Downfall of the Distributist Party
Timeline: August 5th, 1931: President Jean Francois-Jacobieu begins meeting with officials at the Verte Railroad Company. The President, who is already a heavy stakeholder in the company, began planning a multi-billion dollar government contract for the company in exchange for 150 million dollars kickback which were funneled to him and several other government officials involved with the deal in the Executive and Legislative branches through nepotism based hiring decisions in which they gave high paying jobs to their children, and most notably through lump sum donations and paid events which benefited Jean Francois-Jacobieu’s family foundation.
August 8th, 1931: A Bill proposed by one of the legislators involved with the bribe is passed by the legislature and signed by the President.
September 1st, 1931: Construction begins on the tracks and plans are made for a new contract with the Department of Transportation that would use provisions in the original bill to expand the scope of the contract.
September 14th, 1931: President Francois-Jacobieu gives a speech with the secretary of the Department of Transportation announcing the contract promising “extended track lines, and government sponsored research into more efficient locomotives”
September 15th, 1931: Vice President Samuel Le-Pen-Dune begins to meet with billionaires in Marquette talking about tax cuts. Vice President Le-Pen-Dune promises to pass massive tax cut legislation in the National Assembly. Billionaires promise him tens of millions of dollars, as well as several vacation homes, in exchange for getting this legislation passed
September 15-23, 1931: Vice President Le-Pen-Dune begins to draft a tax cut bill in his office in Marquette.
September 24th, 1931: Vice President Le-Pen-Dune meets with Chairman of the National Assembly, David Caprette, to refine the bill, promising 2 million dollars cash if he can get the Distributist bloc to vote on the issue. Being very much against Distributist ideology, Chairman Caprette suggests a monetary bribe in the form of a wage raise for certain Distributist controlled committees that would effectively reward members who choose to vote to the affirmative on the issue.
September 30, 1931: Chairman Caprette calls members of the Distributist bloc to a secret meeting with Vice President Le-Pen-Dune. The two present the bill, and promise provisions that effectively act as wage raises to each member that votes for the measure in the National Assembly. 13 members agree to vote for the bill, signing a secrecy document in exchange for raises. However, Member for Pontiac, Franc Swen, sees through the legalese and quickly realizes that this is effectively bribery in exchange for promoting a corporation above all competitors. He makes an excuse to leave the meeting room, and takes the documents straight to the Societe Radiodiffusion Gallois, and begins to write a speech condemning the matter.
October 1st, 1931: The SRG begins to print the front-page story and news spreads like a wildfire. Radio hosts blast the absolute corruption in the legislature, and thousands of protestors take to the streets to protest demanding the resignation of all involved. The Vice President and Chairman blast the allegations, calling them “totally baseless” and calling the papers provided by Assemblyman Swen “complete forgery”. Public Opinion quickly falls, but remains somewhat divided as the President had been broadly uncontroversial.
October 2nd, 1931: Presidential Mansion Chief of Staff James Macron reads the news regarding the Vice President, and is torn on whether to leak the masses of information that he has on President Francois-Jacobieu’s blatant corruption. He decides to wait and see how things play out.
October 5th, 1931: Assemblyman Franc Swen gives a nationally broadcasted speech completely swearing by the allegations, and speaking of the tone of the secret meeting that he was called to with the Chairman and Vice President. He calls the modern Distributists a “disgrace to the record and name of President Jacques Dufour”, adding, “a full investigation must take place
October 20th: President Francois-Jacobieu gives an address to the nation condemning the actions of the Vice President and members of the National Assembly, calling them “corrupt and indefensible”, adding that “a full and complete investigation must occur”, and announcing that he would be using executive privilege to call emergency local and provincial elections to replace the corrupt National Assembly in order that a thorough investigation could take place in addition to serving the legislative needs of the people of Duquesne.
October 25th: The only elected member of the Parti Crédit Social (PCS), Jacques Dubois gives a policy speech in LaSalle pledging to work with the newly elected governor hopefully in the National Assembly, and pledging to begin bringing the corrupt Distributists to justice in the remainder of his term. The PCS begins to gain ground in local polling, and the party’s headquarters in Marquette is flooded with campaign contributions and prospective candidates seeking endorsements in local and provincial level elections.
October 26th: President Francois-Jacobieu announces a December 13th Election day, and calls for people to “vote their conscience”, and to “vote for those who will efficiently conduct a full and complete investigation”
October 27th-December 12th: Campaigning is fierce across Duquesne as new rising parties and ideologies clash to replace the Distributists at the top of politics. Jacques Dubois is seen as a rising star in the PCS, and speaks at many fundraising events and in efforts to support candidates in local and provincial elections. In the National Assembly, after a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Chairman David Caprette, the Sergeant at Arms assumes leadership of the National Assembly. Heated debates between defensive Distributists and the remaining 5 National Assemblymen go nowhere, and the only starter of a government investigation comes into a lawsuit filed by the SRG suing the National Assembly for obstructing justice. The case is sent to the Duquesne Supreme Court, which opens an immediate investigation in the Duquesne Department of Justice into the corrupt dealings of the Vice President, the Chairman of the National Assembly, and the 13 other Distributist Assemblymen. In the meantime, the National Assembly continues to get heated. The Distributist wing votes to remove the Sergeant at Arms from the assembly which devolves the Assembly into Chaos.
December 13th: The Parti Crédit Social makes huge gains in local and provincial elections. All but one Distributist province, Pontiac, are flipped to the PCS party, and the governors of these 14 PCS provinces send staunch supporters of full and complete investigation. Jacques Dubois is re-nominated by the governor of LaSalle to the National Assembly, and is the immediate favorite to be elected Chairman. Franc Swen, the whistleblower of the entire scandal, is re-nominated by the governor of Pontiac to serve during the investigation
December 14th-30th: The National Assembly devolves into chaos, as the Distributists begin to vote to remove staff and leaders in the Duquesne Department of Justice in order to block the investigation. Jacques Dubois gives a passionate speech slamming each other accused Distributists and calling out their blatant attempts to obstruct justice.
December 31st: Distributist members begin to try to vote to clear their names and pardon themselves from criminal charges. In addition, an attempt to remove the Attorney General nearly sends members into a physical fight. Having been informed of the situation, the Duquesne Supreme Court rules the National Assembly “Incapable of legislating according to the constitution”, and dispatches the Duquesne National Marines to take control over the National Assembly, and holds the members of the Distributist wing in contempt over it’s blatant “Obstruction of Justice”.
January 1st, 1932: The new National Assembly takes control. Jacques Dubois is elected by his peers as the Chairman of the National Assembly. As his first act, Chairman Dubois appoints the Distributist Franc Swen as co-director of the investigation into the Vice President and the old National Assembly.
January 2nd-May 3rd: The investigations continue and the Duquesne Department of Justice uncovers the billionaires behind the bribings. All are brought to testify in front of the Duquesne National Assembly, as well as the Vice President and the 13 accused former National Assemblymen.
May 5th-August 10th: The Duquesne National Assembly begins charging former members of the National Assembly with accepting bribes and obstruction of justice, sending them to trial in the Supreme Court.
August 10th-August 31st: 13 former members of the Duquesne National Assembly are found guilty, and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison by the Duquesne Supreme Court. Former Chairman of the National Assembly, David Caprette, is sentenced to 20 years in prison for not only taking bribes and obstruction of justice, but also for disorderly conduct in the National Assembly chamber. The longer sentence was primarily due to his role in roping in the other Assemblymen to commit the crimes.
September 1st: The Duquesne National Assembly begins an impeachment trial following the completion of the Attorney General’s investigation into the Vice President’s taking of bribes.
September 2nd-September 28th: Prosecutors from the Duquesne Department of Justice begin presenting evidence to the National Assembly. Questioning sessions are held, and the Vice President is brought in to testify one last time.
September 29th: The Duquesne National Assembly impeaches Vice President Le-Pen-Dune. The Vice President is sent to the Duquesne Supreme Court for final trial. Distributist Assemblyman Franc Swen is chosen by President Francois-Jacobieu to serve as Vice President, and is unanimously sworn in by the Duquesne National Assembly.
September 30-November 1st: Members of the Duquesne National Assembly testify in front of the Duquesne Supreme Court, and act as prosecutors in the case against former Vice President Le-Pen-Dune.
November 2nd: The Duquesne Supreme Court finds Samuel Le-Pen-Dune guilty on charges of money laundering, accepting political bribes, giving political bribes, and obstruction of justice, sentencing him to 20 years in a federal prison.
November 6th: President Francois-Jacobieu congratulates the investigators in the National Assembly, and promises to root out all other corruption in the Republic of Duquesne. Having heard this speech, appalled at its total misrepresentation of the truth, Presidential Mansion Chief of Staff James Macron goes to gather documents, and rushed to the SRG to present his evidence. ` November 7th: The SRG explodes with a bombshell report regarding the President and his corruption scandal with the Verte Railroad Company, the President quickly rushes to defend himself, and fires Chief of Staff Macron and calls his comments “ridiculous, untrue, and a disgrace to Duquesne”. The National Assembly immediately convenes, and begins an investigation into the President, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Verte Railroad Company
November 8th-December 23rd: The Duquesne National Assembly calls President Francois-Jacobieu, Secretary of Transportation Fowler, and executives from the Verte Railroad Company to testify in the investigation. Chairman Dubois begins an impeachment inquiry into President Francois-Jacobieu, and hearings continue as the Duquesne National Assembly collects evidence
December 24th, 1932: The public is given a briefing on the investigations within the Duquesne National Assembly. Evidence of clear corruption and accepting of bribes by President Francois-Jacobieu and Secretary of Transportation Fowler is clear, and the National Assembly plans to begin an impeachment trial following the Christmas recess.
January 1st, 1933: In the Presidential New Year’s address, President Francois-Jacobieu implores the country to focus on solving important issues at hand surrounding infrastructure, poverty, and foreign trade policy instead of investigations of baseless accusations of corruption. The address is met with a negative public response, with Presidential Approval reaching an all time low at 25%
January 2nd, 1933: Chairman of the National Assembly Jacques Dubois gives a televised address updating the Duquesne people on the impeachment investigation, and officially setting an impeachment vote for January 10th
January 3rd-January 9th, 1933: Final evidence is collected and presented to members of the Duquesne National Assembly by the Attorney General Jacob LaSalle
January 10th: The Duquesne National Assembly impeaches President Francois-Jacobieu for “clear and exorbitant” evidence of corruption, accepting bribes, money laundering, and obstruction of justice. President Francois-Jacobieu is immediately suspended from Presidential duties through the completion of the Supreme Court Trial. Vice President Franc Swen is sworn in as President of Duquesne
January 11th-January 25th: The Supreme Court questions witnesses and President Francois-Jacobieu. Deliberation is held, and a final verdict is set to be delivered on January 26th
January 26th: The Duquesne Supreme Court Finds President Francois-Jacobieu guilty on all counts of money laundering, accepting bribes, and obstruction of justice. He is sentenced to 35 years in prison, and is immediately removed from the Presidential Mansion. President Franc Swen gives a national address calling for unity and a restoration of trust in the government. He announces that he will be resigning from the Presidency at the end of March, and opens a Presidential Election to take place on March 20th
January 27th-February 10th: Politicians launch their campaigns for President. The PCS nominates Chairman of the National Assembly Jacques Dubois as their Presidential Candidate with the Assemblyman from Passe Sud, Charles Clement.
February 11th-March 20th Presidential campaigning begins as a large movement forms behind the PCS. President Franc Swen works with Chairman Dubois and the National Assembly to implement new independent judicial monitors in each government agency in order to prevent further corruption. The National Assembly debates on the Presidential Election, which is held on March 20th
March 21st: Interim chairman of the Duquesne National Assembly, James Franquette, announces to Duquesne that Jacques Dubois and Charles Clement have been elected President and Vice President of the Republic of Duquesne. The PCS bloc plus 2 additional voters voted in favor or Chairman Dubois. President Franc Swen congratulates President Elect Dubois in a final speech before his official resignation, and withdrawl from public service.
March 22nd, 1933: Jacques Dubois is inaugurated as president of Duquesne