Citizen Hughes - Michael Drosnin [68]
“Yesterday, they had ‘first hand’ evidence that we have many friends in Washington who truly believe in us. Today, they have received many inquiries—including one from the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee—and that is just the beginning.
“Howard Cannon called me this afternoon to inform me that he and Senator Bible have been told all day long—by fellow Senators—that they can depend on full support and assistance in sustaining their position that we obtain the Stardust.
“I’ve been in constant touch with George Franklin and Governor Laxalt, and they are both ready to challenge the Justice Department ‘single-handedly.’ ”
Laxalt, in fact, made good on his pledge. He immediately shot off a letter to the attorney general, threatening to join forces with his hidden benefactor.
“If suit is instituted,” warned the governor, “we would be faced with no alternative other than to intervene and oppose the action with all the resources of the State.”
It was all to no avail. Ramsey Clark stood firm.
And Hughes was weakening. His ten-year battle over TWA had left him with a permanent fear of litigation, and he lived in dread of a subpoena.
“Suppose we take possession of the Stardust, and suppose we then notify Justice we want to talk,” he wrote. “Suppose they say: ‘Fine, let’s talk!’ So we talk, and while we are talking a story appears in the Sun that a U.S. Marshall is looking for me with a subpoena.
“Now, Bob, I dont have to tell you that this community is used to heroes who fall on their faces.
“Sinatra had the world in the palm of his hand during certain portions of his vivid, colorful life, only to fall off the pedestal and into horrible disrepute immediately afterward.
“So, as I say, this town is conditioned to the extremes of glorious success and failure to the criminal degree. Also, dont forget, Bob, that most people regard a subpoena or a court summons as equivalent to guilt and conviction. I assure you they dont bother to read the fine print.
“I repeat, they are used to seeing the guys on top fall off their thrones around here. So, when a story appears about me involving a subpoena, you can bet your life everybody in Clark County is going to have only one thought:
“ ‘Well, it had to happen sooner or later! Those big guys on top always wind up making some lousy little mistake, and then they get trapped with their hand in the cash register.’
“Dont forget, Bob, there is a crime crusade going on, and all of those loyal supporters of the Kennedies are just looking for somebody to nail to the wall.”
Knocked off his throne and nailed to the wall. What an inglorious end to his grand adventure! No, Howard Hughes would not be denied his domain. He would expand it.
It was not enough to own Las Vegas. It was not enough to own Nevada. It was not enough to own Laxalt. Hughes would have to reach beyond his besieged kingdom and buy America.
He had been spying on it all the time—through television.
4 Network
It was Saturday night. Date night. Howard Hughes, alone with his television, stared blankly at the square of light.
“From Hollywood … the dating capital of the world … in color … it’s ‘The Dating Game’!” A fanfare of upbeat music. Wild applause. A half-enclosed round stage turned, coming full-circle to reveal the grinning host of the show. All teeth and double-knits, he stepped off the revolving disk as the music reached its crescendo, making his grand entrance through a superimposed heart.
“I feel I should have walked onstage with a Band-Aid across my mouth this evening because we have so many secrets up our sleeve,” announced the game-show host, with a teasing pull at his cufflinks. “Why all the mystery?” he asked with a sinister chuckle. “That’s a mystery, too!”
Hughes watched silently. The laughtrack tittered appreciatively, then roared, but the billionaire didn’t even smile. Neither the TV show nor the wild incongruity of his listening to its fatuous emcee simper and smirk about secrets seemed to amuse him.
“I can tell you that game one brings to our ‘Dating Game’ stage