Naturally, Niall did not attend the dinner with Wilkie and the other two lawyers. This was a private meeting among three top lawyers, and even though Niall was Wilkie's political advisor, he couldn't always stick to him.
The next day was Saturday, and Wilkie was still busy, so he asked Niall to join him to inspect the demolished polo club. They needed to discuss whether any facilities needed to be added or modified. Since it was a rare opportunity, and the workers wouldn't be taking the day off on Saturday, it was a good time to go. It also gave them a chance to discuss the previous night's meeting between Wilkie and Fiorello. Wilkie seemed in good spirits, clearly having had an enjoyable dinner with Taft acting as the intermediary.
"How was Mr. Fiorello?" Niall asked, biting into an apple.
It wasn't that he wasn't paying attention to hygiene or that he hadn't had breakfast. It was simply that while on the way to the office, he had passed a poor little girl selling apples by the building entrance. The sight reminded Niall of the poor matchstick girl from the winter nights, and his compassionate side was stirred. He immediately bought the whole basket of apples.
The little girl was overjoyed and ran off, while Niall took the basket of apples to the office and distributed them. He had spent money, so he couldn't just give all the apples away to others.
"You could've just given her one or two pieces, why buy the whole basket?" Wilkie had seen Niall act like this many times before, the kind-heartedness that often bordered on being excessive.
"She looked pitiful," Niall explained. "I couldn't just leave her there."
There are so many unseen poor people in the world, and we can't help them all. But when the opportunity to help someone right in front of me arises, I have the ability to do so, I'll help.
"Enough with that, let's talk business. Last night with Fiorello, we discussed some things, and you were right," Wilkie said, shifting the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"How so?" Niall asked.
"He's steady and pragmatic," Wilkie replied.
Wilkie, being a tax lawyer, was highly attentive to the smallest details. Fiorello, who came from the House of Representatives, was akin to a lower house in the UK—essentially, a house for the common people. Representatives serve a two-year term and can be re-elected indefinitely. As a result, Representatives are usually not the ones who draft bills, but rather serve as local representatives who attend to the needs of their constituency. Senators, on the other hand, have a six-year term and play a more significant role in creating and passing laws.
For example, New York City has a population of over ten million, which results in five Congressional Representatives. These Representatives are less about national legislation and more about providing local services—like improving roads, building schools, or increasing police presence.
Fiorello, having been a Congressman for many years, had built up a large base of support in New York. His ambitions were clear—he hoped to transition from serving just his district to serving the entire city of New York as mayor.
"That's why Wilkie sees him as grounded," Niall mused.
Wilkie was correct. Fiorello had no delusions of grandeur. He was looking to expand his influence within New York before contemplating any further ambitions. As of now, there was no direct political conflict between Wilkie and Fiorello, making them natural allies.
However, during their dinner meeting, Fiorello had made it clear that the Tammany Hall in the Democratic Party had a lot of power in New York. Despite Fiorello's large base of supporters, the Irish, German, and Italian Catholic voters in New York City still largely supported the Democratic candidates from Tammany Hall.
How Fiorello could overcome this was the key to winning the mayoralty. Without taking down Tammany Hall, it was unlikely that a Republican could win the mayoral race.
"Is he currently serving as the Deputy Attorney General of New York?" Niall asked after finishing the apple and tossing the core into the ditch.
"Yes," Wilkie nodded.
Fiorello's support base had earned him the position of Deputy Attorney General. Even if there were some opposition, the voters' support could not be easily overturned.
"I remember Mr. Dewey is the District Attorney of the Southern District?" Niall asked.
"Yes, Dewey's doing quite well as a prosecutor. He's already earned a lot of support. I'll meet him soon," Wilkie said. Dewey was a rising star in the Republican Party, and Wilkie was eager to make connections.
Wilkie had known Dewey before, but only now that Wilkie was seeking a higher position did he realize the need to gather support within the party.
"Also, doesn't Mr. Taft have a significant influence within the judicial system of New York City? Many judges are former students of his?" Niall asked pointedly.
Wilkie, who had been giving simple answers at first, suddenly understood what Niall was getting at. He didn't look surprised but instead began to pace thoughtfully, considering what Niall's words implied.
If the major prosecutors and judges in New York City were all Republicans, what did that mean for the upcoming election?