Leverage (2008–2012): Season 5, Episode 5 - The Gimme a K Street Job - full transcript
To help students whose cheerleading school is putting them in danger, the team takes on its most corrupt adversary: Congress.
That's it, girls!
Lono, harder! Pull back!
Back up! Arms!
Tighter! Tighter!
Angela, arms straight.
That's it.
Good girl.
5, 6, 7, 8.
1, 2, 3, 4...
5, 6, 7, 8! 1, 2!
Hey!
Are you the morons in charge?
Well...
I'm the company C.E.O., So...
Yes, I'm the "moron"
in charge, miss...
Coach Cornell.
Your set-up here is a mess.
These are one-inch mats.
We should be working
on 12-inch mats.
Not according to
the safety standards.
The safety standards
are a joke.
Pep athletics doesn't set the safety
standards for competitive cheer.
The gymnastics and tumbling
safety administration does.
Pep owns
the safety administration.
Listen, if you don't like
the way we run our competitions,
Miss Cornell, uh, feel free
to take your team home.
Of course, your entry fees are
non-refundable.
Okay, here we go.
Come on, Marcy.
Oh, my god!
Marcy!
Marcy!
Get the medics!
- Call the medics!
- Okay.
Hello? Yeah, we need
an ambulance right away.
5x05
- The Gimme a K Steet Job -
The doctors think she'll eventually
breathe on her own, But her legs...
But it was an accident.
It wasn't your fault.
This wasn't an accident.
It was negligence.
Negligence is hard to prove.
What makes you so sure that
it was this company's fault?
Pep athletics
controls competitive cheer.
They write
the safety standards,
And not to protect the girls...
to be cheap.
Hmm. Is Marcy
covered by insurance?
You have to be to participate
in Pep competitions.
But you have to buy it From Pep's
subsidiary insurance company.
I see. And let me guess...
they don't pay out.
Mr. Ford, Pep has blamed me
for the accident
and banned me from coaching.
I'm a fully qualified
gymnastics coach.
Pep's coach-training program...
A fry cook gets more training.
My team's not safe without me.
Well, we gona make sure they are.
Do you hate me? You hate me.
Is that why
you're making me do this?
No, Parker, these girls...
they need a coach,
And you're the best gymnast
I know.
Besides, it puts you on
the inside at Pep H.Q. In D.C.
They're running cheer camp for the
next week up until championship.
But they're teenage girls.
What do I know about teenage girls?
You were a teenage girl?
Only sort of.
Look, did you know about this?
Girls being dropped
from 20 feet.
It's unbelievable.
I know, right?
20 feet? Psh! Walk it off.
Parker, you do know
that normal people
Don't just "walk off"
a 20-foot fall, right?
So...
All those times I pushed
Hardison off a building
And he was all "aah!"...
he wasn't just being funny?
I thought it was funny, Parker.
No way in hell was it funny.
You're always upside down, man.
I fell off a building.
I was upside...
Like a himalayan tree frog.
You calling me a frog?
You calling me a damn frog?
Say it again.
Say it to my face.
Guys... maybe focus, guys.
Focus.
Damn frog.
Pep athletics.
They started out
selling workout clothes,
Then they turned into
22 subsidiaries
and shell companies
That run competitive cheer.
They set safety standards,
they train coaches,
They sell uniforms,
they sell insurance,
And they also televise
very lucrative competitions.
And they profit off of
teenage girls the whole way.
Now, because
of their corporate structure,
It lets them hide the fact
that it's the same company.
the mafia
has a less-complicated set-up.
Yeah, and with them,
you need a federal task force
And a rico case to bring them down.
Mm-hmm.
Now, this is the C.E.O.,
wendy Baran.
She's an ex-cheerleader,
And she's the one
who moved Pep into cheer.
She took them
from selling sweat pants
Into running a sport.
Ah, there's the crux
of the problem right there.
Technically, legally,
cheerleading is not a sport.
It's an activity.
What's the difference?
A sport has legally mandated
safety standards.
Yes, and a for-profit company
cannot run a sport,
Which is why Pep wants to keep
Competitive cheer
from becoming a sport,
Unless, of course,
we made it one.
That's when
the safety standards kick in.
Yes, and then Pep would be doing
a free-fall without a mat.
So how do we make something
a sport?
Well, we don't, actually.
The federal high school
athletics committee does.
This is a job for Congress.
Subtitles edited by
Ehhhhtozebec
Ah, I love government.
Shady deals,
back-room meetings...
It is grifter paradise.
This is wrong.
We work outside the law, not
smack-dab in the middle of it.
Relax, Eliot.
Elected officials are
the easiest marks in the world.
Between their ego, the greed,
and the politics...
More hooks than a bait shop.
I'm just saying, we'd be
better off running a stock scam
Or maybe a little heist.
Hey, the government's
just a system, baby,
and if it's a system,
we can hack it.
I already got The cheerleader
protection act, H.R. 505, up for vote
in about 20 minutes.
Poor bastards
won't know what hit them.
Right. Assuming it passes.
Assuming what?
It's a bill to keep high-school
girls out of wheelchairs.
Who's gonna vote against it?
Ladies and gentlemen,
this bill is a staggering...
I say a staggering overreach
of government power.
You were saying?
How the hell did this bill
come up for a vote
- without us knowing about it?
- I don't know.
I-I've been trying to keep tabs
on things, but...
Now, I was a quarterback
in high school,
So I think I know a thing or two
about cheerleaders.
And one thing I know is that
they do not want big government
getting all up
in their business.
Cheerleaders are strong,
independent young women.
They don't need a bunch
of white-haired old men
from washington
telling them what to do.
They don't need a nanny state
dictating their every move.
Sophie, can you get
a head count?
They got parents
to do that for them.
Now, I know it's hard
for parents to raise a teen.
Judging by the body language,
I'd say...
Zero for, seven against.
These parents
are hard-working americans.
Hardison,
we got to stop this now.
I can't hack the agenda
while the meeting's in session.
No, we've got to stop this now...
not the agenda. The sound system.
What we're talking about
Is having this August body
March into their towns
Straight down
the neighborhood streets
And right into the front door
of our high schools.
And make no mistake,
Once we let big government
into our high schools,
Well, who knows where that
might...
Just press this button.
I said, who knows what...
Sorry.
Anyone...
anyone mind if we table this
Until we can get things working
around here?
Uh, folks, we're gonna
put this off till next week,
And thank you all for coming.
looks like
we have some time.
Maybe this won't be
a complete disaster.
Did anyone else catch that?
Baran, the C.E.O. Of Pep...
The bill
was about to be voted down.
I mean, that's the best thing
that could happen for Pep,
right?
You're right. She should be
thrilled. Why the long face?
Okay, Parker, I need you
to break into Baran's office
And see what she's up to.
Sure. No problem.
It's not like
I'm dragging around
A flock of cheerleaders
or anything.
Yeah. The rest of us...
Let's go steal us
some Congressmen.
And here's our committee.
According to Sophie,
we've got seven nay votes.
We need to flip four to win.
The good news is we got tons
of data on these politicians...
Voting records,
financial records, all that.
It makes it easy to figure out
who's the most influential
And who's
the easiest to influence.
Who's our best buy?
These are our four right here.
Congresswoman jane berkus.
She's very numbers-driven.
Impeccable on women's issues.
We make her know that this is
about protecting young girls,
She's in.
There's Congressman
Juan Caballo.
Now, he won his seat
in a populist upswell
That he's having trouble
maintaining.
We keep him in office,
he votes how we want.
Hold on.
Congressman John Zahn.
He's currently
being investigated
For some fundraising
irregularities.
Now,
we make his problem go away,
He makes our problem go away.
Finally, we have
Congressman J.J. Legrange.
He's a consummate
Washington insider.
His father held that seat
and his grandfather before him.
Now, this man loves the cameras,
and he loves his power.
He's also the committee chair,
Which means
if he's against us...
It means he's got 100 procedural
tricks he can use kill the bill.
We need him, or we got nothing.
Wait a minute...
you're talking about
Running a con
on four separate marks.
No, not... not marks.
Elected officials.
We do this right,
we'll have them
eating out of our hand
by dinner.
"Eating out of our hand
by dinner," huh?
Anybody else feel like
We've been chewed up
and spit out?
All right.
Anything else?
We're done.
Uh, actually...
Yes, new guy.
I'd like to discuss H.R. 505.
The cheerleading bill?
Right you are.
Here.
You see, there are some numbers
that I think you'll find...
Numbers.
Like the $20 million
the bill will cost schools
In equipment and training?
I am not taking money away from
arts, music, school lunches,
Or, god forbid,
actual women's sports
So that Candi, Mandi,
and Brandi-with-an-I
Can flounce around in their miniskirts
and midriffs. Right. But...
So unless you can find
$20 million
lying around unclaimed
in the federal budget,
We're done.
Noted. Copy. I feel you.
But, um...
You know, Hardison,
you said it yourself...
Government's just a system.
It is a system.
It's also "war and peace"
with math.
At least you're
dealing with money.
That's why the voters
sent me here.
Hold on.
Sorry.
How can I help you, miss...
Amber von Cleve
of the Cleveland von Cleves.
The family would like to make
a sizable donation
To your re-election campaign.
There is, however, one thing
We'd like to make sure
we see eye-to-eye on.
The corn subsidies.
The... excuse me?
I know how important they are
to the district,
But I've been stonewalled.
You really want
to get me re-elected?
Find me a way to land
those corn subsidies.
I got to take this.
Now, wait a minute, you said
you like back-room dealings.
I like
stealing things that are real.
Cash... of course. Land... sure.
Art... yes, please.
Corn subsidies? Not so much.
At least you're stealing.
They've got this place
sewn up so tight,
I can barely even case it.
No. No, I told you...
I don't have time right now.
Yeah. No...
- Um, coach?
- Right!
Okay, who's up for
some basic gymnastics drills?
Yes. You. What are you called?
Madison.
Can I be excused?
I don't feel well.
But...
We have... laser grid, Madison.
Laser grid.
Huh?
They're so jaded.
Parker, you just got to figure
out how to connect with them.
You have more in common
than you think.
Why are you so upbeat
about all of this?
Yeah.
I mean, how'd you do
with the distinguished gentleman
From
being-investigated-for-fraud?
Congressman,
sorry to interrupt.
It's no problem, pal.
Just tell me this.
What do you want,
and what's it worth to you?
Let's talk. Lunch?
Sounds great.
For real, man?
You telling me you bought
a Congressman with a lunch?
It was a nice lunch.
I've been saying it all along,
guys.
Elected officials are
the easiest mark in the world.
Oh, you think so, huh?
Congressman.
Steven Turner, Rossi Consulting.
- How you doing?
- Just fine, Mr. Turner. Just fine.
You're a busy man.
I can appreciate that.
Listen,
we have a client that runs
A political action committee
for women's athletics,
And we'd like to know
your stance on H.R. 505.
I made man
I think
it's government overreach,
Pure and simple.
I hear that, I tell you.
But, however,
our client does want to make
A substantial donation to
a Congressman... no, no.
Listen carefully, son.
Now, people don't doNate to me
to buy my vote.
People doNate to me
Because they already know
how I'm gonna vote.
People doNate to me
because of my integrity.
Now, if your people
are interested in me,
I'm happy to have your money.
But if you think you can buy
a vote off of J.J. Legrange,
Well, you got
another think coming.
You mean...
Yeah, I mean
the guy's got integrity.
Elected official or not,
you can't con an honest man.
Okay, people, let's grift.
Hello, numbers.
You ready to dance?
Corn subsidies?
Why did it have to be
corn subsidies?
Congresswoman Greenhill.
I'm Debra Scott
of the Scottsdale Scotts.
My family would like to make
a sizable donation
to your re-election campaign.
There is one thing, however,
We'd like to make sure
we see eye-to-eye on
- Corn subsidies.
- Corn subsidies?
Do you know what corn
subsidies are code for?
- Excuse me?
- Ethanol.
And do you know what the problem
with ethanol is?
No, but I sure would like
to find out.
Well, people think that it's clean
energy, but it's still burning carbon.
It takes attention away
from real sustainable energy.
And do you know what Arizona has
more of than any other state?
Sand?
Sun. Limitless, clean sunlight.
I won't subsidize corn in Ohio
Unless there's at least as much
for solar subsidies in Arizona.
This is a bad idea.
You can't con
an honest man, Nate.
He's not an honest man.
He's an elected official.
Really?
'Cause he turned down
pac money,
Which, by the way, is legal.
That just means money's
not his hook.
You got to figure out what is.
All right, he's a politician.
He likes power.
Don't offer him money.
Offer him more power.
Uh, Congresswoman?
New guy.
Hey.
What do you need?
Uh. Ah.
Bam. What?!
The money.
Look, XJ-12...
It's
an armored-vehicle prototype.
All right, $50 million
Was earmarked
for development this year,
But the pentagon says
they don't want it.
They said they don't need
another armored car.
So I'm thinking
we take that money,
Put it into cheerleading,
right?
We fund the bill.
We have plenty to spare.
holla.
You can't touch that money.
but
The Pentagon does not want it.
It's defense spending.
It's a separate appropriations
bill from education.
You'd have to send both bills
back to the floor
And start all over.
Right... right, but just
l-listen real quick.
They do not want the money.
But they don't...
they don't want the money.
Congressman.
Hi. Steven Turner,
Rossi Consulting.
Yeah.
Fella came around yesterday
looking to buy my vote.
That was not my fault.
I wanted you to know
that was my boss's idea.
I respect integrity, sir.
I respect the hell out of it.
As a matter of fact,
It's how, uh,
it's how I choose a leader.
Now, my firm happens to have
a client that wants to sponsor
A primary challenge
to Senator Fischer.
you grooming me
for a higher office?
Well...
Sorry, son.
I spent a lot of time becoming
the big fish in my little pond.
And that's the way I like it.
Hey, Ms. Rochester,
Those solar subsidies
are earmarked for New York.
My constituents
are counting on them.
come on, Congressman.
One New Yorker to another...
Arizona's got more sun.
Can't we just
split the difference?
Maybe I can swing it,
But I'm gonna need
a little favor from you.
Hey, Parker?
Any progress
getting into Baran's office?
Not yet.
Security's tight, but...
Okay, good.
Now, just like we practiced.
The projections are great,
But this whole thing hinges on
having the cash on hand in time.
Are you in?
Sounds like she's trying to
get money together,
But I don't know what for.
Okay, well, you got to
get in there and find out.
Yeah, I know.
But there's cameras everywhere.
It's almost like they know
There's a jillion
pesky teenagers crawling around.
Coach?
Coach, uh, do you think
we could let her down?
Why? She's fine.
Well, she might get dizzy.
Or... or something.
Bring her down.
Okay, so what's your next play?
Well, you're supposed to be
the mastermind.
He doesn't want power.
He doesn't want money.
Maybe he really is
an honest man.
Everyone has a hook, Elliot.
Everyone has a weakness
you can exploit.
Do you?
No. You?
No.
Look, maybe this doesn't fit
into your world view, Nate,
But there are some people out
there that just want to serve.
Trust me. I served with them.
Okay.
Well, if all they want to do
is serve,
you can exploit that, too.
Congressman!
Hi. How you doing again?
Steven.
- Turner. Back again.
- Right.
Very tenacious. Thank you.
Listen, I was wondering
if you ever considered
Taking a job
on the punditry circuit.
not... not right now.
I'm talking about later,
you know, so you can
Keep fighting the good fight
after your term's over.
I'm not interested.
Come on, man! Why the hell not?
Sorry.
'Cause I'm not planning on
leaving office any time soon.
Well, no, no, no, no.
No, no, of course not.
I mean, you probably got
this re-election
All sewn up this cycle. Yep.
Probably the next one, too.
But, you know, after that,
it could get a little bit rough.
I'm thinking
maybe eight years tops,
And you're looking
for other work.
What are you talking about?
Polling numbers.
Eight years out?
You don't have those numbers.
Nobody has those numbers.
We do. It's a computer model.
Some of the boys whipped it up
back at the office.
Now, it shows demographics,
and it shows social trends.
And can I be honest with you?
I don't know the first thing
about any of that stuff,
Except for the fact
that it works.
It sounds like snake oil to me.
Okay, tell him to look at
Tracey college's
10-year expansion plan.
Well,
if you're not interested.
I understand.
You should, though...
You should tell your
campaign manager to take a look
At the Tracey college
10-year expansion plan.
What about it?
When a college expands...
Well, when a college expands,
young voters come in,
And that's not your
demographic, is it?
That and many other things
is what the model accounts for.
I want to see
this model of yours.
- Two hours. My office.
- Yes, sir.
Not bad.
You can fake all that polling
stuff I was talking about, right?
Hope so.
Ms. Baran? Hmm?
You should see this.
A man on the hill
tipped me off.
This guy's been talking
to Congressman legrange
On and off
for the last two days.
I've seen this one, too...
At the committee meeting
on H.R. 505.
You think they're trying
to push the bill through?
No sense taking chances.
Let's make sure
Congressman Legrange
stays where we want him.
Are you sure
you can control him?
I was a cheerleader
in high school.
I think I know a few things
about quarterbacks.
Okay, Elliot and I
are circling legrange.
Sophie, where are you?
Trying to improve
the air-quality standards
In Massachusetts.
Okay. For corn subsidies?
No, to get me
the fishery concessions
That I then trade
for logging rights
To get me
the redistricting deal,
That gets me the grant funding,
That gets me
the solar subsidies,
That finally gets me the bloody,
stinking corn subsidies.
I don't know how anything
gets down around here.
You have to be a grifter
to run government.
I'm gonna need an assistant.
Okay...
Hardison?
How you doing?
Look, Nate,
I'm good with systems.
You know that.
But this...
this system hacks back.
I got $7 million
sitting right here,
Set aside for mad-cow testing,
which nobody uses,
Because, I mean, you know,
Nobody wants to know
that they got mad-cow cows.
Yeah, so, uh, give them
to the cheerleaders.
I can't, man.
There's a law right here
that says
That there has to be money
set aside for mad-cow testing,
Which nobody does!
Makes no sense.
There's no rhyme,
no reason, no...
It's cool. Don't pop a nerve.
Don't pop a nerve.
Don't throw a book.
Okay, well, you two just
keep doing what you're doing.
Let's wrap this up fast
before somebody snaps.
Uh, Parker,
did you find anything?
The meet's in an hour.
If I use it as cover,
I can sneak up to the roof,
short out the security system,
Then get down
into Baran's office
While everyone's here.
Where's Madison?
Where is Madison?!
Madison?
I haven't seen her in a while.
Great.
I lost a cheerleader.
Okay, Ashley,
where's Madison?
Can I have some water?
In a minute.
Why don't you tell us again,
from the top?
I don't know
where Madison went.
Don't give us that.
The girls say
you're her best friend.
Best friends talk, angela.
Are you gonna talk?
Huh? Are you?
Huh? Easy. Easy.
Easy.
Your coach gets a little
hot under the collar.
Am I in trouble?
Are you gonna call my parents?
You can parent up.
That's your right.
Madison talked to me
in confidence.
A big word for a little girl.
Where's Madison?
ms. Von cleve's office.
Ms. Scott's office.
Ms. Scott's not available.
Ms. Von Cleve's office.
Ms. Von Cleve's office.
How may I help you?
I'm sorry, senator.
So, you'll see to it
That Massachusetts
gets the contract
For the new
military personnel database.
And you'll see that the land
is leased to the general
For the new air base
in the persian gulf.
Think you can shake on that?
Okay, $5 million earmarked
for... Vocational training
For Millers, Blacksmiths,
and Haberdashers...
By an 1884 statute.
Hey, anybody got a way
To legally define cheerleading
as haberdashery?
I'll see
what I can do.
- Ginger!
- Yes, ma'am?
Get me Congressman Finke
on the phone.
Okay, right away, ma'am.
all right.
I mean, yeah.
'Cause that's what we do.
That's how we get it.
Madison?
Madis...
Madison, hey,
what are you doing down here?
Everybody's freaking out. Come on, we
got to get you to the competition.
I don't want to compete.
What? Why not?
I don't want to mess up again.
What are you talking about?
When do you mess up?
You're great.
Seriously?
Oh.
You were Marcy's spotter.
I don't know what went wrong.
We'd done it a hundred times.
Everything was going perfectly.
I just don't want anyone else
to get hurt.
Look...
I'm not afraid of heights
or falling or...
Anything I probably should be.
But do you know
whatam afraid of?
Letting down the people
I care about.
Look, you don't have to compete
if you don't want to compete.
But I think your friends
are gonna feel a lot safer
Knowing that you're there,
instead of having no one there.
Right?
Did, uh, that work?
Because I kind of got to get all
the way up to the roof, so...
How did you know
how to get down here?
All the girls know how.
There's no security or cameras
down here,
So we all just come down here
to do stuff.
No security?
well, the cor
subsidies are locked up.
Budget is, too.
And counting
Nate's lunch buddy,
We've got three
of the four votes that we need.
Just leaves me and Legrange and...
That's him.
Steven turner.
He just canceled.
I'm so... what came up?
And so it is with great pleasure
that I announce to you
The Pep athletics J.J. Legrange
cheerleading scholarship.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Congressman Legrange.
Oh!
Uh, well, uh,
thank you, Ms. Baran.
And thank you, Pep athletics!
Come on. Let's hear it.
I... I am... I'm very proud
to be associated
With such a fine example of
american entrepreneurial spirit.
Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
That's it. That's his hook.
To get his name
on a scholarship
And a big yearbook picture
blown up.
Yeah, we were thinking too big.
Well, he just publicly tied
himself to Pep athletics,
So there's no way he's gonna
vote against them now.
That's not
the only bad news.
I'm in Baran's office.
She's planning to buy Pep,
take it private.
That's why she was pulling
all the cash together.
Yes, and why she was so upset
the bill almost failed...
Because if the bill fails,
Pep's stock price
goes through the roof.
She can't afford that.
But if she already owns the
company before the bill fails...
She cleans up.
We accelerated things too fast.
We put the bill up for a vote
Before she had a chance
to get her money together.
If she buys Pep, that means
even less oversight.
How do we stop her?
We accelerate things even more.
Ladies and gentleman,
Pep athletics:
Is proud to presentmen,
The 17th annual
Tournament of Champions.
Ready! Ready!
Let's hear it
for the MHS badgers!
Ready! Ready! Let's go!
Ready?
Ready.
Ready.
Ready.
Ready.
Let's go.
You seem to be popping up
all over the place.
Yeah. I do that.
Listen, I've moved up
the vote again
On H.R. 505
first thing tomorrow.
How'd you pull that off?
Congressman,
sorry to interrupt.
No problem, pal.
Just tell me this.
What do you want,
and what's it worth to you?
The bill is gonna fail
Before you have a chance
to put your money together.
Then it's "bye-bye, buyout."
You're very well informed,
mister...?
Okay, then.
Bring it on.
She's on the hook.
We need the rest of that money
right now.
I want the buyout done today.
We're still short on funds.
We've got 22 companies
under our umbrella.
Pull anything you can.
Okay, Nate,
you were right.
They just pulled up
the org chart
To dip into other companies.
There are only a few
with liquidity.
Well, try cheer wear,
the uniform company.
oh, no, you don't.
You're swimming my pool now,
guppy.
ng
Um, Ms. Baran,
the system's giving me an alert.
I'm not sure that transfer
is legal.
Why not?
It says there's a 1938 Labor law
requiring textile companies
To keep cash on hand
to pay overtime.
Is that for real?
I'm checking, but it does
seem to be legitimate.
What about the
all-cheer competition league?
We run a competition a week.
They must have
plenty of cash on hand.
Oh, keep it coming.
Keep it...
do what you got to do.
ng
We can't use that money,
either, because...
Because we'reeeee
a sweepstakes?
We'rewhat?
We're not a sport,
so technically,
This says, we're a sweepstakes.
There... there are
a lot of restrictions
On what you can do
with sweepstakes money.
Go for C.T.V.C.
All those broadcast contracts...
they must have cash.
Um, Ma'am, C.T.V.C.
Is under investigation
For indecency.
Well, when the hell
did thathappen?
Oh my..
There. Right there, Sir.
That is a wardrobe malfunction.
I can see her hoo-hah!
Her hoo-hah, sir!
Are you blind?!
Do I need to call
Congressman Caballo?
Or Congressman Greenhill?
I will call
my whole rolodex, sir!
ng
Find that money.
I don't care where you get it,
but you find it!
Call me
when the transfer's done.
Keep on him, Hardison.
I'm on it.
Where's coach?
She'll be here.
She won't let us down.
Wolves, you're up.
Let's give it
up for the Wolves.
I'm here!
I'm here! I'm here!
all right, let's huddle up.
I bet you guys could use
a Pep talk right about now, huh?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
For Marcy?
For Marcy.
Go, Wolves.
Go-o-o-o, Wolves!
You play a good game.
Thank you.
It's not over yet.
Oh, wrong.
My assistant found the money.
Mm.
I bought Pep while you've been
standing here...
Gawking.
Two, four, six, eight.
Who did we annihilate?
Ah, you underestimated me.
People underestimate
cheerleaders all the time.
I didn't.
I saw a niche,
and I exploited it.
Every girl
wants to be a cheerleader.
Every girl wants to be pretty.
Every girl wants to be popular.
And they will pay anything
to get it.
Cheerleaders built me
a $300 million-a-year company
Because I didn't
mm. Underestimate them.
Wolves!
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let's hear it
for the Northfield Wolves!
You know, I-I really don't think
I underestimated you.
In fact, I think
I estimated you just...
About...
Wait for it.
Right.
Let's give a hand
for all our teams.
You're gonna want to get that.
What?
We have a problem.
There are federal agents here
with a warrant.
For what?
Insurance fraud.
What? Why are the...
The money.
Where did you
pull the money from?
The only place I could.
The national cheerleading
insurance and underwriters.
Hardison,
that insurance company
That the cheerleaders
have to buy from...
How much cash on hand
do they have?
Oh, they never pay out.
They got a lot of premium money
sitting there.
Okay, so here's what
we're gonna do.
We are gonna make sure that that's
the only money she can draw from.
All right.
- What happened?
- Uh...
I-I didn't do this. I
didn't... you didn't what?
I didn't...
Okay, just wait a second.
I'm gonna go get Ms. Baran.
Ms. Baran?
I didn't...
Ms. Baran,
we've got another photo op.
I did not authorize
that transfer.
Snyder did it on his own.
This will fall on him.
Well, that would be true
if it weren't for the bribe.
What bribe? What bribe?
The bribe that you gave him,
that's hiding in that trophy.
What?
Oops.
Ms. Baran?
I did not do that.
I did not do any of this,
and no one can prove that I did.
Well, actually,
that's the best part.
No one has to.
All they have to prove is that
people that work for you
Committed insurance fraud
and bribery.
And you, as the C.E.O., that
opens you up to RICO charges.
The Mafia has a
less-complicated setup.
Yeah, and with them you
need a federal task force
and a RICO case
to bring them down.
FBI, Ma'am.
Come with us.
Oh.
What?!
Let go!
Let go of me!
Cheers!
What the hell just happened?
Did I just accept a bribe?
Well, technically... Maybe.
But you didn't know,
so it probably...
I'll tell you
what I would do, Congressman,
Is I would put as much distance
Between me and Pep athletics
as possible.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This bill protects
our children... our children!
And if we cannot protect them,
Well, then,
what is this August body for?
I call for an immediate vote
on H.R. 505,
The cheerleader protection act.
All in favor?
Motion passed.
Yeah!
Motion passed!
Whoo!
Well done.
All right, coming through.
I don't know how to thank you,
Mr. Ford.
Well, don't thank us quite yet.
All right, now,
excuse me.
Young lady,
I just want you to know
That every decent american
feels for you.
And it gives me great pleasure
To declare you
the first recipient
Of the J.J. Legrange scholarship
for injured female athletes.
I figured I'd put that
to better use.
Hi. How are you? J.J. Legrange.
I don't vote.
Oh, you will.
Your tickets, ma'am.
Here you go.
Oh, thursd...
thurs... Thursday.
- That's great. Thanks.
- No problem.
And what was that about?
huh?
Oh, I was j... I was, um,
Just planning a little trip
to the Gulf.
The military are breaking ground
on Fort Devereaux.
Fort Devereaux?
Mm-hmm.
I love government.
Missed you guys this week.
Good game.
Good job on this one.
I know what
you're trying to do, Nate.
You could have told me how
to hook legrange the whole time,
But you wanted to see if
I could figure it out on my own.
I trust some day very,
very soon, you're gonna tell me
What kind of game
you're playing.
Good job on this one.
Lono, harder! Pull back!
Back up! Arms!
Tighter! Tighter!
Angela, arms straight.
That's it.
Good girl.
5, 6, 7, 8.
1, 2, 3, 4...
5, 6, 7, 8! 1, 2!
Hey!
Are you the morons in charge?
Well...
I'm the company C.E.O., So...
Yes, I'm the "moron"
in charge, miss...
Coach Cornell.
Your set-up here is a mess.
These are one-inch mats.
We should be working
on 12-inch mats.
Not according to
the safety standards.
The safety standards
are a joke.
Pep athletics doesn't set the safety
standards for competitive cheer.
The gymnastics and tumbling
safety administration does.
Pep owns
the safety administration.
Listen, if you don't like
the way we run our competitions,
Miss Cornell, uh, feel free
to take your team home.
Of course, your entry fees are
non-refundable.
Okay, here we go.
Come on, Marcy.
Oh, my god!
Marcy!
Marcy!
Get the medics!
- Call the medics!
- Okay.
Hello? Yeah, we need
an ambulance right away.
5x05
- The Gimme a K Steet Job -
The doctors think she'll eventually
breathe on her own, But her legs...
But it was an accident.
It wasn't your fault.
This wasn't an accident.
It was negligence.
Negligence is hard to prove.
What makes you so sure that
it was this company's fault?
Pep athletics
controls competitive cheer.
They write
the safety standards,
And not to protect the girls...
to be cheap.
Hmm. Is Marcy
covered by insurance?
You have to be to participate
in Pep competitions.
But you have to buy it From Pep's
subsidiary insurance company.
I see. And let me guess...
they don't pay out.
Mr. Ford, Pep has blamed me
for the accident
and banned me from coaching.
I'm a fully qualified
gymnastics coach.
Pep's coach-training program...
A fry cook gets more training.
My team's not safe without me.
Well, we gona make sure they are.
Do you hate me? You hate me.
Is that why
you're making me do this?
No, Parker, these girls...
they need a coach,
And you're the best gymnast
I know.
Besides, it puts you on
the inside at Pep H.Q. In D.C.
They're running cheer camp for the
next week up until championship.
But they're teenage girls.
What do I know about teenage girls?
You were a teenage girl?
Only sort of.
Look, did you know about this?
Girls being dropped
from 20 feet.
It's unbelievable.
I know, right?
20 feet? Psh! Walk it off.
Parker, you do know
that normal people
Don't just "walk off"
a 20-foot fall, right?
So...
All those times I pushed
Hardison off a building
And he was all "aah!"...
he wasn't just being funny?
I thought it was funny, Parker.
No way in hell was it funny.
You're always upside down, man.
I fell off a building.
I was upside...
Like a himalayan tree frog.
You calling me a frog?
You calling me a damn frog?
Say it again.
Say it to my face.
Guys... maybe focus, guys.
Focus.
Damn frog.
Pep athletics.
They started out
selling workout clothes,
Then they turned into
22 subsidiaries
and shell companies
That run competitive cheer.
They set safety standards,
they train coaches,
They sell uniforms,
they sell insurance,
And they also televise
very lucrative competitions.
And they profit off of
teenage girls the whole way.
Now, because
of their corporate structure,
It lets them hide the fact
that it's the same company.
the mafia
has a less-complicated set-up.
Yeah, and with them,
you need a federal task force
And a rico case to bring them down.
Mm-hmm.
Now, this is the C.E.O.,
wendy Baran.
She's an ex-cheerleader,
And she's the one
who moved Pep into cheer.
She took them
from selling sweat pants
Into running a sport.
Ah, there's the crux
of the problem right there.
Technically, legally,
cheerleading is not a sport.
It's an activity.
What's the difference?
A sport has legally mandated
safety standards.
Yes, and a for-profit company
cannot run a sport,
Which is why Pep wants to keep
Competitive cheer
from becoming a sport,
Unless, of course,
we made it one.
That's when
the safety standards kick in.
Yes, and then Pep would be doing
a free-fall without a mat.
So how do we make something
a sport?
Well, we don't, actually.
The federal high school
athletics committee does.
This is a job for Congress.
Subtitles edited by
Ehhhhtozebec
Ah, I love government.
Shady deals,
back-room meetings...
It is grifter paradise.
This is wrong.
We work outside the law, not
smack-dab in the middle of it.
Relax, Eliot.
Elected officials are
the easiest marks in the world.
Between their ego, the greed,
and the politics...
More hooks than a bait shop.
I'm just saying, we'd be
better off running a stock scam
Or maybe a little heist.
Hey, the government's
just a system, baby,
and if it's a system,
we can hack it.
I already got The cheerleader
protection act, H.R. 505, up for vote
in about 20 minutes.
Poor bastards
won't know what hit them.
Right. Assuming it passes.
Assuming what?
It's a bill to keep high-school
girls out of wheelchairs.
Who's gonna vote against it?
Ladies and gentlemen,
this bill is a staggering...
I say a staggering overreach
of government power.
You were saying?
How the hell did this bill
come up for a vote
- without us knowing about it?
- I don't know.
I-I've been trying to keep tabs
on things, but...
Now, I was a quarterback
in high school,
So I think I know a thing or two
about cheerleaders.
And one thing I know is that
they do not want big government
getting all up
in their business.
Cheerleaders are strong,
independent young women.
They don't need a bunch
of white-haired old men
from washington
telling them what to do.
They don't need a nanny state
dictating their every move.
Sophie, can you get
a head count?
They got parents
to do that for them.
Now, I know it's hard
for parents to raise a teen.
Judging by the body language,
I'd say...
Zero for, seven against.
These parents
are hard-working americans.
Hardison,
we got to stop this now.
I can't hack the agenda
while the meeting's in session.
No, we've got to stop this now...
not the agenda. The sound system.
What we're talking about
Is having this August body
March into their towns
Straight down
the neighborhood streets
And right into the front door
of our high schools.
And make no mistake,
Once we let big government
into our high schools,
Well, who knows where that
might...
Just press this button.
I said, who knows what...
Sorry.
Anyone...
anyone mind if we table this
Until we can get things working
around here?
Uh, folks, we're gonna
put this off till next week,
And thank you all for coming.
looks like
we have some time.
Maybe this won't be
a complete disaster.
Did anyone else catch that?
Baran, the C.E.O. Of Pep...
The bill
was about to be voted down.
I mean, that's the best thing
that could happen for Pep,
right?
You're right. She should be
thrilled. Why the long face?
Okay, Parker, I need you
to break into Baran's office
And see what she's up to.
Sure. No problem.
It's not like
I'm dragging around
A flock of cheerleaders
or anything.
Yeah. The rest of us...
Let's go steal us
some Congressmen.
And here's our committee.
According to Sophie,
we've got seven nay votes.
We need to flip four to win.
The good news is we got tons
of data on these politicians...
Voting records,
financial records, all that.
It makes it easy to figure out
who's the most influential
And who's
the easiest to influence.
Who's our best buy?
These are our four right here.
Congresswoman jane berkus.
She's very numbers-driven.
Impeccable on women's issues.
We make her know that this is
about protecting young girls,
She's in.
There's Congressman
Juan Caballo.
Now, he won his seat
in a populist upswell
That he's having trouble
maintaining.
We keep him in office,
he votes how we want.
Hold on.
Congressman John Zahn.
He's currently
being investigated
For some fundraising
irregularities.
Now,
we make his problem go away,
He makes our problem go away.
Finally, we have
Congressman J.J. Legrange.
He's a consummate
Washington insider.
His father held that seat
and his grandfather before him.
Now, this man loves the cameras,
and he loves his power.
He's also the committee chair,
Which means
if he's against us...
It means he's got 100 procedural
tricks he can use kill the bill.
We need him, or we got nothing.
Wait a minute...
you're talking about
Running a con
on four separate marks.
No, not... not marks.
Elected officials.
We do this right,
we'll have them
eating out of our hand
by dinner.
"Eating out of our hand
by dinner," huh?
Anybody else feel like
We've been chewed up
and spit out?
All right.
Anything else?
We're done.
Uh, actually...
Yes, new guy.
I'd like to discuss H.R. 505.
The cheerleading bill?
Right you are.
Here.
You see, there are some numbers
that I think you'll find...
Numbers.
Like the $20 million
the bill will cost schools
In equipment and training?
I am not taking money away from
arts, music, school lunches,
Or, god forbid,
actual women's sports
So that Candi, Mandi,
and Brandi-with-an-I
Can flounce around in their miniskirts
and midriffs. Right. But...
So unless you can find
$20 million
lying around unclaimed
in the federal budget,
We're done.
Noted. Copy. I feel you.
But, um...
You know, Hardison,
you said it yourself...
Government's just a system.
It is a system.
It's also "war and peace"
with math.
At least you're
dealing with money.
That's why the voters
sent me here.
Hold on.
Sorry.
How can I help you, miss...
Amber von Cleve
of the Cleveland von Cleves.
The family would like to make
a sizable donation
To your re-election campaign.
There is, however, one thing
We'd like to make sure
we see eye-to-eye on.
The corn subsidies.
The... excuse me?
I know how important they are
to the district,
But I've been stonewalled.
You really want
to get me re-elected?
Find me a way to land
those corn subsidies.
I got to take this.
Now, wait a minute, you said
you like back-room dealings.
I like
stealing things that are real.
Cash... of course. Land... sure.
Art... yes, please.
Corn subsidies? Not so much.
At least you're stealing.
They've got this place
sewn up so tight,
I can barely even case it.
No. No, I told you...
I don't have time right now.
Yeah. No...
- Um, coach?
- Right!
Okay, who's up for
some basic gymnastics drills?
Yes. You. What are you called?
Madison.
Can I be excused?
I don't feel well.
But...
We have... laser grid, Madison.
Laser grid.
Huh?
They're so jaded.
Parker, you just got to figure
out how to connect with them.
You have more in common
than you think.
Why are you so upbeat
about all of this?
Yeah.
I mean, how'd you do
with the distinguished gentleman
From
being-investigated-for-fraud?
Congressman,
sorry to interrupt.
It's no problem, pal.
Just tell me this.
What do you want,
and what's it worth to you?
Let's talk. Lunch?
Sounds great.
For real, man?
You telling me you bought
a Congressman with a lunch?
It was a nice lunch.
I've been saying it all along,
guys.
Elected officials are
the easiest mark in the world.
Oh, you think so, huh?
Congressman.
Steven Turner, Rossi Consulting.
- How you doing?
- Just fine, Mr. Turner. Just fine.
You're a busy man.
I can appreciate that.
Listen,
we have a client that runs
A political action committee
for women's athletics,
And we'd like to know
your stance on H.R. 505.
I made man
I think
it's government overreach,
Pure and simple.
I hear that, I tell you.
But, however,
our client does want to make
A substantial donation to
a Congressman... no, no.
Listen carefully, son.
Now, people don't doNate to me
to buy my vote.
People doNate to me
Because they already know
how I'm gonna vote.
People doNate to me
because of my integrity.
Now, if your people
are interested in me,
I'm happy to have your money.
But if you think you can buy
a vote off of J.J. Legrange,
Well, you got
another think coming.
You mean...
Yeah, I mean
the guy's got integrity.
Elected official or not,
you can't con an honest man.
Okay, people, let's grift.
Hello, numbers.
You ready to dance?
Corn subsidies?
Why did it have to be
corn subsidies?
Congresswoman Greenhill.
I'm Debra Scott
of the Scottsdale Scotts.
My family would like to make
a sizable donation
to your re-election campaign.
There is one thing, however,
We'd like to make sure
we see eye-to-eye on
- Corn subsidies.
- Corn subsidies?
Do you know what corn
subsidies are code for?
- Excuse me?
- Ethanol.
And do you know what the problem
with ethanol is?
No, but I sure would like
to find out.
Well, people think that it's clean
energy, but it's still burning carbon.
It takes attention away
from real sustainable energy.
And do you know what Arizona has
more of than any other state?
Sand?
Sun. Limitless, clean sunlight.
I won't subsidize corn in Ohio
Unless there's at least as much
for solar subsidies in Arizona.
This is a bad idea.
You can't con
an honest man, Nate.
He's not an honest man.
He's an elected official.
Really?
'Cause he turned down
pac money,
Which, by the way, is legal.
That just means money's
not his hook.
You got to figure out what is.
All right, he's a politician.
He likes power.
Don't offer him money.
Offer him more power.
Uh, Congresswoman?
New guy.
Hey.
What do you need?
Uh. Ah.
Bam. What?!
The money.
Look, XJ-12...
It's
an armored-vehicle prototype.
All right, $50 million
Was earmarked
for development this year,
But the pentagon says
they don't want it.
They said they don't need
another armored car.
So I'm thinking
we take that money,
Put it into cheerleading,
right?
We fund the bill.
We have plenty to spare.
holla.
You can't touch that money.
but
The Pentagon does not want it.
It's defense spending.
It's a separate appropriations
bill from education.
You'd have to send both bills
back to the floor
And start all over.
Right... right, but just
l-listen real quick.
They do not want the money.
But they don't...
they don't want the money.
Congressman.
Hi. Steven Turner,
Rossi Consulting.
Yeah.
Fella came around yesterday
looking to buy my vote.
That was not my fault.
I wanted you to know
that was my boss's idea.
I respect integrity, sir.
I respect the hell out of it.
As a matter of fact,
It's how, uh,
it's how I choose a leader.
Now, my firm happens to have
a client that wants to sponsor
A primary challenge
to Senator Fischer.
you grooming me
for a higher office?
Well...
Sorry, son.
I spent a lot of time becoming
the big fish in my little pond.
And that's the way I like it.
Hey, Ms. Rochester,
Those solar subsidies
are earmarked for New York.
My constituents
are counting on them.
come on, Congressman.
One New Yorker to another...
Arizona's got more sun.
Can't we just
split the difference?
Maybe I can swing it,
But I'm gonna need
a little favor from you.
Hey, Parker?
Any progress
getting into Baran's office?
Not yet.
Security's tight, but...
Okay, good.
Now, just like we practiced.
The projections are great,
But this whole thing hinges on
having the cash on hand in time.
Are you in?
Sounds like she's trying to
get money together,
But I don't know what for.
Okay, well, you got to
get in there and find out.
Yeah, I know.
But there's cameras everywhere.
It's almost like they know
There's a jillion
pesky teenagers crawling around.
Coach?
Coach, uh, do you think
we could let her down?
Why? She's fine.
Well, she might get dizzy.
Or... or something.
Bring her down.
Okay, so what's your next play?
Well, you're supposed to be
the mastermind.
He doesn't want power.
He doesn't want money.
Maybe he really is
an honest man.
Everyone has a hook, Elliot.
Everyone has a weakness
you can exploit.
Do you?
No. You?
No.
Look, maybe this doesn't fit
into your world view, Nate,
But there are some people out
there that just want to serve.
Trust me. I served with them.
Okay.
Well, if all they want to do
is serve,
you can exploit that, too.
Congressman!
Hi. How you doing again?
Steven.
- Turner. Back again.
- Right.
Very tenacious. Thank you.
Listen, I was wondering
if you ever considered
Taking a job
on the punditry circuit.
not... not right now.
I'm talking about later,
you know, so you can
Keep fighting the good fight
after your term's over.
I'm not interested.
Come on, man! Why the hell not?
Sorry.
'Cause I'm not planning on
leaving office any time soon.
Well, no, no, no, no.
No, no, of course not.
I mean, you probably got
this re-election
All sewn up this cycle. Yep.
Probably the next one, too.
But, you know, after that,
it could get a little bit rough.
I'm thinking
maybe eight years tops,
And you're looking
for other work.
What are you talking about?
Polling numbers.
Eight years out?
You don't have those numbers.
Nobody has those numbers.
We do. It's a computer model.
Some of the boys whipped it up
back at the office.
Now, it shows demographics,
and it shows social trends.
And can I be honest with you?
I don't know the first thing
about any of that stuff,
Except for the fact
that it works.
It sounds like snake oil to me.
Okay, tell him to look at
Tracey college's
10-year expansion plan.
Well,
if you're not interested.
I understand.
You should, though...
You should tell your
campaign manager to take a look
At the Tracey college
10-year expansion plan.
What about it?
When a college expands...
Well, when a college expands,
young voters come in,
And that's not your
demographic, is it?
That and many other things
is what the model accounts for.
I want to see
this model of yours.
- Two hours. My office.
- Yes, sir.
Not bad.
You can fake all that polling
stuff I was talking about, right?
Hope so.
Ms. Baran? Hmm?
You should see this.
A man on the hill
tipped me off.
This guy's been talking
to Congressman legrange
On and off
for the last two days.
I've seen this one, too...
At the committee meeting
on H.R. 505.
You think they're trying
to push the bill through?
No sense taking chances.
Let's make sure
Congressman Legrange
stays where we want him.
Are you sure
you can control him?
I was a cheerleader
in high school.
I think I know a few things
about quarterbacks.
Okay, Elliot and I
are circling legrange.
Sophie, where are you?
Trying to improve
the air-quality standards
In Massachusetts.
Okay. For corn subsidies?
No, to get me
the fishery concessions
That I then trade
for logging rights
To get me
the redistricting deal,
That gets me the grant funding,
That gets me
the solar subsidies,
That finally gets me the bloody,
stinking corn subsidies.
I don't know how anything
gets down around here.
You have to be a grifter
to run government.
I'm gonna need an assistant.
Okay...
Hardison?
How you doing?
Look, Nate,
I'm good with systems.
You know that.
But this...
this system hacks back.
I got $7 million
sitting right here,
Set aside for mad-cow testing,
which nobody uses,
Because, I mean, you know,
Nobody wants to know
that they got mad-cow cows.
Yeah, so, uh, give them
to the cheerleaders.
I can't, man.
There's a law right here
that says
That there has to be money
set aside for mad-cow testing,
Which nobody does!
Makes no sense.
There's no rhyme,
no reason, no...
It's cool. Don't pop a nerve.
Don't pop a nerve.
Don't throw a book.
Okay, well, you two just
keep doing what you're doing.
Let's wrap this up fast
before somebody snaps.
Uh, Parker,
did you find anything?
The meet's in an hour.
If I use it as cover,
I can sneak up to the roof,
short out the security system,
Then get down
into Baran's office
While everyone's here.
Where's Madison?
Where is Madison?!
Madison?
I haven't seen her in a while.
Great.
I lost a cheerleader.
Okay, Ashley,
where's Madison?
Can I have some water?
In a minute.
Why don't you tell us again,
from the top?
I don't know
where Madison went.
Don't give us that.
The girls say
you're her best friend.
Best friends talk, angela.
Are you gonna talk?
Huh? Are you?
Huh? Easy. Easy.
Easy.
Your coach gets a little
hot under the collar.
Am I in trouble?
Are you gonna call my parents?
You can parent up.
That's your right.
Madison talked to me
in confidence.
A big word for a little girl.
Where's Madison?
ms. Von cleve's office.
Ms. Scott's office.
Ms. Scott's not available.
Ms. Von Cleve's office.
Ms. Von Cleve's office.
How may I help you?
I'm sorry, senator.
So, you'll see to it
That Massachusetts
gets the contract
For the new
military personnel database.
And you'll see that the land
is leased to the general
For the new air base
in the persian gulf.
Think you can shake on that?
Okay, $5 million earmarked
for... Vocational training
For Millers, Blacksmiths,
and Haberdashers...
By an 1884 statute.
Hey, anybody got a way
To legally define cheerleading
as haberdashery?
I'll see
what I can do.
- Ginger!
- Yes, ma'am?
Get me Congressman Finke
on the phone.
Okay, right away, ma'am.
all right.
I mean, yeah.
'Cause that's what we do.
That's how we get it.
Madison?
Madis...
Madison, hey,
what are you doing down here?
Everybody's freaking out. Come on, we
got to get you to the competition.
I don't want to compete.
What? Why not?
I don't want to mess up again.
What are you talking about?
When do you mess up?
You're great.
Seriously?
Oh.
You were Marcy's spotter.
I don't know what went wrong.
We'd done it a hundred times.
Everything was going perfectly.
I just don't want anyone else
to get hurt.
Look...
I'm not afraid of heights
or falling or...
Anything I probably should be.
But do you know
whatam afraid of?
Letting down the people
I care about.
Look, you don't have to compete
if you don't want to compete.
But I think your friends
are gonna feel a lot safer
Knowing that you're there,
instead of having no one there.
Right?
Did, uh, that work?
Because I kind of got to get all
the way up to the roof, so...
How did you know
how to get down here?
All the girls know how.
There's no security or cameras
down here,
So we all just come down here
to do stuff.
No security?
well, the cor
subsidies are locked up.
Budget is, too.
And counting
Nate's lunch buddy,
We've got three
of the four votes that we need.
Just leaves me and Legrange and...
That's him.
Steven turner.
He just canceled.
I'm so... what came up?
And so it is with great pleasure
that I announce to you
The Pep athletics J.J. Legrange
cheerleading scholarship.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Congressman Legrange.
Oh!
Uh, well, uh,
thank you, Ms. Baran.
And thank you, Pep athletics!
Come on. Let's hear it.
I... I am... I'm very proud
to be associated
With such a fine example of
american entrepreneurial spirit.
Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
That's it. That's his hook.
To get his name
on a scholarship
And a big yearbook picture
blown up.
Yeah, we were thinking too big.
Well, he just publicly tied
himself to Pep athletics,
So there's no way he's gonna
vote against them now.
That's not
the only bad news.
I'm in Baran's office.
She's planning to buy Pep,
take it private.
That's why she was pulling
all the cash together.
Yes, and why she was so upset
the bill almost failed...
Because if the bill fails,
Pep's stock price
goes through the roof.
She can't afford that.
But if she already owns the
company before the bill fails...
She cleans up.
We accelerated things too fast.
We put the bill up for a vote
Before she had a chance
to get her money together.
If she buys Pep, that means
even less oversight.
How do we stop her?
We accelerate things even more.
Ladies and gentleman,
Pep athletics:
Is proud to presentmen,
The 17th annual
Tournament of Champions.
Ready! Ready!
Let's hear it
for the MHS badgers!
Ready! Ready! Let's go!
Ready?
Ready.
Ready.
Ready.
Ready.
Let's go.
You seem to be popping up
all over the place.
Yeah. I do that.
Listen, I've moved up
the vote again
On H.R. 505
first thing tomorrow.
How'd you pull that off?
Congressman,
sorry to interrupt.
No problem, pal.
Just tell me this.
What do you want,
and what's it worth to you?
The bill is gonna fail
Before you have a chance
to put your money together.
Then it's "bye-bye, buyout."
You're very well informed,
mister...?
Okay, then.
Bring it on.
She's on the hook.
We need the rest of that money
right now.
I want the buyout done today.
We're still short on funds.
We've got 22 companies
under our umbrella.
Pull anything you can.
Okay, Nate,
you were right.
They just pulled up
the org chart
To dip into other companies.
There are only a few
with liquidity.
Well, try cheer wear,
the uniform company.
oh, no, you don't.
You're swimming my pool now,
guppy.
ng
Um, Ms. Baran,
the system's giving me an alert.
I'm not sure that transfer
is legal.
Why not?
It says there's a 1938 Labor law
requiring textile companies
To keep cash on hand
to pay overtime.
Is that for real?
I'm checking, but it does
seem to be legitimate.
What about the
all-cheer competition league?
We run a competition a week.
They must have
plenty of cash on hand.
Oh, keep it coming.
Keep it...
do what you got to do.
ng
We can't use that money,
either, because...
Because we'reeeee
a sweepstakes?
We'rewhat?
We're not a sport,
so technically,
This says, we're a sweepstakes.
There... there are
a lot of restrictions
On what you can do
with sweepstakes money.
Go for C.T.V.C.
All those broadcast contracts...
they must have cash.
Um, Ma'am, C.T.V.C.
Is under investigation
For indecency.
Well, when the hell
did thathappen?
Oh my..
There. Right there, Sir.
That is a wardrobe malfunction.
I can see her hoo-hah!
Her hoo-hah, sir!
Are you blind?!
Do I need to call
Congressman Caballo?
Or Congressman Greenhill?
I will call
my whole rolodex, sir!
ng
Find that money.
I don't care where you get it,
but you find it!
Call me
when the transfer's done.
Keep on him, Hardison.
I'm on it.
Where's coach?
She'll be here.
She won't let us down.
Wolves, you're up.
Let's give it
up for the Wolves.
I'm here!
I'm here! I'm here!
all right, let's huddle up.
I bet you guys could use
a Pep talk right about now, huh?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
For Marcy?
For Marcy.
Go, Wolves.
Go-o-o-o, Wolves!
You play a good game.
Thank you.
It's not over yet.
Oh, wrong.
My assistant found the money.
Mm.
I bought Pep while you've been
standing here...
Gawking.
Two, four, six, eight.
Who did we annihilate?
Ah, you underestimated me.
People underestimate
cheerleaders all the time.
I didn't.
I saw a niche,
and I exploited it.
Every girl
wants to be a cheerleader.
Every girl wants to be pretty.
Every girl wants to be popular.
And they will pay anything
to get it.
Cheerleaders built me
a $300 million-a-year company
Because I didn't
mm. Underestimate them.
Wolves!
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let's hear it
for the Northfield Wolves!
You know, I-I really don't think
I underestimated you.
In fact, I think
I estimated you just...
About...
Wait for it.
Right.
Let's give a hand
for all our teams.
You're gonna want to get that.
What?
We have a problem.
There are federal agents here
with a warrant.
For what?
Insurance fraud.
What? Why are the...
The money.
Where did you
pull the money from?
The only place I could.
The national cheerleading
insurance and underwriters.
Hardison,
that insurance company
That the cheerleaders
have to buy from...
How much cash on hand
do they have?
Oh, they never pay out.
They got a lot of premium money
sitting there.
Okay, so here's what
we're gonna do.
We are gonna make sure that that's
the only money she can draw from.
All right.
- What happened?
- Uh...
I-I didn't do this. I
didn't... you didn't what?
I didn't...
Okay, just wait a second.
I'm gonna go get Ms. Baran.
Ms. Baran?
I didn't...
Ms. Baran,
we've got another photo op.
I did not authorize
that transfer.
Snyder did it on his own.
This will fall on him.
Well, that would be true
if it weren't for the bribe.
What bribe? What bribe?
The bribe that you gave him,
that's hiding in that trophy.
What?
Oops.
Ms. Baran?
I did not do that.
I did not do any of this,
and no one can prove that I did.
Well, actually,
that's the best part.
No one has to.
All they have to prove is that
people that work for you
Committed insurance fraud
and bribery.
And you, as the C.E.O., that
opens you up to RICO charges.
The Mafia has a
less-complicated setup.
Yeah, and with them you
need a federal task force
and a RICO case
to bring them down.
FBI, Ma'am.
Come with us.
Oh.
What?!
Let go!
Let go of me!
Cheers!
What the hell just happened?
Did I just accept a bribe?
Well, technically... Maybe.
But you didn't know,
so it probably...
I'll tell you
what I would do, Congressman,
Is I would put as much distance
Between me and Pep athletics
as possible.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This bill protects
our children... our children!
And if we cannot protect them,
Well, then,
what is this August body for?
I call for an immediate vote
on H.R. 505,
The cheerleader protection act.
All in favor?
Motion passed.
Yeah!
Motion passed!
Whoo!
Well done.
All right, coming through.
I don't know how to thank you,
Mr. Ford.
Well, don't thank us quite yet.
All right, now,
excuse me.
Young lady,
I just want you to know
That every decent american
feels for you.
And it gives me great pleasure
To declare you
the first recipient
Of the J.J. Legrange scholarship
for injured female athletes.
I figured I'd put that
to better use.
Hi. How are you? J.J. Legrange.
I don't vote.
Oh, you will.
Your tickets, ma'am.
Here you go.
Oh, thursd...
thurs... Thursday.
- That's great. Thanks.
- No problem.
And what was that about?
huh?
Oh, I was j... I was, um,
Just planning a little trip
to the Gulf.
The military are breaking ground
on Fort Devereaux.
Fort Devereaux?
Mm-hmm.
I love government.
Missed you guys this week.
Good game.
Good job on this one.
I know what
you're trying to do, Nate.
You could have told me how
to hook legrange the whole time,
But you wanted to see if
I could figure it out on my own.
I trust some day very,
very soon, you're gonna tell me
What kind of game
you're playing.
Good job on this one.