight

stuff. You got to kick it up a little bit. Get on his side. Fight for him,

huh?

You guys understand what this is all about, please.

Joe, scratch all that and take this.

The most titanic battle of modern times has broken out in Washington.

A new young David, without a slingshot, has risen to do battle on the Senate

floor with not one mighty Goliath, but many. Oh, Ralph, I love you.

That they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and among them are

life, liberty...

and the pursuit of happiness.

Mr.

President, Mr. President, we seem to be alone, sir. Now, I'm not

complaining for social reasons, but I...

Think it would be a shame if these gentlemen missed the evidence that I

would like to present So I would like to call your attention to the standing

rules of the Senate rule 5 section Section 3

sir it says and I'm quoting now

If a quorum shall not be found to be present then a majority

of the senators present may direct the sergeant at arms to request and, if

necessary, to compel the attendance of the absent senators." Unquote.

Uh... Mr. President, I guess it looks like I am the majority, so...

I so compel.

Well, in the absence of a quorum being suggested, the clerk will call the roll.

And where the hell is that long distance call?

We're trying to get it. Could you do me a favor and get more direct lines out of

here? Check. Have you got hold of Hendricks?

They're looking for him. Looking for him? Now look, why the hell isn't an

editor at his desk where he belongs?

Joe.

Joe, why aren't you on the Senate floor?

Jim, that boy is talking to the state now.

The whole country. The story is out. So what? The fight is out in the open.

That's what I mean.

If he can turn public opinion against us, if any part of this sticks, he won't

even get started. I'll make public opinion out there in five hours. I've

done it all my life. Now, look, will you leave public opinion to me, Joe?

Now, go on. Get back to the Senate there and keep those honorable gentlemen in

line. Jim, I hit him from the floor with everything I know.

I don't have the stomach for it anymore.

Now, you listen to me, Joe.

If he starts to convince those senators, you might just as well blow your brains

out. Because this is it. The hole works.

We've got to smash that guy and bury him.

Jim, Henrik's on line four.

Go on back to the Senate, Joe.

Go on.

Now, where the hell have you been?

All right, never mind.

I want you to line up every newspaper, TV and radio station in the state.

I want you to call in all the IOUs. Yes.

I want him to keep everything Billy Jack says out of the media.

Defend the party.

What do you mean with what? He's a criminal convicted by the Senate and now

blocking the relief bill and starving people. He's one of those crazy radicals

making a mockery of our courts and institutions.

With what, he asks.

And buy up every minute you can of every station over two watts in the state. And

keep those commercials spouting against him.

Look, I don't give a damn what your problems are. Just do it.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, if you can't go on, it's ridiculous.

Fantastic for one nuclear plant. Why don't we throw Section 40 out and him

with it? What do you mean, a repudiate Joe here?

Henry. We've got to get that man off the floor. Come on, boys.

You know as well as I do, as long as Mr. Jack holds that floor legitimately, he's

going to hold it.

And if anyone were to ask me, I'd say the young fella's making a lot of sense.

Sense?

You call blackmail sense, Henry? Look, Joe, I didn't like this radical from the

beginning. But if the man weren't sincere, how could he stage such a good

fight against these impossible odds? Oh, that's just fine, Martin. That's just

fine. I'm glad to hear that. After 20 years of working with you fellas, you're

ready to take his word over mine. That's what it means.

If he's just that much right, then I'm totally wrong.

No, Joe. Isn't there just some way we can get that nuclear plant out of there,

just so we can get the deficiency bill through? It's not a question of a

nuclear plant. It's a question of my honor and the integrity of the select

committee. Yes, and the Senate itself.

But if that's what you want to do, go ahead. Throw off Section 40. I'll resign

from the committee and we'll be through with it.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait, wait. Now, this is a lot of nonsense.

Now, Joe's right.

A deal is impossible.

We have got to go on the way we have been doing and break him.

Keep him talking.

No relief.

And maintain a watch in relays. I mean, after all, how long can a man stand on

his legs?

Is that the way you feel, John?

For once, we're in total agreement.

Charlie? Right.

I couldn't agree more.

Gentlemen, it's time to leave the men on the floor.

Now tell me, is anybody in this chamber really...

I

guess we have the night shift coming on, Mr. President.

Thank you, Jimmy.

Oh, Mr.

President, I am very happy to learn that the Senate rules provide for human

frailty and that I am allowed under the rules a two- or three-minute break for

emergencies.

Mr.

President, right now, it is such an emergency.

Charlie, I want the entire morning edition front page. Nothing but a blast

to shove them off the floor.

And I want telegrams, you understand?

Telegrams pouring in to Senator Payne's office.

Now, here's how we do it. A convicted thief purportedly representing you has

totally crippled the United States Senate. You got that?

Now we come to the real reason that Senator Foley sealed this file.

Oh, ugly as the facts are about the... contributions and the kickbacks that's

penny ante stuff compared to the real reason that foley classified all of this

as top secret no gentlemen the real reason lies here in this file what does

it reveal on nothing much just the astonishing fact that over a 10-year

period at 58 different nuclear plants

there were at least 141 technical mishaps that came dangerously close to a

complete meltdown.

Now, let me put that for you in another way, gentlemen.

All the while that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was pointing to

Three Mile Island as proof of the safety of their program, for after all, no one

got killed, right?

And was assuring us under oath that it was a freak accident that could never

happen again.

They had, in their possession, here in Foley's file, full knowledge

that there was an accident on the average of at least once a month, each

and every month for the last ten years.

Each accident of which came dangerously close, sometimes within even hours,

of a meltdown that was similar or worse to the one at Three Mile Island.

and any one of which could have destroyed the entire community that the

plant was located in.

Hey, but Mr. Bailey and all of your Mr. Baileys are going to make huge profits.

So the Nuclear Regulatory Commission lies through its teeth to the American

people, and you gentlemen, you swear to it.

Hey, Saunders, Jean, you better wake up. You guys are in trouble.

What?

Brady's column, too. I can't believe it. What are you talking about?

You better call your boy off, Jean. He's getting nowhere.

Why? It's murder. Almost nothing of what he's saying is being printed or heard

back in your home state.

What? Brady's column, radio, wire service, television stations, everything

has been scratched.

How in the hell can they do that?

So now in the meantime, all of Bailey's stations and friends are pouring out the

party line, right?

You better believe it. He's got demonstrators coming out of party

headquarters in every corner of that state.

And that's what you call freedom of the press, right?

It's just not fair. How do you stand it? Jean, Jean, come on. No, I'm not going

to come on.

Saunders, telephone.

One simple little tool could turn this government back into being a government

of the people instead of a government of corporations.

And that tool is the National Initiative.

Well... What is it, Saunders? Tell Billy to stop.

He's beat, Jean.

I just busted up your TV station.

And cut your transmitting cable.

Greed.

Greed exists in all of us.

And the whole purpose of the Constitution is to protect the people

that we are sent here to represent from our greed.

Then, if we're going to really have a representative government, we

have to give people back the tool so

that if we fail to protect their rights, they can protect their rights

by a national initiative for a right.

Without the tool to remedy it, there's no right at all.

Gene, he's killing himself for nothing.

That's what this Constitution is all about.

I can't make him stop.

Mr. President, will the Senator yield?

Yield how, Senator Payne?

For a question?

Will the Senator yield to his colleague?

For a question?

Yes. Yes, Senator Payne.

I'll yield for a question.

The Senator has repeatedly stated that he is speaking to the people of our

state.

He is waiting, as he so fancifully put it, for them to come marching here in

droves. Would the Senator be interested in knowing what the people of our state

are saying?

Bet, Senator, bet.

You bet I would.

President, have I permission to bring into this chamber evidence of the

response of the people of my state?

Is there any objection?

No.

You may proceed.

Pages, all of you, please.

Gentlemen, the gentleman's answer.

Letters, telegrams, 50,000 of them demanding that he yield this floor.

I invite the Senate to read them.

I invite my colleague to read them.

The people's answer to Billy Jack.

Well... I guess this looks like... just another lost

cause.

You people... You people up there wouldn't know about lost causes.

Mr. Payne does.

He once told me... that the only causes worth fighting for were the lost causes.

And he fought for them once... for the only reason that any man ever fights for

them.

Because there's this burning thing in here... that says no matter

how great your defects...

How bad your faults are, how many mistakes you've made.

You gotta try to live your life by a simple rule.

Just to love your neighbor as much as yourself.

You've forgotten all that, haven't you, Senator?

It's part of the great political campaign speeches.

Or the crap you tell young senators who come in here believing.

believing in everything they read in the history books about this great body, the

Senate.

You think I'm licked, don't you?

You all think I'm licked, huh?

Why, because Payne's guardian angel can manufacture overnight all this phony

letter campaign?

Huh?

This?

Here, you read it.

Go ahead, Mr.

Majority Leader. Why don't you guys read this stuff? You read it.

Here, all of you.

I mean, you know how to manufacture that stuff every time you want to run through

your election.

Every time you want to stuff a nuclear plant down people's throat. Then you

know how to manufacture that stuff with your Madison Avenue boys overnight.

And then once you get inside this chamber, you forget all about it for the

next six years.

You think that just because you come marching in here with all these lies,

that I'm going to quit?

I mean, Senator, I don't care.

I don't care if all of the Bailey's, all of your Bailey's, come marching in here

with all their armies and all the National Guards, and you fill this

chamber with lies!

I am gonna stand on this floor and I am gonna fight

for this lost cause until the people rise up and get rid of your party

conventions and your political machines and once again have a voice through

their own national initiative.

Because you see, Those of us, those of us who know that simple rule,

to try to deal fairly and honestly and justly, even with the little guy, with

the little man out there who doesn't have a party machine or a Bailey.

Those of us have a sacred trust, Mr. Payne.

And you once had that sacred trust.

And you also know that the men that live by that rule are

willing to die.

for those lost causes.

Just as that man we both once loved...

slumped over his death... with a

bullet in his back.

You remember that, Senator?

Well... I'm gonna stay here.

Can I please... Can I have a drink of water?

Better get the arch.

What is the pending business before the Senate?

The question before the Senate is a motion to adopt the Senator's resolution

on the expulsion of Senator Billy Jack.

Mr. President, I insist upon my motion, and I demand the

yeas and nays.

You did it.

So no matter what they do to you now, you did it.

And you didn't even have to once take off your boots.

The clerk will read the resolution.

By title.

for the information of the Senate.

Senate Resolution 336, calling for the expulsion of Senator Billy Jack.

The yeas and nays are requested for the adoption of the resolution.

Is there a sufficient second?

No.

Obviously, there's a sufficient number.

Clerk, call the roll.

No, he's... I didn't quite get your remark, Senator Payne.

No.

No.

Expel me, not him.

I am not fit to be a senator.

Everything that he said about the Willard Creek project is true. It is a

fraud. It's a crime.

It's a crime against the people of the state that sent me here, and I committed

it. Expel me.

Everything that that boy said is true. Everything he said about Bailey and me.

about the political corruption in my state. It's true.

Everything he said about most of us in this chamber is true.

And we know it.

I am not fit for any office. I am not fit for any place of honor or trust.

I demand that this Senate expel me.

Expel me.

Not him.

Expel me.

On the bloody morning after, one tin soldier

rides away.

So the people of the valley sent a message up the hill, asking

for the very treasure, tons of gold for which they fill.

Came an answer from the kingdom, with our brothers we will share.

All the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there.

Now the valley cried with anger, mount your horses, draw your swords. And they

killed the mountain people, so they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain dock and read.

Turn this stone and put me to bed.

Peace on earth was all it said.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor. Go ahead and cheat a friend.

Do it in the name of heaven.

You can just find me in the end.

There won't be any trumpets blowing.

On the judgment day. On the blood and...

One tin soldier.

One tin soldier rides away.