Chuck Banks

About the time Linda was figuring out that Dan Harmon was not what he claimed, Harmon called Linda and asked her to go with him to a meeting with Chuck Banks.  She didn’t really want to go, but she didn’t want to arouse Harmon’s suspicion about her loyalty.  She had always jumped when he asked her to do something for him, but this time she had no idea why he wanted her to be with him.  She was completely surprised by the television and paper reporters who were crowded around when they stepped off the elevator.   Linda then realized that she was there for the cameras.

Linda sat with Harmon outside of Banks’ office until Harmon was called in.  She knows nothing about their conversation but remembers that Harmon had a VCR tape in his hand when he walked into Banks’ office and did not have it when he walked out.  Sometime later, she remembered the Saline Memorial Hospital scandal, that Harmon had been the special prosecutor, and that the tapes taken from the party house disappeared after they were given to Harmon.  Linda had to wonder.  Did Harmon blackmail Banks with a tape?

When Linda and Jean joined forces, Jean told her it was that very day Banks took over the grand jury investigation.  Jean was in the hall across from the elevator when Linda and Harmon stepped off.  Jean had been subpoenaed by Bob Govar to testify before his grand jury that day, but she was called into the jury room, she was shocked to see Chuck Banks.  After she was sworn in and asked to explain who she was, Banks asked her if she and Harmon had a running feud over an animal abuse case she prosecuted before she was head of the task force.  Jean was shocked again, but immediately saw that Banks was going to try to discredit her task force investigation against Harmon.  The fact is, as she told the jury, she was happy with the outcome of the case and made arrangements to give Harmon his client’s cages.  Harmon went to Jean’s house to get the cages, and as he was leaving he told her that he admired her for what she did.

Banks looked deflated, then a gentleman juror raised his hand.  Banks acknowledged him.  He asked me a question about my task force’s investigation of Harmon.  Banks did not allow Jean to answer.  He told the jury that today was not the time for those questions and promised them that Jean would be called back.  Jean was dismissed and ushered out by Banks.  She was, of course, never called back.  Jean marched straight to Govar’s office, but he wasn’t there.  When she later talked to him by phone, he sounded angry, but offered no explanation.  That day was the obvious beginning of Banks shutting down Govar’s grand jury.

The question remains.  Did Banks shut down the grand jury investigation of Harmon because Banks was taped at the party house or because President George H. W. Bush promised him a federal judgeship nomination.  We can only speculate about what was on the tape, but we know with certainty that Bush offered Banks the nomination, and once Banks shut down the grand jury and cleared Harmon of all accusations, Bush extended him the nomination, although much too late in his term for Banks to be confirmed.  That was kind of dirty, wasn’t it?