All language subtitles for Law and order S18E06 - Political Animal

In the criminal justice system,
the people are represented

by two separate,
yet equally important groups:

The police
who investigate crime,

and the district attorneys,
who prosecute the offenders.

These are their stories.

[Dance music plays]

Sean, cheers.

Or not.

Thanks.

This glass
is empty.

Last chance.

Good food,
rich people to schmooze.

Could be new clients.

No, not tonight.

I know what I'll do.

I'll get some liquor.

Dan? Open bar.

See ya.

Sean...cheers.

[Camera shutter clicking]

Looks like this one
got four in the chest.

This one's got one
in the head,

and a gun in his hand.

Murder-suicide?

Subscription
to gay new york.

Could be a love triangle.

Neighbors heard otper foum
this morning

when he came
to fix the faucet.

Did he say who's who?

Todd stewart is the one
on the lease.

Sean witt moved in
around six months ago.

And this one was new.

Camping out on the couch.

Hey.

That's military.

Dan pressman,
eleventh armored cavalry.

Just back from iraq.

Maybe he came back,

found his guy shacking up
with another man.

So they let him sleep
on the couch till he snaps.

They're sorry now.

We moved in,
todd baked a cake

and came over
to introduce himself,

like it was the 1950s
or something.

Well, if it was the '50s,

him and sean wouldn't be
living together.

They weren't
living together.

I mean, todd was gay,
but sean was straight.

Very straight.

He had a lot of friendly
conversations with my boobs.

[Chuckles]

Um, what about dan?

The soldier
crashing on the couch?

Where was he looking?

(Kim)
I don't know.

I think he was
a friend of sean's

from, like,
junior high.

He only showed up
a couple of weeks ago.

(Sara)
Some girl came looking
for him yesterday.

I got the vibe that
she was more than a friend.

She had some of his mail
from his old address,

and she left it with me.

Show me?

(Gwen)
Dan was my fiance--

ex-fiance.

I asked him to move out
three weeks ago.

Do you mind
if we ask why?

Um, the drinking,
for starters.

He would just sit
in my apartment.

He left the army
six months ago.

He went on one job
interview...Drunk.

He ever do anything
that made you think

he might be suicidal?

He saw a lot of terrible things
over there.

[Crying]

Here, have a seat.

Okay...

So when he left
your place

he moved in
with his old friend, sean.

Mm-hm.

Who was living with todd...

Who was gay.

Would dan
have a problem with that?

I don't think so.

He knew how to say no.

Oh, besides, I went
over there one time,

and all todd
could talk about

did he mention a name?Y
that he was seeing.

He called him the mvp.

Some kind of inside joke.

Look,

sean was dan's friend,

and todd took him in
when I threw him out.

He would never hurt them.

Turns out
our gay love triangle

has two
straight guys in it.

Plus your murder-suicide
doesn't have a suicide.

M.e.'s report.

The spread
of powder residue

on dan pressman's scalp

indicates the weapon was at
least two feet from his head,

plus there's a partial
print on the weapon

that doesn't match
any of the victims.

Then someone staged
the crime scene.

Yeah, after killing
three people.

Who's your prime target?

Let's see,
we got sean witt,

the financial planner

with a string
of one-night stands.

We've got

dan pressman,
angry war veteran

who liked to drink;

and todd stewart.

He was a gay lawyer.

Well, who had
the most bullets in him?

(Tanya)
Todd did environmental law.

He was suing
the national parks service

for letting in dirt bikes.

They don't kill people
over stuff like that.

What about
his personal life?

Any trouble
with boyfriends?

(Tanya)
He didn't talk about it
at the office.

He ever mention
the mvp?

Todd didn't
follow sports.

What about his day
yesterday?

Anything unusual?

Meetings,

phone calls.

Here's his schedule.

We bill in 15-minute
increments.

There's a blank
half hour at three.

Yeah.

He was on the phone.
Personal call.

Made him late for a meeting,
and todd was never late.

Is this the phone
number he called?

(Tanya)
I don't know.

But when I came in
to get him for the meeting,

he told the person,
"I'll see you tonight"

before he hung up.

So who did he see
last night?

Lots of people.

He went to a political
fundraiser.

We've been told
the government is bad.

That politicians are useless,
or dishonest.

But government is only
as bad as you, the people,

allow it to be.

I used to think
business was exciting.

But politics,
campaigning,

it's like the living heart
of america

beating in your hands.

That sounds terrible,
doesn't it?

Yeah.

We understand
you organized

last night's
fundraiser?

I'm doing three a week.

Tomorrow night's melanie carver
for u.s. senate.

Thousand dollars
a ticket.

Last night,
mr. Vargas.

An event for jim gilles,
state assemblyman.

Fascinating man.

Very authentic.

And todd stewart was there.

He was a gilles supporter.

I couldn't believe it
when I saw the news.

Did you see who mr. Stewart
was talking to?

I don't know.

I was talking
to everybody myself.

I did see him talking
to the candidate.

Probably about
the gay marriage bill.

Gilles is from a very
conservative district.

He had to vote against it.

I don't imagine
that went over well with todd.

Considering todd was--

yeah, we know.

And this was an argument?

It did seem a little intense.

Gilles has been under
all kinds of pressure

since he went independent.

He's a swing vote
in the assembly.

That's why
they call him the mvp.

It's a tragedy.

I just saw him last night.

He donated to my campaign.

Was that
the full extent

of your
relationship?

Excuse me?

Was that
the full extent

of your
relationship?

Yes.

We chatted at one
or two campaign events.

Yeah, see,
the thing is,

we heard your chat
last night was...

A little intense.

We barely spoke
last night.

What is it you want to know
from me?

Did you know
mr. Stewart was gay?

I accept donations from people
of all sexual persuasions.

Would you mind
telling us

where you were
at 8:30?

My hotel.

I went there
from the fundraiser.

I wasn't feeling well.

That would be
the hotel...

Victoria.

Anyone see you?

Do I need an alibi?

Let me make something
very clear.

I am not gay.

We weren't asking
all that.

But now you know.

Don't you have
some murders to solve?

[Car door closing]

He just lost my vote.

It's hard to keep
a secret these days.
[Dialing cell phone]

"Jim gilles gay,"
search.

(Lyle)
It's just rumors, of course.

But you put them
on your website.

Well, of course.

That's what
the internet is for.

Didn't you go to school?

Gilles is not the only queen
in the castle, you know.

Legislatures
are the new gay bars.

How did you hear
gilles was gay?

I'm sorry, gorgeous.

A journalist never reveals
her sources.

What did they say?

I mean, was he involved
with somebody?

If he was,
they broke up.

After that gay marriage vote,
I'd dump his ass.

You don't actually
know anything, do you?

I know that gilles' district

is on staten island,
ten miles away,

and yet he stays
in a hotel in manhattan.

Which one is it
this time?

The victoria.

It's a dump.

But conveniently located
across from hellman's.

The department store?

So what, he's gay
'cause he likes to shop?

Yes.

But not in the store.

In the men's room.

(Green)
Gilles says he barely
knew todd stewart.

But that long phone call

that stewart made
the day he died

was to gilles'
private phone number.

Well, maybe they
were having a conversation

about campaign
contributions.

Gilles also said

he got back to his hotel
by 8:30.

A desk clerk saw him
get in after midnight.

So gilles is in the closet

having an affair
with todd stewart.

Then he votes
against gay marriage,

stewart doesn't like that,
he argues with gilles,

he's thinking of calling
a political reporter...

So out comes
assemblyman gilles,

down goes his reelection.

So gilles takes care of him,

the roommates walk in,
wrong place, wrong time.

Well, yeah, but...

Your whole theory is built
on one assumption.

That gilles
is secretly gay.

Well, he's staying
across the street

from the cruising capital
of midtown.

[Exhales]

Okay.

Well, the only way
to find out

if gilles actually
takes advantage

of that men's room...

Come on.

Unless you wanna slip
into something sexy,

and buy the guy a drink,

you need to start arguing

about who goes on stall duty.

[Clears throat]

(Man)
Oh, my god.

It's done.

Sir, could you please
come out of the stall?

(Man)
Uh...I'm not
finished yet.

Yeah, I think you are.

(Green)
You're under arrest
for public indecency.

You can wash
your hands, if you want.

This is harassment.

I just had to go
to the bathroom.

Yeah, right.

So you walk
to a department store?

Your hotel didn't have
indoor plumbing?

[Exhales]

Please, I have a wife.

I have children.
Right.

And you don't want them
to read in the papers

that you're gay.

Not to mention
your constituents.

That's what todd stewart
threatened you with, isn't it?

I barely knew
todd stewart.

(Lupo)
We just ran the credit card

from your wallet.

You used it to send gift
baskets to todd stewart.

Thank yous for donating
to my campaign.

(Green)
Yeah, you also used it for...

A double room
at a resort on nantucket.

The same weekend
todd stewart was there.

So it looks like you two

were thanking
each other's brains out.

[Exhales]

All right,
we were...Friends.

It's crazy to think
that I killed him.

You were arguing with him
at the fundraiser.

We did argue during
the day on the phone.

But I told you the truth
about the fundraiser.

We--
we barely spoke.

Todd knew
I had to be discrete.

So where were you
at 8:30?

The truth this time.

I was...

With another friend.

We were together
until 1:00 am.

(Green)
Hey.

Gilles' friend
confirms his alibi.

And he wants to know

when he can meet lups
in the bathroom.

And mr. Gilles' prints

don't match the partial
on the gun.

Yeah, so basically
we just played

"smear the queer"
with an innocent man.

Well, I'll call him

and tell him we lost
his arrest record.

It never happened.

(Green)
So if he's telling
the truth now,

our witness was wrong

about todd stewart arguing
with gilles at the fundraiser.

Well, your witness made
a mistake or he's lying.

Who is he?

Victor vargas,
he's a businessman.

Big contributor to gilles,
as well as melanie carver

and a bunch of other
congressmen.

How big?

(Green)
Millions.

He's what they call
a "bundler."

The law says that
a person can only donate

a couple of thousand dollars
to a campaign.

A person like vargas

gathers all the small amounts
into one big, fat pile.

He's still not answering
his phones.

So you have the donor records
for mr. Gilles?
Yeah.

They should list the home
addresses of the contributors.

(Lupo)
This can't be the address.

This is the address, bro.

I wonder what kind
of penthouse

our millionaire
lives in.

(Lupo)
Excuse me.

Does this building
have a penthouse number one?

Apartment one.

It's not much of a penthouse.

We're looking for a man
named victor vargas.

He gave this address.
Oh, victor.

He stays with me
sometimes.

He's not here
right now.

I don't know
where he is.

(Green)
What's your name, sir?

Michael calderon.

W-Wait.

I saw your name

on a list of campaign
contributors

to a state assemblyman
named gilles?

Yeah, I like him.

Yeah.

You and your family
gave $20,000.

I don't remember
exactly.

What's your relationship
with victor vargas?

Friends.

My son works in
his jewelry business.

Victor's helped us out
with all kinds of things.

Why don't you people
just leave him alone?

Has somebody been looking
for mr. Vargas, besides us?

No.

(Green)
You know,
allowing somebody

to make a campaign
contribution

in your name is a felony.

We can go through
your financial records.

And immigration.

This guy.

He told me to tell victor
to give him a call.

Josh pearlberg?

Mandala capital.

(Pearlberg)
I met the son of a bitch

at a "save the planet"
benefit.

He was arm in arm
with melanie carver,

so I figured
he was cool.

Hey, do you actually
know bob dylan?

(Pearlberg)
I financed one of his
concert tours.

I used to know
a good investment

when I saw one.

So you invested
with victor vargas.

Oh, yeah.

Bridge financing
for his semiprecious stones.

Amethyst, aquamarine,
topaz.

They're huge
on columbus avenue.

Vargas buys them in brazil.

Gets a discount for cash,

but doesn't get paid
'til they get to new york.

So I put up the cash
for a 40% return in 60 days.

It sounds too good
to be true.

That's what I thought.

So I put a toe in,
$75,000 and it worked.

So I invested a half a million.

Worked again.

Then $20 million.

Then there was
a problem.

(Pearlberg)
Many problems.

Shipping delays,

customs issues,

the dog ate
my letter of credit...

Then vargas stopped
returning my calls.

Who was that?

(Green)
It was sean witt,

todd stewart's roommate.

We were looking
at the wrong victim.

Witt managed investments
for a small circle of clients,

and he put five million
of their dollars

into aztec gemstones
limited.

A victor vargas
company?

Yeah, buried under
several layers

of corporate names,
but yeah.

He reels in suckers
by paying back

their initial investment
with other suckers' money.

And they believe
he's respectable,

because they see him
with prominent politicians.

And he pumps up
his importance

with the politicians
by donating extra funds

through fronts
like michael calderon.

And the more money
he steals,

the more respect
he buys.

The more money he can
steal, it's beautiful.

And sean witt
was on to him.

Well, that's just
what we're gonna ask vargas.

It's almost time for his
melanie carver fundraiser.

See you later.

(Vargas)
No.

Bigger.

Grander.
Presidential.

[Green whistling]
Detectives.

You're on my
"to do" list.

It's just been crazy

getting everything
perfect for tonight.

I wish melanie
were here.

I'd introduce you.

You are...Supporters?

Yeah, I love a woman
in a pantsuit.

Look, we need to talk to you
about sean witt.

You never mentioned
yesterday

that he did business
with you.

I didn't think
it mattered.

Met him through
todd stewart.

I didn't know him well.

Well enough for him
to give you

five million dollars.

It was an investment.

Yeah, we hear
some of your investments

don't work out too well.

We talked
to josh pearlberg.

Josh.

Did you like the beard?

[Chuckles]

He's so...

Impatient,
like a child.

I guess waiting
for $20 million

can make a person
nervous.

I don't mean to be rude,

but I have to deal
with some last-minute rsvp's.

I think we finally heard
from jack mccoy.

Do you know
the new district attorney?

Where were you
at 8:30 that night?

At the event.
It was my party.

It ended at 8:00.
There was clean-up.

And I met
franklin slater there.

Lieutenant governor
candidate.

Incredibly dynamic.

Have you heard him speak?

No.

Look, I really
have to find the chef.

This may be
new york city,

but I don't do
chopped liver.

Lups, let him go.

This vase is coming
with us.

I'm giving the flowers
to my mom.

Don't report me
to iab.

[Chuckles]
What are you
gonna do for us?

Give you good news.

That's why I exist.

A thumbprint on the vase

is consistent with the partial
on the murder weapon.

Consistent?
But not a slam dunk?

But a perfect match
for this.

I ran it through
the system.

Coral gables,
florida, 1996.

Victor montero was convicted
of defrauding investors

in an imports racket.

(Lupo)
Montero?
That's our boy.

How long
did he serve?

Zero.

Jumped bail
before sentencing.

There's an open
bench warrant.

What's that?

Inquiry report.

Someone accessed
this record three days ago.

Sean witt made
the inquiry.

He hired a commercial
search service.

He knew about vargas.

(Lupo)
Yeah, and it looks like

vargas knew he knew.

Sean's luds show a call
to his cell phone

owned by aztec gemstones

two hours
before he was killed.

He wanted his money back,
but vargas had a better idea.

(Green)
He knows we're sniffing around.

Is it enough to arrest him
for the murders?

Doesn't need to be.

We've got a fugitive warrant.

Melanie...

You look like
you're ready

to rule the world.

I love you too,
victor.

So...

How much are we
raising tonight?

(Lupo)
Excuse me ma'am.

Would you step aside,
please?

Victor vargas,
you're under arrest.

Hands behind
your back, please.

Victor, is there something
you should be telling me?

Yes, remind the manager

to set up the rope
for the vip section.

You honor, this is
a misunderstanding.

Actually,
it's pretty clear.

Mr. Vargas is being held

pursuant to a bench warrant
from florida,

where he failed to show up
for sentencing

after being convicted
for fraud.

It was a dispute
over a small amount of money.

It was cleared up
years ago.

Well, someone forgot to tell
the state of florida.

Pending the extradition
application, people request

the defendant be
remanded to the custody

of the department
of correction.

My client is entitled to bail.
He has ample means.

(Rubirosa)
The only reason
that he is here now

is because he skipped out
on bail before.

We don't even know
his real name.

Is it vargas or montero?

It's victor vargas montero.

The latin custom is to put
one's mother's name

after one's father's.

Fascinating.

Bail is set at $3 million.

We'll reconvene on extradition
in the morning.

[Taps gavel]

All I can say, jack,

is that in his dealings
with me,

victor vargas has displayed
nothing but decency

and integrity.

You weren't with him
in florida

ten years ago, melanie.

I don't know
what happened there.

But he certainly isn't
acting like a fugitive.

He's had his picture taken
with me a hundred times.

For what it's worth.

See you next sunday.

It's on my calendar.

You a melanie man,
jack?

Compared with
the alternative...

Did she happen to mention
that victor vargas

raised more than $2 million
for her campaign?

Public information,
connie.

What happened
with vargas?

(Rubirosa)
Bailed himself out.

Posted $3 million
in 30 minutes.

Probably money he swindled
from josh pearlberg.

If that's true,

this is gonna break a lot
of politicians' hearts.

Letters of support from
a dozen public servants.

I gather mr. Vargas

is important
to all of them.

There's nothing here
from franklin slater.

Should there be?

Vargas was one
of his biggest donors.

Vargas

told the police
he was with slater

around the time
of the murders.

Find out why mr. Slater

isn't jumping on the
"we love vargas" bandwagon.

(Slater)
Yeah, I picked up victor

after the gilles
fundraiser.

He met with me
and my people,

and then I took off
for upstate.

I just came back
for this debate.

Which starts
in 16 minutes.

I'm supposed to be
practicing my witty ad libs.

Well, I'll try
not to keep you.

Listen, exactly
when and where

did you pick
mr. Vargas up?

At the fundraiser.

A little before 9:00.

What's this about?

A triple homicide.

Homicide?
Mm-hm.

Victor?

[Laughing]

No.

I think he might kill
for a chance

to sleep in the lincoln
bedroom, but otherwise...

Well, it happened
the night you saw him.

Listen, is there

anything out of the ordinary
that you noticed?

Well, victor was jazzed.

But he's always jazzed
when he's around a candidate.

And when I picked him up,
the fundraiser just ended.

Was there anyone else
at the restaurant?

Some waiters
cleaning up.

Look, victor got in my car,
we drove to my meeting

with a quick stop
at peter elliot.

Why?

Victor ran in
to buy a clean shirt.

He said he'd been sweating.

(Max)
Mr. Vargas is a regular.

Everything custom.

One arm is slightly longer.

Do you remember
that night?

Of course.

He called ahead

and I told him
I'd wait for him.

Does he usually buy
emergency shirts

at closing time?

No, but I did once
sell a tuxedo

to a young man
on the way to his wedding.

We had to staple
the cuffs--

uh, I'm sorry.

Did mr. Vargas
tell you

why he needed
a shirt just then?

He wanted to look good.

He always likes
to look good.

What didn't look good
about the way he was?

Cocktail sauce.

A spot right here.

He didn't want
to walk around like that.

Cocktail sauce?

The timeline works.

The fundraiser
ended at 8:00.

Vargas said he stayed
to clean up.

But he could have
slipped out.

The victims only lived
a few blocks away.

So he went over there,

killed them,

got back in time
to meet slater.

And then went
to peter elliot

when he realized
there was blood on his shirt.

It's more than
we had before.

And I don't like him
running around free.

Well, his hearing
on the florida extradition

starts in 20 minutes.

Screw florida.

Let's arrest him
for murder.

What is this?

A motion to recover
the $3 million

mr. Vargas posted
with the court yesterday.

(Judge)
That was his bail.

That wasn't his to give.

That money was stolen
from my client, mr. Pearlberg.

It belonged to him.

(Judge)
Actually,

as of six minutes ago,

it belongs to the state
of new york,

since mr. Vargas
failed to appear.

Ms. Standish,

do you have any idea

as to your client's
whereabouts?

He assured me
he'd be here.

Your honor,
I move the bail be revoked

and a bench warrant
issued forthwith.

We already have
one bench warrant,

how many bench warrants
do we need?

[Knocking]

Come in.

Josh pearlberg?

I got a package
for sylvia standish.

And michael cutter.

Yeah, thanks.

(Mccoy)
"So sorry for all the trouble...

"Pledge full compensation
to my investors...

"Just have to fly
to south america

to straighten
things out."

It's the politest notice

of jumping bail
I've ever seen.

I've been looking
at flight manifests,

and there is no record
of victor vargas

or victor montero.

But a michael calderon

bought a one-way ticket
to rio de janeiro

on avianza airlines.

Flight 17.

When does it leave?

45 minutes ago.

Well, you're not
in south america.

No.

Did you give
victor vargas your passport?

No!
Do you know
where he is?

I haven't seen him.

[Rattling]

Who's back there?

Move.

Hey.

What?

(Lupo)
Can you stand up?

I'm all right.

(Green)
Mr. Vargas,
please stand up.

Get up, mr. Vargas.

Tell the congressman
I'm sorry I'm late.

Come on.

[Cell phone dialing]

Need an ambulance
at 4023 park avenue.

(Vargas)
No, I'm fine.

I'm fine.

Melanie.

I knew you'd believe
in me.

Hey, hey.

Hey.

Docket number 14267,

people against
victor vargas.

Three counts of murder
in the second degree.

(Judge)
Plea?

Not guilty.

(Judge)
Don't bother asking for bail.

No problem,
your honor.

I'd advise you
to let your attorney speak.

She's not my attorney.

I'm firing her.

I want to represent
myself.

Your honor,
I don't believe that's wise.

The defendant has been
hospitalized.

There was
a suicide attempt.

It was an accidental
overdose of a painkiller.

I can bring a note
from my doctor.

There's more
to defending yourself

than being in good health,
mr. Vargas.

I did attend law school.

We have no record of that.

It was under
another name.

And I was disbarred
for stealing client funds,

t thk
I remember enough.

[Door buzzing]

If you're looking
for a deal--

why would I want a deal?

(Cutter)
Then what are we
doing here?

I'm giving you a chance

to get out of this
gracefully.

[Chuckles]

You are full of surprises,
aren't you?

Your whole history
as a crook.

It's all relevant
to this case.

Everyone's gonna know
exactly who you are.

So I've been a bad boy,

but what have you got
against me for murder?

A partial fingerprint?

A red spot on a vanished shirt?

(Rubirosa)
Your lies to the police.

Your proximity
to the crime.

(Cutter)
Not to mention

your four-star motive.

What?

Sean witt was worried
about a few million dollars.

Why would I kill him?

I could have just
repaid him.

I have the money.

Hm.

Because you stole it
from other investors.

(Vargas)
Exactly.

You're making my point.

Maybe you should testify for me.

(Cutter)
Was the car heated?

Yes, it was pretty warm.

But mr. Vargas kept
his coat buttoned, anyway.

Yes.

As if he was

concealing his shirt until
he could buy a new one.

Yes.

How are you,
franklin?

Objection.
Relevance?

He might not think
it's important, but I do.

Do you have a question,
mr. Vargas?

(Vargas)
Yes.

What did sean witt
say when he called you

a few hours before
he was murdered?

Objection.
Assumes facts
not in evidence.

Excuse me.

Mr. Slater,
did sean witt call you

on the day he was murdered?

Yes.

You didn't mention that call
to the authorities, did you?

No.

Is that because it gave you
a motive to kill mr. Witt?

Surely I'm entitled to offer
other theories of the crime.

Only if they have
some evidentiary basis.

That's what I'm trying
to get to.

I'll allow you
some latitude, mr. Vargas.

Don't abuse it.

What did sean witt
say when he called?

He said that I shouldn't
spend the money

that you'd donated
to my campaign.

Because I'd stolen it from him
and he wanted it back?

Something like that, yes.

How much had I brought in
to your campaign?

I don't know offhand.

If I said it was more
than a million dollars,

would you believe it?

Yes.

(Vargas)
At that point
in your campaign,

could you have given up
more than a million dollars?

If I had to.

You would have had to cancel

advertisements,

travel, polling--

I would have had
to cut back somewhere.

(Vargas)
And would it
have helped

or hurt your chances
of being elected

if it came out

that your major
fundraiser was a crook?

Think I'm about
to find out.

But if mr. Witt was silenced,

none of those bad things
would happen, would they?

No more questions.

Mr. Slater,

did you murder
sean witt?

No.

Then why didn't you mention

that phone call
to the authorities?

I believe we've just heard
some of the reasons.

Now I see that that
was an error in judgment.

Yes.
Thank you.

By the way,

I've got the rest
of my witness list ready.

I've been subpoenaed
to testify by victor vargas.

There is a limit

to what I can discuss
with you, melanie.

If I say the wrong thing,
call a cop.

Oh, can't you
make this go away?

If the judge approved
your subpoena--

i don't mean the subpoena.

I mean the trial.

That turd, vargas.

It's a triple murder.

We don't sweep those
under the rug.

He has to be crazy,
right?

He tried to kill himself.

Send him to
a mental institution.

He's not pleading
insanity.

No, his defense
is that I did it.

Or franklin slater,
or one of the other candidates

he so generously backed.

Jack, have you heard
of a group

called new yorkers
for good government?

They want you to run
for a full term

at the next election.

They do?
Mm-hm.

They admire the fact
that you're not a politician.

So they want me
to become one.

[Laughing]

Ironic, isn't it?

If you want to continue your
fight for truth and justice,

you will have
to get elected.

I'll consider it
when the time comes.

Victor vargas

already considered it.

He thinks
you're his kind of guy.

He's contributed $10,000

to new yorkers
for good government.

You could be next
on his witness list.

Maybe you murdered
sean witt.

Melanie, vargas
isn't proving anything.

He's flailing.

And bringing down
good people, jack.

We're not monsters.

We want to do good things,
just like you.

So I should ship him
to a mental institution

without a trial?

This isn't communist
russia, melanie.

Truth and justice.

There's nothing I can do.

(Melanie)
Sean witt never called me.

I didn't know
you'd swindled him,

and I didn't know
the truth about you.

Are you sure
he didn't call?

I'd given more
of his money to you

than I did to slater.

I thought that you were
a wealthy businessman

with wealthy friends.

That's what you told me.

So you had no idea
I wasn't telling the truth.

No.

I showed up out of nowhere.

If you'd done
a simple internet search,

you would have found out
that five years ago

victor vargas did not exist.

Objection, the defendant
is testifying.

Sorry.

Did you run
a background check on me?

There didn't seem to be
any reason to.

Because I'd brought
$2 million into your campaign?

Is that why there
wasn't any reason?

Because you seemed to fit in.

You liked to talk
about politics.

You even gave me
a memo that you wrote

on health insurance
for immigrants.

Did you know
the addresses I gave you

didn't check out?

No.

Did you know
I brought your campaign

$24,000 from the family
of a janitor?

No.

(Vargas)
What's your iq?

I don't know.

What universities
did you attend?

Princeton, harvard,
london school of economics.

(Vargas)
You knew, didn't you?

Isn't that why
you didn't check me out?

You knew, but didn't want
to see the proof,

because you wanted my money.

Objection.

And you didn't want
anyone else

to see the proof, either.

If sean witt was going
to blow the whistle,

that was a problem for you!

(Cutter)
Objection!

Sustained.

(Vargas)
The district attorney is
protecting you, isn't he?

Isn't jack mccoy your political
ally, your friend?

(Judge)
That's enough, mr. Vargas!

Take your seat.

Mr. Cutter?

No questions.

You didn't even
cross-examine?

The accusation
is outrageous.

Really?

How many people think
hilary clinton

had vincent foster
murdered over whitewater?

I didn't want to dignify
that kind of thinking

by asking her to deny it.

You could have made some effort.
(Cutter)
Sure, I also

could have asked her
"how could you possibly be

as dumb as you're
pretending to be?"

But I didn't think
that was gonna help either.

(Rubirosa)
Vargas is right, isn't he?

About the money.

It's all about the money.

They call it "free speech,"

but apparently
it's very expensive.

He is right.

Nobody wanted to know.

So nobody wanted
sean witt to tell.

Now you're making
vargas's case.

Why didn't he run
when he jumped bail?

He could have made it
to south america.

(Cutter)
He's such a good con man

he conned himself.

He thinks he can beat us.

Maybe now,
but what was he thinking

when he tried to commit suicide?

Ths the victor vargas
you want the jury to see.

Thank you very much
for coming.

So going over your man
cutter's head, eh?

Because of what I said
about you and melanie?

Just need to take
one phone call

before we talk.

It wasn't personal,
mr. Mccoy.

I'd be proud to support you
in the next election.

I'm really...
A tremendous admirer.

Thank you.

If you wanna freshen up
while you wait.

I'm sure it's not
too pleasant being in jail.

(Woman)
Victor?

Melanie?

How'd you--?

Mccoy.

Just like you said,
victor.

He's pulling
the strings.

Trying to protect you.

He was.

Now he's protecting
himself.

You've got him
in a bind.

He has political
ambitions.

He says he doesn't.

You know better.

You know
what it's like.

You've linked me to you
and to these murders.

You've linked him to me.

In order to preserve
his squeaky clean image

now he has to come
after me.

He's going to indict
my campaign

as a corrupt enterprise,

for knowingly
accepting stolen money.

That's not what I wanted.

But that is what
you said I did.

I had to defend myself.

This is the end

of my political career,
victor.

I thought you genuinely
admired me.

I do.

I thought you genuinely
wanted to help.

I read your memo
about health insurance,

it has some excellent ideas.

You think so?

Yes.

Yes!
Please, victor...

Do the right thing.

Not just for me,
but for the people of new york,

of this country.

Everything that
I want to do,

everything that we
want to do,

it's not gonna happen
because of these lies

that you're telling.

I'm sorry.

I really am.

I'm sorry.

But it's part
of the game.

You understand.

It's like you said.

Mm.

(Vargas on a tape)
I'm sorry.

But it's part of the game,
you understand.

It's like you said.

What was part of the game,
mr. Vargas?

That was a trick.

She tricked me.

(Cutter)
Why shouldn't she?

You accused her
of murder.

But that was just a game.

Right?

Why don't you play
what came after on the tape?

There is no more.
That's where it ends.

Do you really believe
melanie carver,

or any candidate you supported

killed sean witt
and his roommates?

No.

(Cutter)
Because you did.

Isn't that right?

No.

Because sean witt
was gonna expose your fraud

and send your
politician friends

running from you
like the plague.

They weren't friends.
They were my cover.

They made me seem
legitimate.

(Cutter)
Just your cover?

Well, then all you had to do

was show up at their parties
with a checkbook.

You didn't have
to write a memo

about health insurance
for immigrants.

That was part
of playing the role.

(Cutter)
We just heard the tape.

Mr. Vargas, there's no role
left to play.

But you're still discussing

your ideas
with the candidate.

She brought it up.

(Cutter)
And you enjoyed it.

Are you denying
it was interesting

to be discussing
public policy

with a possible
future president

of the united states?

No.
Of course it was.

Of course it was.

But sean witt was gonna
take that away from you.

I didn't have to kill him.

I could have just
paid him back.

How?

Josh pearlberg
was on to you.

Your investor pool
was drying up.

I had other
potential investors.

But sean witt didn't wanna wait
to get his money back.

I only needed a few days.

But he didn't
believe you, did he?

Because he knew better,
so you shot him

as his roommates walked
in at the wrong time,

so you shot them too.

No.

Because he was gonna
bring it all

to an end!

Your hobnobbing
with political superstars.

The imaginary life
you'd come to believe in.

It wasn't imaginary.

She liked me.

You heard her.

She was tricking you.
You just said so.

But she didn't have
to say that.

You believed your own lie
that you mattered

to them.
It wasn't a lie.

That's why you killed them.

They liked me!
They really did.

That's why you tried
to kill yourself!

Tell them, melanie.

You liked me.

Tell them you liked me.

(Melanie)
Guilty.

Guilty, guilty.

Congratulations,
jack.

I was just wondering,

our little bathroom tape,

it didn't completely
nail him,

but he fell apart
anyway.

He was off his game.

Borderline personality,
jack.

And your man cutter
played him just right.

Vargas said something

about the rest
of the tape.

But there was
no rest of the tape.

Did you stop it?

[Laughing]

The primary's next tuesday.

Don't forget to vote.

Captioning by gabriela
at captionmax
www.Captionmax.Com