Quinn Alonzo. Jack had learned this name from Laia as a reward for that phone call.
"HR" had dealt with many people, not just the American Mafia and Laia's men, but also gangs large and small in New York City.
For example, even a small smuggling group like the Vargas gang, where Reese had previously been undercover, owed tribute to "HR" to ensure the safety of their transportation routes.
But no one knew who the boss of "HR" was. Of course, Jack preferred to refer to them as the "mastermind."
This corrupt gang employed a somewhat decentralized organizational structure, with each high-ranking official responsible for their own area of responsibility.
The illicit funds were distributed according to a "4-3-3" formula: 40% for themselves, 30% distributed to subordinates, and 30% deposited into a mysterious overseas account.
A large group of high-ranking officials associated with "HR" have been apprehended, including City Councilman Larson, NYPD Captain Romano, and Deputy Chief Reeves of the Subway Authority, also affiliated with the NYPD.
With the involvement of federal prosecutors and the conclusion of a plea bargain, a few people have spoken up, and it's not as if no one has mentioned Quinn Alonzo.
But if it weren't for Laia's tip, the FBI might not have connected this professional powerbroker to the mastermind behind "HR." It
's safe to say that someone with ambitions to unify and strengthen the American Mafia truly has something. Laia not only understood the organizational structure of "HR," but even secretly tracked Quinn Alonzo for a considerable period of time, confirming that there wasn't some mysterious force behind him.
Alternatively, the corrupt network Quinn Alonzo had cultivated over the years was the underlying force.
Jack wasn't an expert on current affairs, but now that he had the answer, it wasn't difficult for him to work backwards from the results.
Both the reaction Taylor felt and the backroom dealings Simmons shared with Fusco demonstrate one thing: Quinn Alonzo attempted to manipulate the mayoral election results to exonerate certain individuals, rebuild "HR," and even expand it.
Despite various constraints, each mayor's actual status and power vary depending on their relationships with the City Council, New York State, and various other factions.
However, as the largest city in the United States, the New York City mayor holds arguably the most powerful local mayor in the United States.
New York City exemplifies a "strong mayor, weak council" model of government. As the highest executive officer of the city government, the mayor directly oversees nearly 400,000 government employees.
Consider that Texas, the second-largest economy in the United States, has fewer than 540,000 state government employees combined.
Furthermore, the New York City mayor holds the power to appoint and dismiss personnel, including the NYPD Commissioner—previously, the Chief of Department didn't require mayoral appointment, but today's Chief Commissioner is appointed by the mayor—as well as key positions like the Finance Commissioner and the Health Commissioner.
Furthermore, he has the authority to reform institutions, formulate budgets, levy taxes, and propose local regulations.
Crucially, the New York City mayor holds direct command of the police system—the NYPD (any disobedient commissioner can be replaced). Even the governor lacks the power to mobilize the city's police.
In other words, with determination and decisiveness, the new mayor could easily dismantle the tacit cooperation between the FBI and NYPD, and between federal and local police forces, forged through the long-standing collaboration between Dana Moger and Frank Regan.
While this is only a possibility, it doesn't guarantee it will happen. After all, real-world political struggles are rife with compromises and backroom deals.
But there's no denying Quinn Alonzo's plan is quite feasible. Whether the new mayor's power can revitalize HR in the future, at least for now, it can protect some of its top executives from the FBI's relentless pursuit.
So, Jack packed up quickly and drove with Taylor to Director Reagan's villa. His
female supervisor, who had also received his message, had arrived earlier. The four of them met in the study. Jack first introduced Taylor, then explained Quinn Alonzo's situation.
"Although it's almost certain that Alonzo is the mastermind behind HR, we have no definitive evidence to convict him, aside from some confessions.
HR's secret account has also been emptied, making it extremely difficult to trace the funds."
Because the two women were present, Director Reagan didn't light a cigar as usual, but instead took out a glass and ice.
"In other words, either of the two mayoral candidates is likely to become Alonzo's puppet. It's just a matter of varying degrees of control."
Dana Moger rolled her eyes. "You look quite happy about retiring soon and taking care of your grandchildren, right?"
Frank Reagan cheerfully poured her half a glass of whiskey, his mustache curling slightly. "I've been mentally prepared for this since the day I wanted to take the next step and become Police Commissioner. After all, no matter who the new mayor is, I can't hold that position forever."
Regardless of whether Frank Reagan was willing to retire, Jack was actually more troubled than his female boss.
After all, he had come to New York on a secondment to oversee a pilot program of joint operations between the FBI and local police departments.
If he truly lost this base in New York City, while his years of work wouldn't be in vain, many of his advantages might be lost, and he might even be targeted for the smallest of things.
Because the New York City mayor has the power to refuse federal intervention in local affairs, if things really escalate to the point where the head of the Department of Justice has to intervene, not only Jack, but even Dana Moger's competence will be questioned.
Taylor sat quietly in her seat, her beautiful eyes shifting from the silent Dana Moger to the furrowed Jack. After a moment, she tentatively asked,
"If a special election is called, Director Reagan's chances should be very good if he runs as an independent, right?"
"Huh?" Jack looked up in surprise, his eyes blankly fixed on Taylor, not understanding what she was talking about.
He had no interest in federal politics; he had never even voted in a presidential election. Most of his knowledge of New York's much-talked-about mayoral election came from the occasional glances he'd get from cooking.
Furthermore, the New York mayoral election process in this dimension differed slightly from his previous life's, at least in terms of the timing, which was nearly six months earlier, and the specific details seemed to differ as well.
As for the special election Taylor mentioned, that was even more of a gap in his knowledge.
Dana Moger's eyes lit up when she heard this, and then she looked at the director who was pouring wine into her glass.
(End of this chapter)