American Tax Officer

If it weren't for holding onto their ledger, with their status, they wouldn't even deign to meet.

Upon thinking this, an executive named Grelay could no longer endure it and he lashed back, "Don't assume holding this ledger will allow you to do as you please with us!"

"Whether I can do as I please, I'm not sure, but if you don't pay up, I can make sure your GCO prison business can't operate in Nevada State."

"Ha, what a bold claim!"

Grelay sneered and retorted, "Do you have any idea how many prisoners would be left homeless if our GCO prison business were to stop?"

"And how many criminals from the FBI, DEA, Immigration, state police, and district attorney's offices would become unrestricted because they are not in prison?"

"When that leads to chaos in the entire state's system, can you, a Chief Tax Officer, afford the consequences?"

Having said this, Grelay began to look smug, and the other executives shared his sentiment.

David indeed held the ledger that could plunge them into a media whirlwind, but as Grelay had pointed out, if such a situation were to truly arise, David, as well as the Nevada State Tax Authority, could not afford the consequences!

David's lips curled into a smirk as he looked at these men as if watching clowns, then he replied, "Yes, terminating your GCO operations in Nevada State might cause some chaos, but I reckon CCA and MTC would be quite interested in taking over!"

Upon hearing this, Grelay and the others, who had been somewhat pleased with themselves, suddenly had their expressions change dramatically.

In America, there are three major private prison enterprises; their GCO is one of them, with the other two being CCA and MTC.

According to the policies of the America Department of Justice, to avoid vicious competition among private prisons, each state can only have one enterprise operating private prisons.

Nevada State was the jurisdiction that their GCO had won.

And now David's intention was clear: eliminate GCO's prison business and bring in CCA or MTC as replacements.

In this way, their plan to use the termination of their prison business and the resulting instability caused by the displacement of prisoners to threaten David naturally fell flat.

Moreover, not only did their scheme fail, but if Nevada State was indeed taken over by CCA and MTC, their GCO would suffer a huge loss.

"Director David, don't try to scare us, you are formidable indeed, but I don't believe you have the capability!"

Finally, Caroline spoke up.

Firstly, all David had was the ledger from their GCO's Rio City Prison, at most he could target this single prison.

The Tax Authority's power was significant, but there was no such thing as 'guilt by association' according to federal law.

Additionally, their GCO had collaborations with major law enforcement and police departments in Nevada State, and to replace them with CCA or MTC, it would require consent from the Nevada government and all law enforcement departments within the state to be feasible.

She didn't believe David had such capability.

"Ha, thinking you can replace us with CCA, MTC, do you even know what you're talking about?"

"Naive, Nevada State is not something your Tax Authority can just control."

"..."

After Caroline's reminder, the GCO executives began to recover their senses, barraging him with mockery.

But David didn't bother with idle talk and directly pulled out his phone to dial Governor Laurie's number, simultaneously switching on speakerphone: "Do you have a moment to chat, Governor Laurie?"

Upon hearing the words 'Governor Laurie', the previously mocking Pearson and others suddenly froze in expression.

However, the words that followed from the other side of the phone left them utterly stunned.

"What can I do for you, Director David?"

The call was on speaker, and Governor Laurie spoke with such respect?

This was the supreme authority of a state, how could she show such deference to a Tax Authority director, even using words like 'What can I do for you'?

No, this couldn't be right!

The person on the other end surely couldn't be the actual Governor Laurie; perhaps David was putting on a show to bluff them!

That was the only explanation that came to everyone's mind.

But as the conversation between the two continued, the executives at GCO felt numb again.

"When Director David calls me, I must make time even if I don't have any. What's the matter?"

"It's about this, have you heard about our Nevada State's private prisons?"

"Private prisons? That's under the responsibility of District Attorney Masfield and his department, I'm not too familiar with it. Do you need me to call him over to discuss it with you?"

"That would be appreciated."

While the GCO executives weren't too familiar with the newly appointed Governor Laurie, they knew District Attorney Masfield very well.

After all, it was with this district attorney that their GCO Corporation signed the agreement for the rights to operate in Nevada State and they often coordinated on prison-related matters.

Now, hearing that Governor Laurie on the phone was about to call the district attorney to talk to David made them realize, David might not just be bluffing them.

Under the uneasy gaze of the GCO executives, the voice finally came from the other end of the line: "Hello Director David, this is District Attorney Masfield. I heard from Governor that you wanted to inquire about private prisons, is that right?"