LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 474 - 474: 178, Chen Sang, we are in big trouble!_1
Chapter 474: 178, Chen Sang, we are in big trouble!_1
In America, the higher the official, the less they withstand investigation.
Johnson Hester, who had just taken office as a Duke, had interest groups behind him, and of course, other officials had their share of unclean dealings.
The principle was the same, only the size of the backing interest groups differed.
At this moment,
Upon hearing Johnson Hester’s threats, an official in charge of fishery resources and another overseeing energy turned pale instantly, their bodies uncontrollably trembling.
They were not worried about their own corruption being discovered, but feared that Johnson Hester would use the pretense of corruption to move against them and then appoint his own people to their current positions.
With each new ruler, new officials come to power.
In the struggle for Duke in America, their lucrative departments were often at the forefront.
“Duke Sir… I admit there is corruption in the fishery department, and I have actually been investigating these matters,” the fishery head stammered, “but please be assured… I will definitely clean up the greedy officials in our department quickly, ensure America’s food security, and see to it that such incidents do not happen again!”
“Duke Sir, to be frank, I have admired you for a long time, and in this election, my vote and my family’s votes all went to you,”
The energy official beside him was likewise begging for mercy, hoping to exchange such flattery for a chance at survival.
After all, in their eyes, Johnson Hester was an absolute political neophyte, and perhaps through pleading and offering benefits, they could keep their current positions.
Just hang on for these four years, and then the next term will be easier.
Johnson Hester may have been a political neophyte, but that didn’t mean he was ignorant of the basic principles of holding office.
Besides, he had the support of Lin Mo and the Abyss Organization behind him, which could continuously supply him with accurate intelligence, making it easy for him to strike accurately and decisively.
He stepped back two paces, sitting down on the chair behind the desk that represented supreme power, tapping his fingers on the desktop, and said indifferently, “Whatever you two have done in the past, I am fully aware of.”
“But I have heard an old saying in Grand Xia, ‘A stream too pure sustains no fish’, and I understand the meaning.”
“I am willing to give both of you a chance to reform!”
What?
Hearing these words, both officials had deep shock and disbelief in their eyes.
They had truly not expected things to be resolved so smoothly.
Usually, being given a chance meant that they had to pay a hefty profit, and cut ties with the previous Duke, losing some protection from people.
But what did that matter?
The urgent matter was to survive; otherwise, if Johnson Hester really forced an audit in the name of the Duke, they could be taken away by the tax authorities or the FBI tonight.
This was no joke.
The energy head nodded repeatedly and said, “Duke Sir, as long as you give me this chance, I will definitely follow your lead and comply with any rules and requests you set!”
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Johnson Hester nodded slightly in satisfaction, then turned to look at the official from the fishery department.
By now, the fishery official had seen the light, realizing that the real intention of this spectacle may have been for the Duke to win them over or for the Duke to have them do something, hence the scene that unfolded today.
Who says Johnson Hester is a greenhorn in politics, without any craftiness?
Could a political newcomer really execute the series of maneuvers that took place today?
Possible?
The fishery official carried a humble smile, almost kneeling down to bow to Johnson Hester, and quickly added with a laugh, “Duke Sir, you are the sun in my heart, the light guiding me forward.”
“Whatever task you set before me, I will complete it with absolute loyalty!”
Johnson Hester was after all a super-rich American, accustomed to flattery and favor-seeking from others.
He had seen his fair share of sycophants,
but he had to admit that the best actors really were all in the officialdom!
Listening to high-ranking officials, once not inferior to him in social status, now having to humbly flatter him, Johnson Hester felt particularly elated.
Fortunately, he still remembered the tasks that Lin Mo had entrusted to him and didn’t get carried away by the excitement.
Johnson Hester nodded in satisfaction and then said, “I don’t know how the previous Duke treated you, but now I am in charge, and since this is a time of need, I don’t have the heart to send you to jail over a few past mistakes.”
“However, it is necessary for you to audit yourselves, and even more necessary to clean out all the corrupt officials in your two departments, making them cough up what they have embezzled.”
“Starting today, you stop all your import business immediately, conduct an internal audit, the duration of which depends on how much you report. The more you find, the longer you’ll be auditing.”
“Remember, if you can’t audit yourselves, then I’ll have someone else audit you.”
“Do you understand?”
From this long message, the two high-ranking officials keenly picked up on two key points.
The first was to conduct a self-audit.
There was no room for discussion here; the fact that they could survive was already miraculous. As for the subordinates they had nurtured for so many years, it was time for them to give something back.