Original subtitles

Did you know what was going on in your name

on the day of the Families First vote?

Were you using lobbyists?

I would never, ever let that happen.

And if it had happened, which it absolutely did not,

I would make sure that something was done about it.

Absolutely damn sure.

So this wasn't a matter for Congress?

Well, I am certain that Congress, and my opponents for that matter,

have better things to do with their time,

like getting down to the business of government.

And let me repeat myself again and say to the American people

that there is not one ounce of truth to these allegations.

- Madam President... - Not one ounce of truth to these allegations.

Thank you very much. That's all the time I have for today.

Thank you.

Don't touch me.

Do you solemnly swear

that the testimony you're about to give is the truth,

the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

- I do. - Yes, I do.

Absolutely. Yes, sir, I do.

Mr. Cafferty, pardon me being blunt,

but why did Families First fail?

It happens. Rain gonna fall,

bar's gonna close, bill's gonna fail.

There's a job for you at Hallmark, Mr. Cafferty.

You don't seem upset that the bill failed.

If I had kids, which actually I do,

this bill would be my baby.

I and the entire White House,

we sweated a full transfusion of blood

to pass this bill.

So Jonah Ryan wasn't sent here to defend the bill,

to deliberately undermine it?

No. No. Read my luscious lips, no.

We were consultants, not lobbyists.

And what's the difference?

You ask to be consulted.

A consultant consults the client,

whereas a lobbyist lobbies on behalf of the client.

You're not telling me the difference, you're just turning nouns into verbs.

So you were consulting people to vote against the Families First Bill?

Yes. Yes, we were.

That's exactly what they were doing.

Excuse me, Mr. Ryan. We didn't ask for your commentary

on the veracity of their testimonies.

Oh, I'm very sorry, sir.

I'm sorry that I misconducted myself

and I will not do that in to the future.

What is your assessment of Ms. Brookheimer and Mr. Egan?

Oh, Ms. Brookheimer is a strong,

independent, flexible woman.

And Lord knows there aren't enough of those in DC.

And Mr. Egan?

Uh, Dan Egan is a solid five and a half, weak six.

Can you tell us who was responsible for the data breach?

No. Well, I mean, yes.

Yes, it's a matter of public record

that Dan Egan was fired

because of his relation to the data breach.

I mean, you could have Googled that.

Wait, that's not my question.

Was he responsible?

Washington needed a sacrifice,

so we all ran and took out our pitchforks

and we set fire to the wicker Dan.

Okay, so why did he deserve to go if he was innocent?

You make it sound like there's a correlation

between what should happen and what actually happens.

I mean, life is chaotic and it's often unfair.

I know it is for me.

Dan Egan deserved to go,

so he went.

Sure, I love money.

But there's something else that I love

and it's a little lady called the United States of America.

And Ms. Brookheimer and I are here today as patriots

speaking up for the common citizen,

be that individual an actual person or a corporation.

That shoehorned stab at nobility

- will not fly here. - Okay.

Ms. Brookheimer, are you guided purely by money?

I think it's interesting that you chose me to aim that question at,

insinuating that I am a money-grabbing,

careerist, low-moraled...

I don't know why I'm helping you here.

There is no need to be shrill, Ms. Brookheimer.

- Shrill? - Mmm.

Do you recall a document shared on the J-drive

titled the Jonad Files?

- Uh, no. No, ma'am. - No. That doesn't ring a bell.

So it's not a word combining Jonah and gonad?

- Not to my knowledge. - I can confirm

that that is exactly what it is and Mr. Egan knows that.

In fact, Mr. Egan, I was told that you encouraged staffers

to add to this glossary of abuse.

I do not at this moment in time recall the action

nor the document in question.

Okay, maybe this will jog your memory. We have some extracts.

J-Rock, Jizzy Gillespie, Jack and the Giant Jackoff,

Gaylien, Tinker Balls, Wadzilla, One Erection...

Do we have to go through all of these?

I'm not sure that I see the relevance.

The witnesses claim they held their former colleague

in high regard and I am attempting to prove otherwise.

Okay, yeah, sure. No, you can proceed.

The Pointless Giant, The 60-Foot Virgin,

Gimpanzee, Jonah Ono, Hagrid's Nutsack,

Scrotum Pole, Transgenderformers,

12 Years a Slave to Jerking Off,

Benedict Come In His Own Hand,

Guyscraper, The Cloud Botherer,

Supercalifragilisticexpiali Dick Cheese,

Teenage Mutant Ninja Asshole, Spewbacca.

My college friends called me Tall McCartney.

I preferred that. That's a good nickname.

Fractious cracks have opened up in your relationships

and in your testimony and we'll explore them in a later session.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth,

the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

You were fired from the White House in April. Is that correct?

Yes. The drama queen in me likes to say

that they sacrificed me at Easter.

Uh, you've been described as the scapegoat.

Were you in fact responsible for the HIV data breach?

No, I value confidentiality and paradoxically I don't care who knows it.

Why were you fired?

To conceal something bigger.

They thought I was a mouse.

Well, this mouse will roar.

Ms. Patterson, you better tell us what that something bigger is.

Someone from the campaign used child mortality data

from the same federal breach that named Jennifer Graham as an HIV victim.

Used to what end?

To deliberately target bereaved parents

for a campaign mailer called I Care.

Okay, so this is how it's gonna work.

I'm gonna give you everything you need in a nice little box

with a pretty red ribbon on it and then I'm gonna walk away a free man, okay?

- Rat and roll. Deal? - Go on.

The thing about Lee Patterson...

She doesn't even know why she was scapegoated.

Okay? I do. It's because the child mortality data was used...

Yeah, was used to target bereaved parents. We know that already.

Ms. Patterson's talking to the committee right now.

- Yes. - Okay, going deeper here.

That data was actually taken from the same...

Yeah, it was from the same breach

which identified the HIV girl.

We know all that. - Mm-hmm.

Guys, we still have a deal, right?

Ms. Patterson, you are aware that your accusations

about the data breach will have serious repercussions for you and the others?

I understand the dangers

and how you're well-placed to remind me of them.

You're insinuating that my close personal friendship

with the president might cloud my judgment?

No, not at all.

Your judgment, ma'am, is unimpeachable.

Did the president know about the data breach?

No, just the people around her.

Bill Ericsson and Gary Walsh were closest to her.

Which is how I know that Bill Ericsson...

Knew about the data breach.

Are you on some kind of satellite delay, Mr. Egan?

With respect to Lee Patterson,

she had no real idea, no concept of what was actually happening.

I mean, she was so junior, she may have well been working in the kitchens,

with all due respect to the kitchens.

But for the record, Ms. Patterson was a very competent staffer

and what Jimmy Cagney would have called

a good kid in my opinion.

I'll wait for a question.

We have a deposition from a witness

confirming that you, Mr. Ericsson,

ordered Dan Egan to fire Ms. Patterson.

This is what I was afraid of. I'm being snowballed.

- I'm a victim of snowballing. - What do you mean, Mr. Ericsson?

Well, a name gets mentioned, then gets mentioned again,

and pretty soon everyone is mentioning it

and then the whole thing snowballs

and then there's an avalanche of snowballs

and I'm being buried by other people's snow

and it's not pure driven, it's not white snow, if you catch my drift.

I certainly caught their drift. Do I make sense?

- Am I making sense? - Calm... calm down.

Isn't snowballing

what you did to Lee Patterson when you had her fired?

No, that was scapegoating.

Again, apologies.

You haven't asked me a question.

What is the difference between scapegoating and snowballing?

It's not my fault. That's the difference.

Is that... is that making sense?

It's not my fault is my basic point.

I mean, why I am being raked over the coals

for the misuse of data in the campaign when I'm sitting next to the campaign manager?

Oh, that's... bravo, Bill. Subtly done.

Mr. Davison, you are President Meyer's campaign manager, yes?

Yes, ma'am. Though not at the time of the breach.

But you were aware of it at the time

and yet you chose to say nothing?

Well, though it may appear that there was nothing going on,

I can assure you that there was...

There was lots going on underneath.

Like a swan or Professor Hawking.

Who else, then, was involved?

Gary. Gary Walsh.

The president's bagman?

Yeah, he's the guy.

But... okay, you ever seen "Usual Suspects"?

I haven't seen it.

Okay, well, he's Keyser... I mean...

You haven't seen it, so forget it.

Gary's the guy who got Amy Brookheimer and I involved.

He's the bagman, yeah, but he's also the bad man.

Mr. Walsh, several people

have now described you as being at the center of events,

so I was wondering if you could please outline to us

your duties and your responsibilities.

Is there a problem, Mr. Walsh?

I'm sorry. It's just when I was...

When I was originally summoned, it was a smaller hearing

and executive privileges were waived

and now it's like a U2 concert.

Well, we are investigating malpractice

possibly leading to criminal investigation.

Might you unwaive your executive privilege?

Hmm.

Uh-huh. He says not to, so...

Would you say you were friendly with Dan Egan?

Yes, I'm friendly with Dan Egan.

I... we're friends, yes.

You were seen with him and Amy Brookheimer

on the day of the Families First vote.

Mm-hmm. Uh-huh.

Yeah.

Dan is not my friend.

He's a colleague.

I don't know why I said we were friends.

That's a fault of mine... Just kind of believing

that people were friends and they're not friends.

It's kind of been going on since middle school

and you just caught me at a bad time.

You're probably correct to distance yourself from Mr. Egan.

How would you describe your working relationship with the president?

Uh, it's very intimate.

I've always imagined myself as like a pipeline

who carries a lot of necessary information

and I just feed it directly into her head.

Madam President, can I confirm you've waived executive privilege?

Yes.

Though it is no privilege to have to endure

this investigation, I can tell you that.

But I'm happy to assist in any way that I can.

Can you tell me anything about the breach

- of federal data used in your campaign material? - No.

You said that you'd help this inquiry in any way.

Yes, and I have just then.

Did the president know about the lobbying

against the Families First Bill?

I'm a nobody.

That's the truth. I'm a nobody.

I'm just the guy that, like, whispers names

to the president and I tell her facts about people.

So you're just a prompter?

Uh-huh.

I'm a man who prompts, that is correct.

So all the talk of being the president's pipeline was just bigheadedness?

Yeah. Yeah.

I'm an arrogant man.

I'm not a powerful, guilty, arrogant man.

I'm an arrogant man.

So you wouldn't have contact, in other words, with lobbyists?

No. No.

Actually, Catherine's fiancé Jason is a lobbyist,

so at times, yeah.

Really? Until now he's been referred to as a consultant.

Mmm.

Are you concerned with your daughter being engaged to a lobbyist?

No, not at all.

And he's not actually a lobbyist.

He's a consultant, so...

But your bagman Gary Walsh

referred to him as a lobbyist.

Um, Gary has a very limited set of skills.

Mainly I would say they are picking objects up

and then putting objects back down.

He said he takes care of your sanitary needs.

Is that correct?

Yeah... Yeah... what?

You say your daughter's fiancé Mr. Read is not a lobbyist,

and yet the firm of Merryman & Cotter

lists him under the title of lobbyist

in the "our lobbyists" section of its website.

Well, that's their word. That's not my word.

He is a lobbyist for Christian Aid, Oxfam,

the World Health Organization.

Mm-hmm, well, he sounds like a decent guy,

whatever you want to call him.

Also lobbying for pharmaceutical companies,

large IT organizations, investment banks.

Yes, my fiancé is a lobbyist.

Does that present any difficulties in your relationship?

Not apart from the fact that I am now sitting in a room

with two strangers talking about it on camera.

You don't like being questioned?

Not about my personal life, no, I don't.

I mean, do you? Assuming that you have one.

I don't see that you're wearing a ring, so...

Ms. Meyer, you're gently reminded that this is a deposition.

I won't be as polite next time.

Um, I'm sorry. Can I please take a minute?

- Sure, yeah. Of course. - Thank you.

I'm sorry about that. I just had to get a snack.

My blood sugar was dropping, so...

That's okay.

Do you not see the conflict of interest?

I mean, we are investigating direct links

- between lobbyists and your administration. - Yes, I see it.

- Does it not concern you? - If you would just let me finish my sentence,

that would be very much appreciated.

I do see it.

It is also my understanding

that they may no longer be engaged.

So...

They've split up?

Um, I think...

they may have split up.

In addition to that, I will say that I'm really not certain

that Jac... Ja... Jason was ever right for Catherine.

But you just said that he was sweet.

Mm-hmm. He can be sweet at one moment

and then he can be very controlling in the next moment.

You know, lobbying for Oxfam, or then lobbying for PhRMA.

And I meant consulting.

I have to go. I've got to call the president of Africa.

So... I mean South Africa specifically, you know, so...

Ms. Wilson, it has been said of you

that you could organize the D-Day landings

and still have time left over for Iwo Jima.

And, unlike in reality, I would have gotten Iwo Jima right.

And yet this meeting between the president

and Congressman Pierce, you have no record of that in your schedule.

Congressman Pierce was not disposed

in a manner that was indicative of a meeting.

I literally have no idea what that sentence means.

There's a difference between meeting someone and having a meeting with them.

I mean, I once met Bill Gates,

but I didn't have a "meeting" with him.

We keep meticulous, exhaustive records

of emails, voice memos,

text messages, letters...

Chairman, we have all the emails, letters, texts,

but you mentioned voice memos, Ms. Wilson.

Yes.

Well, we have many forms of communication.

None of which you seem to be able to master at the present moment.

Well, I wasn't responsible for the voice memos.

- So who would know about... - Mike McLintock.

Mr. McLintock, please rise

and raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth,

the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

So help me God. I do.

We have a witness go on record

saying that they saw you in the White House parking lot

with Mr. Egan, Ms. Brookheimer, and Senator Pierce.

That's correct.

I ran into them by chance

because I was merely getting something from my car.

- What were you getting? - I'm sorry?

What were you getting?

Uh, I was getting some medicine.

What kind of medicine?

Um, it's knee medicine.

Knee medicine?

Yeah, knee medicine.

For one of... just one of my knees.

- Which one? - Which knee?

My left... left knee, Your Honor, sir.

My left knee. I have problems with my left knee.

Um, it hurts when I crouch.

What was the name of the medicine?

Um, I want to say it's called...

Crouch Cream.

But that's not right.

It's a white tube with a red label.

I'm sure an intern could research this.

It has a silhouette of a horse on it.

I don't know why the horse is on there.

I guess horses probably have good knees.

So, um... but I think it's called...

Knee-Z. Knee-Z Cream.

I don't think that's it. It's searchable.

I'm very positive.

Thank you for allowing me to attend to presidential matters.

We still wish to consider the outstanding issues

concerning your daughter and Mr. Read.

Who have definitely split up.

I'm quite undone. I'm really upset.

Um, I had grown quite fond of dear Jason.

You've said he's too old for your daughter

and that he can be controlling and that he has two personalities.

I have a statement I'm going to read.

I am sad to confirm the end

of my daughter Catherine's engagement to Jason Read.

This was for personal reasons unconnected

to the ongoing inquiries into my administration

other than the strain said inquiries brought

upon their relationship.

This may be a good day for truth,

but a sad day for love.

You recommended an app for the president,

- did you not? - Yes, ma'am.

Could you demonstrate how the app works on your phone?

Yes, I'd be happy to.

So you go to your home screen, it's called.

Remember that.

And now you have to send it to someone.

So I could send it to...

you want to give me your number?

- Or I'll just send it to myself. - Fine.

So now all I do is appropriately touch

the icon for record.

And... hey, Mike, it's Mike.

Um...

you're probably not going to get this

'cause you're in the hearings, but I just...

- wanted to tell you... - That's quite enough.

I've got to go, Mike.

And then you just press send.

And it should instantly appear on my memo app.

Which it's not doing. Um, I don't know why.

I guess that's why they say don't work with animals or technology.

I mean, that's why "Jaws" was such a nightmare shoot.

I mean, mechanical shark, forget it.

Oh, Knee Free. That's the cream.

Knee Free, if you...

Okay, here it is.

And... hey, Mike, it's Mike.

Um...

you're probably not going to get this

'cause you're in the hearings, but...

Pretty good clarity.

Could we hear some of the messages that the president sent?

No, because I deleted them. They're deleted.

I mean, truthfully, these things were just

her talking about Advil and lemons.

Well, we'll see how many when we listen to them.

Sadly, sir, I deleted those.

Yeah, but they still exist in the cloud,

as I'm sure you're aware.

Ben, are Dan and Amy on course?

It can't happen.

Well, that could be about anything.

Probably about them...

you know, mating.

And it can't happen?

It can't happen that we lose this vote.

Or is that too far-fetched for you?

Well, why did she mention it, then?

Well, she was feverish.

So you're saying she wasn't in a fit state to govern?

No, I'm not saying that.

If I was saying that, then that's what I would have said.

I mean, why are you throwing pebbles at a tank?

Stop.

You know, that lady, she could govern herself

through leprosy.

How would you characterize your friendship

with Congresswoman Bennett?

Uh, well, I wouldn't say that we're friends.

I would say that we are friendly.

So she's not on the committee to steer them away

from issues that might be uncomfortable for you?

No. Mm-mmm.

I'm president.

I don't have time for friends.

Madam President, it was you

who appointed a special prosecutor

and we are the team under your appointee.

Yeah, well, there you go.

Mr. Ryan.

It has come to this committee's attention

that you suffered some emotional issues

during the run-up to the Families First Bill.

I was touched.

Who touched you?

I would rather not say at this time.

Or any.

Can you give us a reason why?

Excuse me for one moment.

I just have a very... A very dry mouth.

Setting their identity aside...

Setting their identity aside,

where did this person touch you?

Um...

he touched me in a private place.

Can you be more specific? Was it the buttocks?

No. No.

It was... it was around the other side.

The crotch, presumably.

Was there ever any contact

between testicles and hands?

Okay, listen,

I thought that this was supposed to be about lobbying.

And it seems clear that the congresswoman

is pulling focus away from the main concern of this panel.

Similarly with Ms. Brookheimer's dress.

She can't have believed that this would work.

She never looks this humble.

I'm not... I'm not sure what you're referring to, Mr. Ryan.

This is my everyday attire.

And I apologize if it offends you, but...

But you saw what she just did with the...

I mean, you saw that.

She is playing you like a cheap...

- Careful. - Like an Xbox.

Mr. Ryan, trust me, no one is playing us. We are unplayable.

I'd like to hear more on the charges of molestation.

Go ahead.

Was there ever any contact between testicles and hands?

No. Never.

My... spheres

were always clothed.

I was in the workplace, so I...

Did he always grope both testicles?

I'm sorry, but can I be asked that question

by a male committee member?

No, I asked the question.

I'm sorry. I forgot the question.

Did your abuser touch both of your testicles?

- Thank you, Mr. Egan. - Sure.

Who else was aware of this during your time at the White House?

I, uh... I also saw it.

I can't stop...

I can't stop thinking about it.

It's... you know, it's like a bell.

It can't be unrung.

Where did you see it happen?

It was around the spheres.

I meant what area of the workplace.

Oh, yes. No, I'm sorry. Yes.

It was in a hallway.

Same time as Dan.

In fact, he was coming to fire Jonah as a scapegoat

for the child mortality data breach. Oh!

- Okay, there's no further questions. - Whoa, whoa, wait, wait.

Wait, wait. Can you repeat that, Mr. Splett?

Uh, actually, I'd like to plead the fifth.

I'd like to plead the fifth, please.

Mr. Splett, can you repeat...

Can you repeat what you just said, Mr. Splett?

- We were investigating a serious allegation... - Congresswoman.

Of abuse in the... - Please!

Can you repeat what you just said, Mr. Splett?

Yes, I can. I'd like to plead the fifth.

- Before that. - Okay.

Uh, I think I mistakenly said

that Dan was scapegoating Jonah

for the child mortality data breach.

Can you tell us who was responsible for the data breach, Mr. Cafferty?

No.

But you do know who was responsible?

No.

Can you tell us anything at all about said data breach?

No.

Are you gonna continue to answer every question

with a one-word answer, Mr. Cafferty?

No.

I am not.

Okay, that means nothing.

We need a name or this administration is in big trouble.

Gary Walsh, any thoughts?

I don't know who that is.

Who... Gary?

Walsh.

Oh, the... Yeah.

Senator, do you think it's possible

Gary Walsh was responsible for making payments

to Mr. Egan and Ms. Brookheimer

to lobby against the Families First Bill?

Forgive me for laughing at the notion.

Gary Walsh, you need to understand,

is a 12-year-old boy

trapped in the body of a 12-year-old girl.

Did you contact Amy Brookheimer and Daniel Clifford Egan

after they had left the White House with regard to the Families First Bill?

I did.

Did you agree to pay them to lobby

against the bill on behalf of the president?

Nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope. No, I did not.

So did somebody else make this arrangement?

Bill Ericsson.

- Will you let me finish my question? - Mm-hmm.

Someone else arranged to make such a payment?

Yes.

- Who was it? - Bill.

Bill...?

Ericsson.

It was the director of communications Bill Ericsson.

You haven't been asked to say Ericsson, have you?

No.

I believe that Bill Ericsson

would have been overseeing that aspect.

- Bill Ericsson. - Bill Ericsson.

- Mr. Bill Ericsson. - Bill Ericsson.

- Yes, Bill Ericsson. - You listen to me.

I got into politics because I have a very clear sense,

a burning sense of what is right and what is good, all right?

I'm not an attorney, I don't point the finger,

I don't lay blame, that's not who I am.

But in answer to your question, yes,

Bill Ericsson used misappropriated funds

to lobby against the president's bill.

This is a nightmare.

I'm probably gonna be facing criminal charges.

- You consider yourself innocent? - I am innocent.

Do you want me to take off my shirt

so that you can see all the knife handles sticking out of my back?

Where is Congresswoman Bennett?

She is absent.

Yes, I got that.

I took noticing in high school.

I think the real issue now is Bill Ericsson

and what he may have done

or what he may not have done

and how his rogue actions did or did not

affect so many lives.

But that is, of course, for you to determine yourselves.

You're only doing what they want you to do.

You are aware of that, right?

It's like I'm on the sacrificial altar

and suddenly everyone is wearing hoods.

The other day you had fun with my size

and the nicknames that you gave me about my size.

Tall McCartney.

Skyscraper.

But Jonah Ryan is strong.

And if Jonah Ryan can help one man

who is dealing with workplace sexual harassment,

then this entire ordeal will have been worth it.

Watch this space. Thank you.

Thank you.

You know, there are probably fairer trials happening

right now in the back of parking lots

where the defendant is wearing a mailbag on his head.

Please raise your right hand.

Your right hand.

Sorry, I was practicing in the mirror.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give

is the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Absolutely. Excited to do it.

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