BREAKING NEWS: POLICE RAID ON ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT MEETING SPARKS POLITICAL FIRESTORM

Photography by Grady Heichel

FARMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS — Thursday, 10:20 a.m.

Governor Dajeun Dickerson Jr. of Zulch City and members of his cabinet were interrupted Thursday morning during what was deemed by DeWeese County Sheriff Deputies as an illegal, closed-door meeting with legislative leaders.

The meeting, held inside the Farmer School of Business, violated American Legion Buckeye Boys State’s Sunshine Policy, which mandates all meetings between the executive and legislative branches be open to the public. Lieutenant Governor Zachary May of Bishop City was not present at the meeting.

Just minutes earlier, the Senate and House of Representatives had recessed—an apparent attempt to provide political cover. Though the gathering was not publicly announced, several members of the public appeared to know about it ahead of time.
Law enforcement officers stormed the meeting mid-discussion moments after the governor began addressing a controversial fine issued by the secretary of state.

Multiple lawmakers and officials were read their Miranda rights and are now awaiting questioning. A court case against the governor was taking shape Thursday afternoon.

According to several sources, the meeting was organized by Senate President Khalid Guled of Alberts City in an attempt to address rising frustration with Dickerson’s leadership. Since taking office Tuesday afternoon, Dickerson has faced mounting criticism for avoiding public meetings with the legislature and for allegations of tardiness, broken promises, and potential misconduct.

“It seems like the president of the Senate was coming to us as if he was acting in his official capacity, but then we came and it appeared that he was not. To the best of our knowledge, it was going to be an official public meeting,” Dickerson said.

His staff supported his portrayal of the controversy. Commerce Committee Chairman Matthew Moreland of Dieringer City said the police response was overblown, saying, “I think it was kind of absurd with the whistleblowers … but hopefully we can still get some meetings.”

The meeting was communicated as a closed-off meeting to members of The Hetuck, as the staff was initially denied access to the meeting after formally requesting to attend. Still, many in state government claim it was publicly known all along.

“They claimed we didn’t tell the public about it… I announced it at our meeting, meaning it was the citizens’ responsibility to advertise it the rest of the way,” Senator Gavin Clay of Peltier City insisted.

Adding to the drama, Sergeant-at-Arms Grant Wilson of Dieringer City made a surprising allegation: “I think I know who did it—the people behind me were talking about what they were going to do.”

As tensions rise and questions multiply, American Legion Buckeye Boys State may be facing a full-blown constitutional crisis. Investigations are ongoing, and the political fallout is just beginning.