UNITED STATES OF LEX PART 2
-LUTHOR’S 1st TERM
Luthor recruited many prominent politicians and businessmen to join his administration. Most were already connected to LexCorp in some way, as Luthor preferred to know who he was working with. By hiring Republicans, Democrats, and independents, Luthor promised to balance the desires of left, right, and center. Luthor was in a delicate position. He could either choose to tread carefully so as to not antagonize Congress, or march forward inexorably and drag Congress to his side. He chose the latter.
Within Luthor’s first one hundred days, much was won in the battle of vigilante regulation. Through an enabling act introduced by pro-Luthor Senator John Keene (NJ), Luthor created the Department of Homeland Security (which collected many domestic security agencies). Amanda Waller, head of the Task Force X program, was promoted to Director of the new department. She would oversee the expansion of programs to recruit metahumans to fight on behalf of the government.
Senator Keene also introduced the Vigilante Regulation Act (the ‘Keene Act’), which outlawed vigilante networks, all forms of vigilantism, and cut funding to states with generous Good Samaritan Laws. While the act would later be upheld by the Supreme Court because of the interstate nature of vigilante networks, many libertarians and pro-vigilantes found issue with the act. Nevertheless, the act passed both houses of Congress. The Justice League was now a criminal organization.
Reluctant to battle against the government, the Justice League and other ‘moral’ vigilante organizations formally disbanded, though many continued to operate in secret. Superman disappeared for a number of months, presumably abiding Luthor’s calls for him to retire. Batman, however, continued to operate in Gotham, leading to the dismissal of Police Commissioner James Gordon and the creation of a new anti-Batman task force that ultimately drove the vigilante from the city. Gotham DA Harvey Dent, scarred by an acid attack, resigned, leaving the appointment of an anti-vigilante DA. Other vigilantes across the United States continued to operate illegally. In response, Luthor directed the FBI to launch a vast anti-vigilante war. Numerous vigilante groups were forcibly disbanded in the coming months as their members were arrested and imprisoned. The vast Belle Reve Penitentiary, built in Louisiana, was retrofitted by its corporate owners to imprison metahuman vigilantes and criminals. Luthor also employed the use of black sites and off-shore military bases such as Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to hold the most dangerous of vigilantes and criminals.
Luthor also needed to address a key foreign policy issue: the new war over Crimea between the ascendant Russian Federation and Ukraine. While Luthor coordinated with the UN to push for negotiations, it became clear that both parties were gearing up for total war. In response, Luthor pushed for Congress to pass the Metahuman Security and Registration Act, which impelled all metahumans (estimated to be less than three hundred) to specially register with the Selective Service System as a metahuman, with their abilities clarified. This new registry would permit metahumans to be directly conscripted in times of war. The list of metahumans would also be shared with law enforcement, which would soon be permitted to track and follow metahumans under a new bill.
A metahuman terrorist attack in Kansas City prompted the next wave of Luthorite bills, including the new Domestic Security Act of 2002, which granted greater power to federal law enforcement in addressing terrorism, crime, vigilantism, including permission to wiretap, business entry without a warrant, and greater ability to investigate personal records. The DSA narrowly passed.
Meanwhile, Luthor oversaw negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The new Republic of Crimea was created, guaranteed independence and assisted by the UN. Luthor’s solution seemed to stick, at least for the time being. Many critics pointed out how Russia simply became distracted by Islamist separatists in the Caucasus.
Congress also passed a series of bills fulfilling Luthor’s campaign promises to end crime, consisting of compromises between left-wing social policies and right-wing enforcement policies. Success was not immediate. Many pundits claimed that Luthor’s anti-vigilante war was a diversion from his failure to decrease crime rates. However, these claims gradually declined alongside the declining crime rates.
-A DOMESTIC WAR
By the 2002 midterms, Luthor had the framework in place to conduct a war against vigilantes, had a positive approval rating, and the economy was good. Most attributed these successes primarily to Luthor, secondarily to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. This allowed Republicans to keep their two-house majority. However, the true winner of the midterms was Luthor. The majority of freshman Congressman supported Luthor’s agenda. In pro-Luthor districts where an anti-Luthor incumbent was unlikely to lose in an election, primary challenges from within the party was the answer. Additionally, many independent Congressmen won their election bids, including three new independent, Luthor-aligned Senators. Four Reform Party Representatives also won (though the party was now clearly Luthor’s through and through, shedding most of its previous staff). However, Luthor’s influence was not limited to the Reform Party, as he endorsed many pro-Luthor Congressmen and channeled funds into their campaigns.
Occasional conflict with vigilantes and metahuman groups exploded in 2003 in the ‘Second Vigilante War.’ The resurgence of vigilante organizations, led by the returned Green Arrow, fought against pro-government forces, led by the metahuman ‘Shazam,’ Task Force X, and other government forces. A battle erupted in Seattle as Task Force X and Shazam assault Green Arrow’s hide-out. Captured alive, Green Arrow was demasked and revealed to be Oliver Queen, heir to Queen Industries and founder of Aegis Services (a private military company used by the United States to fight in the Second Russian Civil War). Queen’s connections with the Pentagon seemed to suggest to many that the United States had conspired to sabotage Lex Luthor’s electoral campaign. Immediately the FBI targeted Queen Industries and Aegis Services, digging deep into its secret archives to uncover connections between Queen Industries and various vigilante organizations. Other documents suggested Wayne Enterprises similarly supplied vigilantes. Queen had supplied small arms and advanced weaponry to vigilantes for years. While the company declared bankruptcy, its factories and assets were purchased by LexCorp. Oliver Queen, tried for vigilantism and dozens of murders, was imprisoned in Belle Reve Penitentiary.
Luthor, after Batman and Green Arrow, sought to finally bring Superman out of the woodworks and into the arms of the government. Using technological surveillance permitted by the new anti-vigilante acts, Clark Kent was identified hiding in Rapid City, South Dakota. Shazam and Task Force X were quickly brought to the location, confronting Superman at a motel. Combat quickly erupted, with Superman retreating westwards into Black Hills National Forest, where he managed to escape Shazam. Luthor, infuriated, began his back-up plan.
In late 2003, Luthor authorized the release of the ‘Doomsday’ creature on Norfolk, Virginia. The product of a decade of LexCorp supersoldier biological experiments and Kryptonian DNA, Doomsday has greater strength and endurance than Superman. A chip implanted in the creature’s brain allowed commands to be delivered directly. Rampaging, Doomsday quickly attracted the attention of Superman, who arrived in Norfolk minutes after the creature’s appearance. As planned, the Battle of Norfolk created vast destruction, though not comparable to Metropolis. Meanwhile, Task Force X and Shazam waited nearby for the order to defeat Doomsday (only to be given once Superman was killed). However, Superman, using the last of his strength, brought the battle out to sea. Both Superman and Doomsday disappear into the ocean, presumed dead.
The nation mourned for Superman’s martyrdom as Luthor raged. The death of Superman changed the national climate and many begin to wonder whether the whole anti-vigilante crusade went too far. Luthor’s manufactured scenario, designed to massacre Norfolk and bring himself acclaim, had backfired. Meanwhile, leaked evidence published in
the Daily Planet began to hint that LexCorp was to blame for Doomsday….
-2004 ELECTION
Luthor hoped for a bloody primary season, where the rival parties would ruin their chances simultaneously. The primaries would not be as bloody as Luthor hoped, but there were clear demonstrations of support for anti-vigilantism in both parties. Nixon-tattooed political operative Roger Stone, employed by the Luthor re-election campaign, headed a series of morally questionable operations designed to inflame rival parties. Stone personally delivered campaign funds to runner-ups in the primary season and uncovered or fabricated salacious stories about front-runners.
On the Republican side, Texas Governor George W Bush portrayed himself as a compassionate conservative, who agreed with progressive social policies designed to curb crime. He also supported increasing Second Amendment rights so people could protect themselves against vigilantes and criminals alike. On the vigilante issue, Bush was a moderate, who believed that moral vigilantes should be allowed to operate ‘in coordination’ with police. Bush was challenged by Congressman Ron Paul (TX), who abhorred Luthor’s anti-vigilante policies, and Governor David Eisenhower (PA), a staunch supporter of Luthor’s anti-vigilante programs. While Eisenhower and Paul viciously debated the merits of Luthor’s presidency, Bush presented himself as a compromiser; Bush won the nomination in a landslide. Longtime moderate Missouri Senator John Danforth was selected as Vice President.
On the Democratic side, a wide race featured ex-VP and California-beloved Jerry Brown, Tennessee Governor and environmentalist Al Gore, Florida Senator Bob Graham, pro-vigilante Senator Howard Dean (VT), and Luthor ally Senator John David Keene (NJ). Gore and Keene eventually floated to the front of the pack, battling over Luthor’s crime and vigilante policy. Keene campaigned as a Democrat alternative to Luthor, who could bring Luthor voters to the Democratic party. Gore, a vocal critic of Luthor’s corporate past, authoritarian policies, and his sidelining of environmental issues, campaigned as an ideological nemesis of Luthor who was nevertheless moderate on the vigilante issue. Gore would soon pull ahead of Keene, using his many years of experience in Tennessee to his advantage, winning the nomination. Bob Graham was selected as his VP pick in order to win back Florida.
While Luthor initially polled ahead of the challengers, scandal soon began to rock his administration. LexCorp leaks continued to allude to some involvement of Luthor in the crises that had shook the nation for the past decade. These leaks, published in
the Daily Planet and other newspapers, seemed to come from an inside source at LexCorp, or at least someone who had access to LexCorp archives. Luthor addressed the leaks by questioning their veracity and the journalistic integrity of
the Daily Planet, which had, after all, employed Clark Kent. Responding to rumors that LexCorp had profited off the collapse of Queen Industries, Luthor stated that he had been completely cut out of LexCorp, which was now controlled completely by CEO Lana Lang, though there was much evidence that Lang acted on behalf of Luthor’s interests. These scandals weighed down the Luthor re-election campaign, which spent valuable time on the defense instead of presenting its successes.
In August, a terrorist attack on Wayne Manor by Edward Nigma injured Wayne Enterprises owner Bruce Wayne. During interrogations, Nigma seemed to hint at a connection between him, Luthor, Wayne, the Justice League, and the leaks, though Nigma offered no clear testimony. Afterwards, leaks to
the Daily Planet ceased for several weeks.
Meanwhile, Roger Stone’s back-alley operations produced a series of tabloid articles about Bush and Gore, including several about Bush’s alleged cocaine addiction and Gore’s ‘Clintonite’ marital affairs. These scandals distracted from and decreased the legitimacy of Luthor’s own scandals. By mid-October, following strong debate performances, Luthor had once again pulled ahead in the polls.
On Halloween, three days before the election, a LexCorp-owned gold mine in South Africa experienced a break-in (later identified to be by Batman). Superman soon returned, giving an interview with
the Daily Planet in which he accused Lex Luthor of creating Doomsday, holding back government forces from defeating Doomsday, and attempting to bioengineer supersoldiers from captured metahumans (as was Superman’s experience during his recent most disappearance). Soon, Superman was confronted by Shazam and Task Force X, but resisted arrest and defeated Shazam. In combat, an ‘obedience chip’ (new technology developed by LexCorp) planted in Shazam’s skull was destroyed, liberating Shazam. Shazam and Superman reappeared at a government black site in Las Vegas, where contracted LexCorp scientists had studied Zod’s corpse. Seizing failed Doomsday prototypes, the two then transported the bodies directly to the US Capitol building.
With Superman’s explosive re-entrance onto the scene, Luthor’s poll numbers crumbled and House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation the matter. However, early-voting secured Luthor a significant lead. On November 2nd, the nation voted. Luthor came in third, losing over half of his 312 electoral votes from the last election. Many attributed Luthor’s loss of the mid-Atlantic, to the decline of the anti-vigilantism in response to Superman’s ‘death’ and return. Luthor also lost Florida (Bob Graham) and California (inevitable) to the Gore/Graham ticket, but picked up West Virginia (coal miners didn’t like Gore’s environmental criticism). To Bush/Danforth, Luthor lost Mississippi and Alabama (Bush was more attractive to Southerners than Luthor and McCain the election before), Kentucky (which was close to voting for McCain in the first place), and Virginia (the Norfolk disaster to be blamed). Gore performed stronger than Rockefeller nation-wide, picking up the McCain states of New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, but losing New Hampshire. Ultimately, Luthor’s best performance could be found in the rustbelt and the Midwest, where he attracted moderate suburbanites that benefitted from his social and economic reforms and the pro-police. Luthor also found support, albeit less than four years ago, in urban areas among the anti-vigilante vote. Rural areas and the South found Luthor too progressive for their tastes, while urban centers, brought into the pro-vigilante camp by Luthor’s scandals and Superman’s revelation, turned back to the Democrats.
While Al Gore won a plurality of electoral votes, he didn’t win a majority, tossing the election to the slightly Republican House of Representatives where Gore would battle the two runner-ups, and the slightly Democratic Senate, where Graham would duel Danforth. A swarm of back-room negotiations immediately began. While Luthorites were still a minority in Congress, their numbers had doubled since the midterm thanks to Luthor’s funding and campaigning. Most were independents who conformed to Luthor’s platform in exchange for aid; they were of questionable loyalty. However, these Luthorites held the keys to the gate now, as they occupied the central stretch of the Congress, denying any party a strict majority in the Senate and biting deeply into the Democrats’ new lead in the House.
Luthor quickly began meeting with Congressmen in order to whip up support. While most Luthorites associated with a party pledged their support, many wouldn’t; they believed Luthor was a brief fad, a blip compared to the long-lasting Democrat and Republican parties. Luthor, working alongside Roger Stone and his other political operatives, began offering bribes: new military bases, pork barrel legislation. This wasn’t as effective as Luthor hoped it would be. Meanwhile, Luthor reached out to Congressional Leaders. Over the next few days, Luthor outlined a deal: whichever party could get him the most House votes would get the Senate Luthorites to back their VP. Nobody was biting, as Bush and Gore were confident enough in the House.
The Electoral College vote was soon conducted. Faced with a third-place finish, many Reform Party electors attempted to vote instead for the Bush/Danforth or Gore/Graham. Roger Stone was tasked with enforcing party loyalty among electors, removing those of questionable loyalty and bribing others with promised of political positions. Ultimately, Luthor would lose no electoral votes because of faithless electors.
Meanwhile, Luthor began to use the kompromat he had collected for the past four years, revealing his knowledge to those politicians affected by it. Gathered through digital surveillance and spies, Luthor had blackmail material on dozens of key Representatives (House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich included) and almost ten Senators. One-by-one Luthor began to drag the hesitant forcibly into the Luthor camp. By mid-December, it began to look like Luthor might have the votes. He again offered the deal; Gingrich was able to whip more votes than Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, but because it wasn’t enough to win a majority of states Luthor didn’t direct Senate Luthorites to vote for Danforth.
In January, Vice President Armand Krol oversaw the official certification of the 2004 presidential election results during a joint session of Congress. Immediately afterwards, the contingent election began.
First Senate Vote:
JOHN DANFORTH: 47 /
BOB GRAHAM: 47 / PRESENT: 6
First House Vote:
GEORGE W BUSH: 18 /
AL GORE: 14 /
ALEXANDER LUTHOR: 16
With neither party winning a majority, a second vote was scheduled the next day. The Republican and Democrat turn-coats approached Luthor and revealed that they were already being threatened with primary challenges. Luthor realized that, having played all his cards, victory was still too far away. His castle was built on shifting sands. If he wanted to truly stay powerful, he needed to make sure his network of allies remained stable, and forcing them to abandon their parties would knock the whole house of cards down. Luthor needed to pick his battles. Approaching Speaker Gingrich, Luthor offered him a deal: Luthor will free up his underlings in exchange for no Congressional investigations into LexCorp’s part in Norfolk. Gingrich accepts the deal, and Luthor frees up the Congressional Luthorites to vote as they please.
Second Senate Vote:
BOB GRAHAM: 51 /
JOHN DANFORTH: 49
Second House Vote:
GEORGE W BUSH: 29 /
AL GORE: 21
With Bush winning the majority of states in the second House vote and Graham winning the majority of the Senate, a split ticket is sworn into office come January. Both parties promise conciliation and compromise in the coming four years, working together to address the serious problems harming America and course-correct Luthor’s most extreme policies.
While a Congressional investigation is gathered to investigate Norfolk, the blame is pinned on a bioengineering company rather than LexCorp. While Luthor is out of the White House, many in Congress continue to hold anti-vigilante views, led by Senator Keene, and continue to have contact with Luthor. Luthor leaves the White House, temporarily defeated in his war against vigilantism and metahumans. However, there will be many more battles to come. After all, Luthor only served one term….