WWYCD Political chaos!

[hfergus]

Since things are so political right now I thought I’d throw this one out there. I’m going to give a couple of scenarios.

It’s 48 hours from Election Day (Close enough for no real response, but far enough for the word to get out there.) One person is way ahead in the polls. Meanwhile, you just found out something while investigating something else. The leader in the poll is 1) A Manchurian candidate or is a traitor. 2) Guilty of a felony still within statute of limitations but has not been caught- until you did. 3) Same as three, only a misdemeanor 4) Guilty of something embarrassing when still a minor.

Notice the chaos it would cause. You could be accused of being anti the front runner whether he is your guy or not. (Unless you are already on record – Which Olorin just might, but the others would not.)

Would it make any difference if it was someone you wanted to win?

The last question first for my players: No, they would go they same thing whether they oppose the guy or not, but would grieve about exposing 1 2, & 3.

All my characters would tell the media about 1 & 2 and back it up with the proof they have. Volt would emphasize that the offender does not reflect the party is a member of, his candidate or not. The others would probably just drop the bomb and answer questions. For # 3, all would expose it only if it contradicted something the candidate publically stood for. Otherwise, they’d let it go. All of my characters would let #4 go. You can be stupid when young, grow out of it, and indeed, learn from it and change.

[hfergus]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Oops! I may have not made this clear enough. My characters would tell the media immediately, that is before the election. You characters may wait. (or not)

[Clonus]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Riptide would visit a serious criminal and tell him that it ain't gonna happen. Get him to call a news conference announcing his withdrawl from the race. If it's a misdemeanor or a juvenile offense...who cares? Riptide's a superhero not a traffic warden or a crossing guard. But if it was a politician who was actively hostile to Riptide, Riptide would try to use it to "show the politician that he's not such a bad guy". Blackmail? No, not at all. Just pointing out that he's lucky Riptide isn't really a political enemy.

 

Hellfire is less subtle. She flies over to where the politician is and denounces him if he's guilty of a serious crime or hypocrisy. As for juvenile offense, depends on the offense.

[Eric, Omnirex]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Important note: you can't be a traitor except during a declared war. Constitution says so.

 

Celeritius: 1-Get teammate to unbrainwash, announce. 2,3,4-if Dem or Rep announce. If Alliance, let slide till after the election, then tell Congress for 2, not bother for 3, 4.

The Omnimorph: 1-tell everyone. 2, 3-tell Congress, after election (if this guy wins). 4-ignore.

Demandra: Just like Celeritius, only louder.

Grijze Kat: 1-try to talk team into snatching and hiding. 2, 3-announce (she doesn't think misdemeanors are unimportant). 4-ignore.

[Trebuchet]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Important note: you can't be a traitor except during a declared war. Constitution says so.

Wrong. Here's what the US Constitution says:

 

Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

 

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

 

Nothing about declared war.

 

I think, regardless of legalities, most people would consider selling secrets to or committing espionage for an enemy nation to be treasonable. That would be enough to act on given the premise of this WWYCD.

[Mendou]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Pyrie has a slight advantage in this, as she's (barely) too young to vote. So she won't take quite so much flack from the frontrunner's party or from the media.

 

(Assume for all of these that the evidence is being carried in a fireproof briefcase or other method which will prevent it burning up before she gets it to the authorities.)

 

Situation 1: Pyrie swoops into the frontrunner's campaign headquarters (or wherever he happens to be at the moment) and grabs him, then flies out without a word and carries him to the nearest FBI office, where she drops him and the evidence off with a terse explanation. She probably waits until someone in authority has a chance to look at the evidence, then rushes off.

 

Situations 2 & 3: Pyrie swoops into the frontrunner's present location, loudly accuses him of the crime to his face (in presence of the media, preferably live media), then carries him off to the nearest police station. There, she gives him and the evidence to officers (preferably ones she knows/trusts/has been arrested by), and sticks around long enough to explain the arrest.

 

Situation 4: Pyrie lets herself into the frontrunner's hotel room after he's finished his public appearances for the day, armed with the evidence of the embarrassing situation. She pulls up a chair (blocking access to the door), waves the embarrassing report/photo/etc. in the frontrunner's face, and says "So, tell me about it. All about it." (evil grin in place, of course) If he's honest/persuasive enough, he may wind up with a new campaign volunteer, if she finds enough in common with her juvenile-crime experience or with the way her life's gone recently. She's (understandably) not going to judge him by the mistakes he made in his teens (depending on how serious it is; given the "embarrassing" description, I don't think it'd be bad enough for her to arrest him).

 

Pyrie doesn't care too much about the political ramifications; after all, no matter how she felt about him, his policies, or his party, she still couldn't vote for him. If there are riots, well, it means she's got something to do. (Yes, that means she's really not making any friends over this one.) If she'd liked him, she'd be upset, but he still needed to pay for his crimes (except for the juvenile scenario, in which case she's gained a lot more respect for him since he'd "been there" too).

[QueenOfItAll]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Not all of my current, active PCs exist in a setting where this could occur. However, I will respond as if they did.

 

Caliente: In situations 1 through 3: hand over to the proper authorities the information she has. If situation 4 involves a crime the candidate was not arrested for, turn over the information to the proper authorities, if it does not involve a crime, or if the candidate was arrested for, destroy the documents.

 

The Blaze: In situations 1, 2 and 3: would hand over the evidence, but would do so either immediately, after the election but before the Inauguration, or after the Inauguration, depending on what would do the most or least damage to the candidate (which in turn depends on whether she approved or not of the candidate). Situation number 4 she would ignore (unless it was a crime the candidate had not been arrested and tried for; if that were true, she'd treat it the same way she would treat situations 1,2, and 3).

 

Lana Wanna: In all situations; figure out how to use the information to do the most damage to the election process. If damage cannot be done, hold it up to ridicule. If that cannot be done, ignore it all.

[Kal'El Wayne]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

If the candidate was a candidate for an American political position, then Sir Johnstone doesn't care. If it is for a British political position, he'd only slightly care, depending on if this guy is one of his contacts or not. If he is, then Sir Johnstone would have known about something like this already. If not, then Sir Johnstone makes a phone call and the crime is suddenly uncovered by someone else, leading to a full criminal trial, etc. If it was something that he wouldn't be arrested for anymore, then Sir Johnstone wouldn't bother to make it public knowledge, but might use it as blackmail material just before the election to get another contact in the British Government.

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

None of my characters would act on #4. There is a reason minor's records are sealed.

 

Most would ignore #3 as well, although if there was proof, take that info to the police.

 

On to the biggies-

In the case of #2 -

Blackcat would present the evidence to the police, and talk to the individual, and perhaps (depending on reaction of the candidate) bring him in herself. How far she acted really depended on what the felony was though.

 

Ballistic would bring him in. Period. He's an excop, he hates seeing criminals free.

 

Sift would talk with the person, and encourage him to turn himself in before she give the info to the police.

 

Terminal Velocity would hand off the info to Primus (as that is the law enforcement agency he has had the most experience with).

 

Meeb likely wouldn't do much, he deals with supercriminals, and is an alien amoeba anyway - he doesn't follow politics.

 

In general the characters wouldn't act too different than they would in the case of any felony - the fact he is a candidate doesn't make much difference to them.

 

In #1.

 

Black Cat would take him down, and take down whoever was behind him (Manchurian) or his contact (spy). Then take all that info, and people and turn them over to Until. She would never talk to the press about it.

 

Ballastic would do the same, but he would turn them over to Primus or the FBI/CIA. He also would not talk to the press.

 

Sift, Terminal Velocity and Meeb would likely have such things happen as part of a team adventure, and would get consensus of the teams on exactly what they do after they take down the orginization behind the candidate.

 

Terminal Velocity would explain to the Press (he gets along with them)

Sift would answer questions, but not make a big production of it.

Meeb would shlurp off in another direction. His team doesn't do much with the Press (with the name Freak Squad, and over half the team with single digit Comliness scores, it's no wonder).

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

Seeker would proceed as follows:

 

1. Present the evidence to the proper authorities, and trumpet the news as quickly, as loudly and as far as possible. (Or more specifically, he'd probably share the information with his team leader, and have him do it, since the team leader is much more well-respected and influential; Seeker is a bit... ah... crusty.)

 

2. Turn the evidence over to the proper authorities, but give them the chance to announce it if it seems they'll do so. If they seem inclined to cover it up until after the election, then as 1 above.

 

3. Turn the evidence over to the proper authorities. If they don't do/say anything about it until after the election, c'est la vie.

 

4. Nothing, as long as it was just "embarrassing", and not something disturbing (like torturing other kids for fun or something indicative of mental instability like that). If it was some thing disturbing, then he'd make it known (again, before the election).

[assault]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

The leader in the poll is 1) A Manchurian candidate or is a traitor.

 

Expose the Manchurian candidate. Unbrainwash if possible.

Arrest the traitor.

 

2) Guilty of a felony still within statute of limitations but has not been caught- until you did.

 

Arrest them.

 

3) Same as three, only a misdemeanor

 

Ignore, or possibly expose a hypocrite.

 

4) Guilty of something embarrassing when still a minor.

 

Ignore.

 

Would it make any difference if it was someone you wanted to win?

 

Not really. Possibly cut them a little bit more slack in case 3.

[bubba smith]

Re: WWYCD Political chaos!

 

TUFF MAN would anonomously to the D.A.'s office