Perhaps the strangest situation in all of this—the business that the state troopers sought to shut down was owned by none other than Amy Aspen, the daughter of the current Governor, Kate Meelios.
It is widely believed that the court order was signed at the behest of the Governor, who has long expressed concern and displeasure at the streaming of adult content that her daughter engages in.
But perhaps more surprising was that the savior of the moment was none other than Parker Trask, the ex-husband of the Governor and thus the stepfather of Ms. Aspen.
"The Mayor and the Governor have never really liked each other," a source within the Governor's camp was quoted as saying on condition of anonymity. "They may have been married to each other, but I doubt there was ever any real love. So it's not surprising that it came down to people pointing guns at each other with these two."
The circumstances of the encounter have left many New Yorkers, as well as citizens outside the city, understandably anxious.
Never in the history of the state has one branch of law enforcement had to draw a firearm to prevent another branch of law enforcement from doing their job.
"Don't doubt it," an NYPD police officer was quoted as saying after hours at a tavern on condition of anonymity due to being a police officer. "If those state troopers would've come an inch closer, we would've used whatever force was required to stop them."
The situation itself has quickly spiraled from what was a simple contested Senate seat campaign into a national discussion of states rights vs a central bureaucracy making rules.
While accounts vary as to the provocations that led to the Mayor stepping in, certain facts are accepted by both sides.
The heart of the matter that led to the standoff yesterday centered around a business that created adult content. This business was indeed founded and still owned by Ms. Aspen.
"There's just entirely too much family drama going on here," said a passerby as they were leaving a bar across from Kinky Amy's. "This doesn't feel like protecting the public. It feels like family members treating the civic institutions of the city and state as their personal tools to use in avenging themselves on one another."
Many New Yorkers agree, with both the Governor and the Mayor taking a dip in their approval polls. In a surprise twist, however, Amy Aspen was polled at a much higher job approval rating than her Governor mother, as well as her Mayor stepfather.
Only time will tell what the next twist in their ever-complicated road will be.
Stay tuned to the New York Daily Journal to stay up to date.
Parker
Amy and I are sitting at Gracie Mansion, sitting side by side, and watching the television without saying a word. It feels as if we're holding our breaths, and even the air around doesn't seem to be moving.
The anticipation is oppressive. We've been waiting for this moment.
I look over at her, and she seems worried—more worried than any of us would like to admit. There's a deep crease across her forehead, and her chin is resting in the palm of her hand. Her hair is hanging down one side of her face, creating an ominous shadow.
It's almost as if she's hiding something from me. But I shake that thought from my mind. It's just stress, I think to myself. This kind of stress would cause anyone to look like that.
"It's going to be okay," I say, placing my hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze, but she doesn't respond or look at me. She keeps her gaze on the TV.
We watch as her mother, Governor Kate Meelios speaks into a microphone. She's standing at an outdoor podium, and the wind is blowing her hair in unruly patterns. She looks like she could be Medusa's sister, with a head full of slender, hissing snakes, and in one, long stare, it's as if she could turn you into stone. The thought of that almost makes me want to turn away from the TV, but I can't.
I keep listening. Our future depends on it.
"The events of the past 24 hours are outrageous, to the say the least," she says, and there's an edge to he voice that means she is more than ready for war to break out.
Her gaze is cool and calculating, her eyes as sharp as broken glass, as she continues. "Parker Trask has far over exceeded his authority as Mayor of this city. On that, I think we can all agree. He nearly assaulted an officer, the way he threatened to grab the officer's weapon and pushed his chest into the muzzle of the gun. He also turned the NYPD against us. That is a hostile act that can't—no, it won't be tolerated under my governorship, his blatant disrespect for the law."
I nearly choke, listening to the words pouring out of her mouth.
What the fuck? How can she in good conscience say these things?
"Can you fucking believe that? I seriously can't believe she's turning this all on me—making me look like the villain in all of this," I say to Amy, turning to her. But she's still glued to the TV.