The Tyrant Billionaire

"Governor, you met a high ranking official from China, and you made certain promises to him. Afterward, you received a political donation of a whopping 5 million dollars."

Dewey gritted his teeth, the muscles on both sides of his jaw clenching.

"What do you want to say?" Dewey asked in a low voice.

"Heh, Governor, if I remember correctly, accepting foreign political donations is against federal law. If the public finds out that a presidential candidate they support has broken federal law by accepting political donations from foreigners, they will be very upset."

"Wouldn't they think, 'Has our candidate been bought by foreigners? Will he betray American interests in the future? Is it right to support such a candidate? Don't you think they might think that way?"

Dewey's mind was in turmoil. The last thing he wanted had happened someone knew about his acceptance of foreign political donations and was now using it to threaten him.

"I did not accept any foreign political donations. Stop slandering me," Dewey said through gritted teeth.

"Hahaha, Governor, you were once the most famous prosecutor in New York State. I know you've handled many cases. With your investigative skills, do you think it would be hard to trace the origins of this political donation?"

"If this matter gets exposed, the government will surely intervene in the investigation. You understand this better than I do, right? I'm sure they'll get to the bottom of it. Don't you agree?" Arnold said with a smile.

Dewey knew this would not be hard to trace, it would be easy to investigate. The FBI could find out without much effort.

Even if they didn't know who it was, the money came from São Paulo, Brazil, and ended up in the campaign fund account. Just this point would be enough to identify the funds as foreign.

If Johnson knew about this, as a competitor, he would surely use state power to suppress Dewey.

"I'm telling you, I won't accept any threats," Dewey said coldly.

Arnold chuckled, "Then it seems we won't be negotiating. Alright, I'll sell this information to a newspaper. Once the report comes out, I'm sure the FBI will investigate. At that time, I'll hand over all the materials I have to them.

"As for the outcome, you know the law better than I do. I'm sure you can predict what will happen. Well, our conversation ends here. I wish you success in winning the election and becoming President if the public doesn't mind a president who violates federal law and might betray their interests. Goodbye."

"Wait!" Dewey called out urgently.

"Oh, do you have anything more to say, Governor?" Arnold asked.

Dewey's face changed continuously. He was engaged in a fierce internal struggle. He desperately desired the presidency. He had competed against Roosevelt in the last presidential election but lost because of the wartime atmosphere and Roosevelt's victory over the war.

He felt aggrieved but had to accept the defeat.

In this election, Dewey was favored from the start. In his mind, securing the presidency was already a foregone conclusion.

He did not want to fail.

But if news of him accepting political donations broke out, it would be a significant blow and a major stain on his political career.

Dewey's image had always been that of a fair and honest law enforcer. During his time as a prosecutor, he had handled hundreds of gangsters, making him a nationally renowned star prosecutor.

But as a law enforcer who openly violated federal law, the image he had built in the public's mind could collapse overnight.

That was something he absolutely could not accept.

"What exactly do you want?" Dewey took a deep breath, trying to suppress his emotions, and asked in a low voice.

"What do you think?" Arnold responded with a question.

Dewey remained silent for a moment before saying, "You didn't expose this news immediately but chose to call me. You must want to get a bigger benefit from me. Go ahead, tell me what you want."

"What can you offer?" Arnold asked with a light chuckle.

Dewey was silent for a while longer. He was deeply conflicted. If he accepted the reality now, what consequences would he face? If he took a step further, what might happen?

"Fifty thousand dollars. Hand over all the evidence and keep your mouth shut," Dewey said in a low voice.

In the end, he leaned toward the other side, not knowing whether it was a deep abyss.

If anyone heard this, they would be shocked. A star prosecutor buying off evidence against himself was illegal.

"Hahaha~~~" Arnold let out a soft laugh.

"What are you laughing at!"

Dewey was somewhat angry and embarrassed. Being ridiculed by a small person made him very upset.

"Mr. Dewey, you are the Governor of New York, perhaps even the next President. Fifty thousand dollars is not enough to brush me off. I want five hundred thousand dollars in cash," Arnold said.

"Five hundred thousand? You are indeed greedy," Dewey cursed.

"Absolutely not. Five hundred thousand is just a fraction one-tenth of the political donation you received. If you accept my offer, you'll only need to spend a tenth of that amount to keep this information from being exposed. It's a small price to pay, don't you think?"

Dewey hesitated for a few seconds.

"Alright, I'll give you five hundred thousand. But you must hand over all the evidence and guarantee that you won't leak a single word about this," Dewey said.

"No problem. I am also bound by professional ethics," Arnold replied with a smile.

"How do we make the transaction?" Dewey asked.

"No rush. I'll call you again," Arnold said.

"Don't play tricks!"

"Governor, you hold a high position of power. I'm just a small reporter. Actually, I'm more worried about you playing tricks. I'm in desperate need of money. I hope we can complete this transaction smoothly, but I'm more concerned about you killing me to silence me. So I have to make some preparations to ensure I stay alive after getting the money before I proceed with the deal."