Washington (US Political RP; 2016 ; IC ; OPEN!)

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt nodded at the clearly happy woman. "Given the current state of things in the Senate, we had been discussing a full rewrite of the bill for the coming session. I can put you in touch with Senator Villanueva de Peña as well, and see how well we can integrate your concept of Sexual Assault Units, as well as any other ideas you may have, into the the bill."

The right corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "I would, perhaps, suggest a different name. "Sexual Assault Units" may sound slightly more intimidating than reassuring."

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt nodded at the clearly happy woman. "Given the current state of things in the Senate, we had been discussing a full rewrite of the bill for the coming session. I can put you in touch with Senator Villanueva de Peña as well, and see how well we can integrate your concept of Sexual Assault Units, as well as any other ideas you may have, into the the bill."

The right corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "I would, perhaps, suggest a different name. "Sexual Assault Units" may sound slightly more intimidating than reassuring."

"I will definitely think on that, for sure. I'm glad to be working with he two of you, I can only imagine the fragmented mess the Democrats will be in the face of this." She said, thinking even while she spoke. She paused for a moment. "I actually had another idea for legislation as well."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"Of course, Senator-Elect. I am in no hurry."

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"Of course, Senator-Elect. I am in no hurry."

"It would be a mostly symbollic action: Clarifying on a federal level that Sharia or any otherwise foreign law would be not applicable within the jurisdiction of the United States of America, and setting some sort of punishment for judges who would violate this basic truth."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt paused a moment. "You are concerned that present judges may be making judgements from Sharia rather than the United States legal code?"

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt paused a moment. "You are concerned that present judges may be making judgements from Sharia rather than the United States legal code?"

"You are not familiar with the incident in New Jersey then. A Moroccan man raped his wife and during said rape made it clear that his actions were permitted by his faith and its according religious code. The judge ruled in his favour. It was overturned by the appelate court, but nonetheless, I would like to preempt any future attempts with legislation."

[Tumblrena]

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"How would such a judge be tried?"

[Uttland]

(Image)

Don Hookstraten
@Da_Hook

@Five-Oh, and I'm willing to bet a good chunk of those drug dealers were ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM MEXICO.

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"How would such a judge be tried?"

"I am not certain, but it seems like that's something that could be looked into. If nothing else, an affirmation that foreign and religious law is invalid should be enough, it's just an idea after all."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"The judge is, of course, entitled to the same right to a trial by impartial jury as any other American citizen. Should the judge presiding over that trial then commit the same violation via application of Sharia, we would enter an infinite loop. The only means I see available to break that loop would be by suspension of that right to trial, presumption of guilt, or use of bills of attainder, none of which are acceptable."

"That is not to say that the resolution is inherently a bad one, only that an attempt to punish judges by it falls victim to the Framer's checks on legislative power."

[Tumblrena]

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"The judge is, of course, entitled to the same right to a trial by impartial jury as any other American citizen. Should the judge presiding over that trial then commit the same violation via application of Sharia, we would enter an infinite loop. The only means I see available to break that loop would be by suspension of that right to trial, presumption of guilt, or use of bills of attainder, none of which are acceptable."

"That is not to say that the resolution is inherently a bad one, only that an attempt to punish judges by it falls victim to the Framer's checks on legislative power."

Locklear nodded her head and recognized his point. "I'll think more on the matter." she paused

"I don't suppose I have any other outstanding legislative business that I would like to discuss Mr. Speaker, It's been a pleasure."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"Should you have any other business you would like to discuss, legislative or personal, my door will always be open." He glanced at the closed door. "Metaphorically speaking."

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"Should you have any other business you would like to discuss, legislative or personal, my door will always be open." He glanced at the closed door. "Metaphorically speaking."

"Of course."

She paused before getting up. She had no idea why she was about to blurt this out, particularly to a relative stranger who almost amounted to her boss in a sense, but she felt the urge to tell someone.

"I think I may be headed for divorce and I don't know how it's going to be received by the public." she exhaled, immediately regretting dumping something so personal on someone she didn't even know for basically no reason. She decided she should probably just flee.

"Uh, Mr. Speaker, I apologize, I shouldn't have told you, It's totally irrelevant, I just, I don't know, I apologize." she got up and outstretched her hand, beating herself internally for what had been a completely nonsensical action.

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"Senator-Elect, sit down."

After pausing a moment, Eberhardt spoke again, voice softened.

"Tell me about it."

[Vaquas]

Locklear allowed her hand to fall to her side and she moved to take her seat again. She was uncomfortably silent but maintained a straight face. She spoke with intense exasperation.

"Richard is not ready for me to be a United States Senator. He is not ready for life in Washington, he is not ready to be exposed to the public eye, and he was evidently not ready to even consider that I could win the election to begin with. He told me he anticipated failure in the primary and that I was selfish for coming here." She was pouring into Eberhardt like he was a marriage counselor.

"I've worked hard to provide for my children and further a cause and all he's ever done is criticize my desire to actually do ANYTHING! I was a culinary arts major, anybody else would be goddamn astounded by the fact that I am where I am today. But no, no of course not. I should have seen it coming, the shrill accountant being the one to snap over his wife being elected to federal office. He can't handle anything. We'll see if he can handle me lawyering up and handing him the papers." She ranted, almost forgetting that Eberhardt was there and then remembering. She regained her composure.

"It is a mess. It's a mess that I don't want to have to deal with during my first few weeks in office Mr. Speaker. But there's nothing else I can do."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt listened carefully during Locklear's outpouring before replying.

"Tell me...Helena, during the campaign what was your husband's involvement?"

[Vaquas]

She sighed deeply.

"He worked with finances, managing campaign funds and all that. It's not something I'm particularly good at."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"This job of his-it was something he volunteered for? Something you asked him to do? Something he was assigned to?"

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"This job of his-it was something he volunteered for? Something you asked him to do? Something he was assigned to?"

"I asked it of him, he was not particularly enthusiastic but he seemed to come around. Apparently I was wrong. He actually performed rather well in this capacity up until...towards the end of the campaign..." Something began to cement in her mind.

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"You said that your husband anticipated that you would fail in the primary. Your victory there, however, did not change his demeanor, which remained consistent until near to the end of the campaign?"

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

"You said that your husband anticipated that you would fail in the primary. Your victory there, however, did not change his demeanor, which remained consistent until near to the end of the campaign?"

"I definitely didn't observe a change after my primary victory. If anything he seemed maybe a little happy for me, though that very easily could have been a facade."

[Prolieum]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt thought for a moment.

"You said that your husband was an accountant? Did he resign, or take leave from his career to work on your campaign?"

[Vaquas]

Speaker's Office, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C.

Eberhardt thought for a moment.

"You said that your husband was an accountant? Did he resign, or take leave from his career to work on your campaign?"

"He took leave, he never officially resigned."