Chapter 436: California Power

Charles felt quite satisfied with his meeting with Beberolles of BNP Paribas. One way or another, both parties were pleased with the cooperation.

However, regarding the hundreds of millions of euros that BNP Paribas had invested in the Madoff Fund, Charles could only silently wish them luck.

Jewish capital had already drawn in the net, and foreign capital like this shouldn't expect to get their money back. Bernard Madoff was already a discarded pawn.

November, right after Halloween, was the time when countless movie fans eagerly anticipated the release of the new Harry Potter sequel.

Unfortunately, this year Warner Bros. announced during the summer that the sixth installment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, would be moved from its November release date to July of next year, during the summer blockbuster season!

But this November, Sony Columbia was releasing MGM's blockbuster Quantum of Solace.

At the same time, the magical romance movie Twilight, adapted from a bestselling teen novel, was also generating a lot of buzz.

Quantum of Solace premiered in the UK on October 31st, with a North American release on November 14th. Twilight's North American release was set for a week later on November 21st.

However, the big blockbuster currently playing was DreamWorks Animation's 3D animated film Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, distributed by Paramount.

In San Francisco, at Pier 39 near Fisherman's Wharf, Charles hosted Gavin Newsom and his wife on his yacht, the Star.

Gavin Newsom, the Mayor of San Francisco, had announced this year that he would not seek re-election because California Senator Barbara Boxer was supporting him to replace her as the new California Senator.

"After Barbara Boxer steps down from her Senate position, she will join the House and become the Minority Leader. Next year, she will take over from Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House," Charles said, handing Gavin Newsom a glass of champagne. "Senator, let's have a toast!"

Gavin Newsom nodded. As a rising star in the Newsom family, having just served a term as San Francisco's Mayor, he now had Charles Capet's financial support to run for California Senator. Barbara Boxer's exit provided Gavin Newsom with an opportunity.

"Darling, let's have a toast with Charles," the charismatic Mayor Gavin Newsom said, pulling his new wife, Jennifer Siebel, closer as they raised their glasses to Charles.

Charles smiled and took another look at Gavin Newsom's new wife, Jennifer Siebel, who had married him this year in July after his divorce last year.

Jennifer Siebel was an actress in Hollywood but hadn't accomplished much. Despite being 34, she was still considered a newcomer in Hollywood.

Charles also knew that Jennifer Siebel had previous encounters with Harvey Weinstein and was likely one of the actresses Weinstein had assaulted.

"Charles, you've achieved so much. No one in Hollywood dares to underestimate Capet Entertainment now," said Jennifer Siebel, who was well aware of Charles Capet's influence in Hollywood.

Charles smiled and said, "We've made some progress, and I'm sure we'll keep improving together, won't we?"

Gavin Newsom nodded and said with a smile, "California has always been a significant force in Congress. With the Democrats' stronghold in California, our political influence is bound to grow!"

"Alright, you two are newlyweds, and I know you have work ahead, so I've arranged a vacation spot for you at Lake Tahoe," Charles said with a smile. "This season, you can enjoy the ski resort at Lake Tahoe!"

Charles had a luxurious lakeside villa in South Lake Tahoe, perfect for vacations, whether for summer retreats or winter skiing.

Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel smiled gratefully and left the Star shortly, ready to head to Lake Tahoe for their vacation.

In the afternoon, Charles returned to the Marriott Hotel in San Francisco where Camille reported, "Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel have already headed to Lake Tahoe. LA City Attorney Cameron Trutanich is also off to vacation in Morocco..."

Charles sat on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and said with a smile, "These politicians might not seem wealthy, but they certainly enjoy life on par with the super-rich!"

Camille hesitated before Charles noticed and asked, "What do you want to ask?"

"Why are we supporting Gavin Newsom despite his many scandals, including admitted affairs and numerous younger girlfriends?" Camille asked, puzzled.

"Those are minor issues. Didn't Clinton have even more scandals and still become President?" Charles laughed. "Gavin Newsom's fondness for women makes him easier to control. Pelosi being replaced by Barbara Boxer and Gavin Newsom filling the gap is the best scenario. Moreover, Gavin Newsom's credentials and family resources make him a good fit, and most importantly, he's easy to manipulate!"

Pelosi was never really a California native political force; she was just a puppet pushed by Eastern political powers.

A middle-aged housewife elevated to California Assembly, then Congresswoman, ultimately becoming Speaker of the House despite no real political acumen - compared to Gavin Newsom or California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, Pelosi was a joke.

Replacing Pelosi with Barbara Boxer had full support from California and the new President, ensuring no issues.

Nancy Pelosi wouldn't care about sides; she just followed the orders of Eastern financial conglomerates!

But more fundamentally, it was about the resurgence of California's financial group. Once one of the top ten financial groups in the US, it had been infiltrated by Morgan and First Citigroup in the 80s and 90s.

Despite having America's Bank as its nucleus and controlling entities like Lockheed Martin, the California financial group had fallen under Eastern financial control.

As a local of Los Angeles, Charles had rapidly risen to prominence, carving out a niche in Hollywood and wielding Capet Capital's power on Wall Street.

America's Bank's recent acquisition of Merrill Lynch placed it as the largest bank, initiating collaborative efforts with Charles Capet, transforming Miami's Bank of America Center into a named sports arena as the first step.

Although acquiring Merrill hadn't solved all crises, Capet Capital's investment in America's Bank was now on Charles's agenda. With Silicon Valley and Hollywood at its disposal, California wouldn't have to bow to Eastern financial powers!

*****

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