Scandal s07e14 Episode Script
The List
1 Yes, Dad, I saw the article you sent.
I've just been busy.
No, they're not overworking me, but I'm an intern, so I kinda have to do, like, everything.
[SCOFFS.]
President? I don't know, Dad.
Okay, I gotta go.
I'll talk to you later.
Love you, too.
Can I help you? I need a gun.
You got ID? So what kind of gun you want? One that works.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
I have nothing to say to you.
It's about the hijacking.
It was Cyrus.
Cyrus Beene hijacked his own plane for attention? He wants to be President.
The election's not for another three years.
Seven if Mellie runs again.
I don't think he wants to wait that long.
Cyrus wants the Oval.
He wants it now.
We need to figure out how he's going to take that, and what it means for Mellie.
- We? - The team.
You don't have a team.
I know that.
No, you don't.
If you did, you wouldn't come to my home, - asking for favors.
- Abby If I went to QPA with this and told them that it came from you? I'd be out on my ass, too.
That's how much they don't want to hear from you.
I understand what you're saying.
I wouldn't be here if I had another option.
I'm not asking for forgiveness, I'm asking for help.
I need help.
Please.
I'll see what I can do.
And then, if this theory of yours proves to be true, the team will decide whether it's a fight worth fighting.
Madam President? MELLIE: Down here.
I tweaked my back.
Can you believe it? The doctor gave me a tennis ball, some Tylenol, and said, "Good luck.
" President of the United States.
Short of overhauling the country's medical training, - how can I help? - The federal budget.
We're facing a government shutdown if we can't get the votes in Congress.
You want to use B613 to dig up some dirt? No.
Threatening people creates resentment.
I don't just want votes, I want support, and there's an easier way.
[GASPS, SIGHS.]
We need Cyrus.
Madam President He's dominating in the polls right now.
We'd be foolish not to take advantage of it.
I'd prefer we find another way.
And I'd prefer to be on my feet, but until a better option presents itself [SIGHS.]
you got to let your grudge match go.
We need him.
Yes, Madam President.
FILIZ: This thing's a mess.
The computer virus that managed to circumvent all our safety protocols and take control of the Vice President's plane is a mess? A total hack job.
It's got syntax errors, recursion loops, it leaks memory like the Exxon Valdez.
I could cross-reference the code with the code of all known hackers, but that would be a waste of time.
No self-respecting coder did this.
- So who did? - There are two possibilities.
Either the coder is new like grade-school new or they did a crappy job on purpose so the code would be impenetrable, which would make them a secret genius.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Liv.
It's late.
What's up? Not much.
I was thinking about grabbing some dinner.
Interested? You really don't have any other friends, do you? No.
Not really.
Although I did talk to Abby today.
She even invited me into her apartment, so that's something.
Yeah? What did you talk about? Nothing.
[SCOFFS.]
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Excuse me.
I'm sorry.
I waited in reception but there wasn't anyone at the desk.
Well, it's actually after hours, so if you want to come back - You're Olivia Pope.
- I am.
You're the person I'm looking for.
Alisha's only 21.
No one's seen her in days.
Her roommate doesn't know anything, and the cops say it's too soon to call her a missing person.
I-I don't know this city.
[CHUCKLES.]
It's the first time I've set foot outside Ohio in 10 years.
Gary.
I'm sorry, but this is not what I do.
Not anymore.
However, I am sure th She's here because of you.
- What do you mean? - She idolizes you.
She's watched you for years on TV speaking for members of Congress, senators, Presidents.
[CHUCKLES.]
A woman who looks like her.
You're the reason she fell in love with politics.
You're the reason she came to D.
C.
, the reason she became a Congressional intern.
A-And she's doing so well.
I'm I'm so proud.
I-If you could see how hard she works, how smart she is, you'd be proud [SCOFFS.]
to have someone like Alisha following in your footsteps.
But something happened.
She hasn't called me in a week, and it's not like her.
Something's wrong.
I know it in my gut.
Alisha came here because of you, and now I'm here because of you.
Please.
Help me find my daughter.
Alisha Francis.
21-year-old Georgetown senior majoring in Government Affairs.
Since the summer, she's been interning in the office of Ohio Congressman Philip Beard.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Her father hasn't heard from her for a week.
Have you spoken to anyone in Congressman Beard's office? I tried them, but I just got the runaround.
You think there's a case there? I know this isn't exactly what we do, but Okay.
I'll head to her apartment.
See what I can find.
I'll reach out to Metro Police.
They're getting pretty accustomed to hearing from me.
Thank you.
Cyrus Beene, the Vice President of the United States, hijacked his own plane? That's The plot of a bad action movie? Now that I said it out loud, yeah, I guess it kind of is, but that doesn't mean it's not true.
Well, where is this coming from? I-Is it a hunch? Have you been talking to someone? Just David.
Something he told me got me thinking.
Something? He said Cyrus requested that he go to Lisbon with him.
Cyrus Beene, my former boss A man whose personal e-mail still ends in "aol.
com" suddenly signs up for a digital piracy summit an ocean away? Why would he do that? Unless He wanted to be on Air Force Two.
Excuse me.
Before we all bust out the tinfoil hats, do I need to remind you people what happened the last time one of us ran up a White House conspiracy - involving a plane? - Charlie.
Quinncan I speak to you for a sec? Alone? Okay, talk.
I lost you.
You weredead.
Yeah, but now I'm back, and we have a job to do.
Yes, I know.
Butgoing after Cyrus Is exactly the kind of thing we do here.
Charlie, if Abby is right, if Cyrus is up to something and we do nothing? Then whatever happens next will be on us.
I didn't come back to sit on the sidelines.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Olivia Pope.
Yes, and you are? Meghan Seeley.
I What are you doing here? I'm looking for Alisha Francis.
You're Alisha's hero.
Or, I guess heroine.
You say she's been gone a couple of days.
She moped around for a day or so after she lost her job, but I didn't see her after that.
I figured she went home to her parents' place - to lick her wounds.
- She lost her job when? Last week.
She wouldn't have told you if she were leaving town? We really just share the rent.
We're not super close.
So then, she probably didn't talk to you about how she lost her job? [SIGHS.]
Well, that's actually kinda awkward.
We've both been interning for Congressman Beard.
It's how we got matched as roommates.
When your internship is over, they either hire you on full-time or they say, "Thanks, but no thanks," and you have to figure out something else to do with your life.
I got hired, but Alisha She didn't.
Yeah.
Speaking of, I really should get to work.
You go ahead, finish getting ready.
I'll walk out with you.
FITZ: "I promise I didn't mean to offend you, and I hope we can let bygones be bygones.
It's my dream to have a career in Washington.
I've worked too hard to be GFV'ed for this.
I'm not going to tell anyone what happened.
I hope you can do the same for me.
" What's "GFV"? Alisha sent this e-mail to her boss, Tim Waterbend, just hours before she was fired.
Metro police on it now, too.
- Good.
- What did you say to them? I gave them her name, and they ran a check on her.
Turns out, around the time Alisha disappeared, she bought a gun.
That got their attention.
- What'd I miss? - OLIVIA: Take a look.
Alisha lost her job last week.
She sent an e-mail to her boss, telling him she "wouldn't tell anyone what happened.
" You guys notice the part where she asks her boss not to "GFV" her? Does that mean something to you? I'm gonna show you something.
They call it the "fresh meat" list.
It's a list of all the attractive female interns - on the Hill.
- Oh, a hot list.
What? I didn't invent the term.
That's what we called it when I was in college.
You know, before the Internet.
I got sent the link anonymously when I first started at the White House.
Dudes use their initials to log "reviews" for interns they, uh We get it.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Still up and running.
Unbelievable.
Is Alisha on here? [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Bingo.
I still don't understand what GFV, like on a menu.
"Gluten-Free Vegan".
Ugh.
It means she won't put out.
And if you're one of the guys on this list - and you get her resumé - You won't hire her.
TW Tim Waterbend.
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
The day after she was fired, Alisha sent her resumé to 28 openings via the .
gov internal jobs listings.
Guess how many responses she got? - Ah, don't tell me.
- Zero.
So the gun you think she bought it for revenge? Girl has a dream of working in D.
C.
, girl lands coveted internship at Congressman's office, Congressman's Chief of Staff fires girl because she won't sleep with him.
Girl buys gun, girl disappears.
There's only a handful of ways this story ends.
And none of them are good.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
And the Democrats are, well [SIGHS.]
they haven't even made clear their precise issues with the budget.
I think they want us to go into a shutdown.
Of course they do.
And they'll say it's because we were unwilling to compromise.
Mm.
[GASPS.]
How'd you throw it out? [SIGHS.]
Just stress, I think.
So you want me to talk to some folks? Would you? I know how in demand you are right now.
It's just a slow news cycle.
I'd be happy to whip some Dems into shape.
[SIGHS.]
Cyrus I'm so glad you're all right.
[SIGHS.]
I wanted to apologize directly for Madam President, you have nothing to apologize for.
If we hadn't regained control of that plane, shooting it down would've been the right decision.
The only decision.
I would've done the same if I were you.
[SIGHS.]
Thank you.
Thank you for understanding.
- You get some rest.
- I will.
And, Cyrus? We are going to figure out who hijacked that plane.
There will be justice.
I believe it.
VPs are used to taking a back seat, but America's put you in the spotlight.
How are you planning to spend all this new political capital? I'm focused on one thing supporting the agenda of President Mellie Grant.
This virus they used to hijack the plane, there is no way that the NSA or any other government agency developed malware with this much code smell.
Cyrus must've farmed it out.
Which means there's a money trail.
Charlie? Not his personal account.
No unusual activity.
The assets in Cyrus's blind trust have not been touched.
Okay, what about secret off-shore accounts? I could look into those and not find anything, or, you know, we could call it.
Call it? We've been working on it for like two seconds.
But I've already broken like seven Federal laws.
Shh! Where's the painting? - What painting? - The Cezanne.
"The Boy in the Red Vest".
The one that Fenton Glackland gave him.
- It's not there.
- Glackland gave him a Cezanne? A real Cezanne? That must be worth Enough to hire a hacker to write you a special Air Force Two hijacking virus.
And to finance whatever comes next.
But you have a contact in the art underworld, don't you? All right, I'll give it a shot.
It's something isn't it? A shame I won't be able to enjoy it.
I don't follow.
She just met with Abby Whelan.
[SIGHS.]
Olivia Pope is having her investigate you.
[SCOFFS.]
Lonnie This is getting too dangerous.
What if What if she finds your hacker? What if she finds me? You haven't done anything wrong.
You paid me with a Cezanne so there wouldn't be a money trail.
Don't tell me I haven't done anything wrong.
John Adams was a farmer who just wanted to be a good lawyer.
George Washington's greatest wish was a royal commission to the British army.
No one sets out to be a revolutionary.
Not at first.
Sometimes history doesn't give you a choice.
The Founding Fathers, Mr.
Vice President? - Really? - Why not? They were just men.
Men like us who saw a corrupt system and had to do something about it.
You've got a job to do.
An important job.
Worry about that.
Let me worry about Olivia Pope.
[DOOR OPENS.]
I'm sorry, I don't know an Allison Franklin.
Alisha Francis.
- [PHONE BEEPS.]
- She was your intern in your office.
Maybe it would help if you saw her name in print.
What do you mean? See? He remembers.
- Where did you get that? - I don't see how that matters.
All I see is the name of a missing girl with your initials stamped right next to it.
- [PHONE BEEPS.]
- Initials? Please.
You don't know what you're talking about.
Yes, we do, and you know that we do, which is why you haven't even glanced at your phone once in the last thirty seconds, even though it's been beeping incessantly.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
It's not my fault.
If she didn't want to play the game, that's on her, - but I'm not responsible - Not responsible? You ruined a woman's life, destroyed her career, because she wouldn't sleep with you.
You think I cared about that? You have the list.
I'm not hurting here, okay? But there is a way the game is played.
Everybody knows that.
She knows that.
I never told anyone not to hire her, but if she had made some better choices - Where is she? - I told you, I don't know.
No, you didn't.
You told me you didn't know her, and that was a lie, but you can try to tell me that now if you want, and I won't believe it, because I know about the gun.
- What? - [WHISPERING.]
Alisha bought a gun.
And if I had to guess, I'd say it's because she knows who's responsible for screwing up her life.
That's insane.
Maybe, but it's what I would've done.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
So, I don't know if she wanted to hurt you, or if she just wanted to scare you, but whatever happened, clearly it didn't go the way she planned because you're still here - and she's not - [PHONE BEEPING.]
which, as far as I'm concerned, is the injustice of the century.
And for the love of God, would you just put your phone on vibrate like a normal person! Liv.
It's not his.
It's mine.
So, Waterbend's not just a sleaze, he's a murderer.
Do they think he used her own gun against her He didn't kill her.
Excuse me? It was suicide, Liv.
That's why she bought the gun.
She killed herself.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
She just, uh never said anything.
And do something like this, hurt herself in this way [SOBS.]
She could've talked to me.
To think that she felt so alone.
[SIGHS.]
This town these monsters.
[SIGHS.]
And you.
You think I don't know who you really are? I watch the news.
I know about your relationship with Grant.
Oh, you're at the top of the heap, and everyone knows who you screwed to get there.
Gary I understand that you're hurting, but that's not She was here because of you.
But you are not a role model.
But my daughter couldn't see that.
She couldn't see how disgusting this place is, and how you fit right in.
Because she was good.
She was a good person.
She was better than you and she wouldn't play this sick game.
And she died because of it.
She followed you into the swamp, and it sucked her under.
We can't just let this go.
Alisha deserves justice.
Waterbend might not have killed her, but he's not innocent.
We have to do something.
We have to do something for every woman on this list.
Behavior like this is allowed to fester because those in power allow it to.
I'm here, yes.
Absolutely, I'll take any time you can give me.
- Yes, and? - And so maybe I talk to their bosses.
- You're kidding.
- I'm not.
This town is one big, endless frat party with zero accountability.
Don't tell me their bosses, men of your generation, are any better, and what moral high ground do you think you have, anyway? I'm on the books.
Talked my way into 15 minutes with the President.
If we can get her to consider legislation That'd be great for the future, but it won't do much for the problem in front of us right now.
This shouldn't be that difficult.
We have a list that proves these men abused their power.
Shouldn't this be enough of a smoking gun on its own? It should be, but it isn't.
[SIGHS.]
[PAPERS RUSTLE.]
What is it? Your name is on the list, too.
T.
W.
ranked you a "Prime Rib".
I assume that's Tim Waterbend? Meghan, when Tim Waterbend took you to dinner last month, did he make it explicit that you wouldn't be hired unless you slept with him? I'd had a couple drinks.
I figured it'd be easier to just put up with it.
You know these guys.
If you reject them, they get so butt-hurt about it.
I know exactly.
Because this rejected man your boss used the fresh meat list to make sure Alisha would never work in Washington again.
Because she wouldn't sleep with him?! The good news is we can use this list to build a case against the man who fired her.
But it would help if some of the other women whose names appear on the list were willing to corroborate these kinds of details.
You want me to out this pig as a pig.
Ruin his career.
But what happens to my career? I don't know.
But at least, unlike Alisha, you'll still have your life.
If nobody finds the courage to take these men on, they're just gonna keep doing what they've been doing.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Even more disturbing than what's in that folder is what happens to staffers on the Hill when they try to report workplace harassment - to her or his boss.
- Oh, I know.
When I was a Senator, every female knew it by heart.
30 days counseling, 30 days mediation, meaning confrontations with your harasser and not-so-veiled threats by your harasser and their very powerful legal defense team.
The odds are immediately stacked against you.
And if you're a woman of color? Mm.
All that's left for these women is a non-disclosure agreement, a ruined career, and then it's - Back to business as usual.
- Yes.
We have to do something about this, Madam President.
The way to truly prevent harassment is to incorporate a punitive clause into any new legislation.
[CHUCKLES.]
That's great.
[SCOFFS.]
Well, ideally it's great, but realistically? You're asking me to propose a bill that would punish many of the lawmakers who would need to pass it.
They would scour that bill and find enough flaws that it would never even make it to my desk.
What about an executive order? Congress would insinuate that I was abusing my power for a personal cause.
[SIGHS.]
I can't do it.
You can't, or you don't want to? Marcus Come on, there's got to be a way for us to I'm sure there is a way.
This just may not be it.
Maybe you don't want to put forth the effort - to make it happen.
- Just because you are not getting what you want, don't accuse me Oh, Mellie, when it comes to you, I never get what I want.
Thank you for coming, Marcus.
I will take your proposal into consideration.
[DOOR OPENS, SHUTS.]
[GASPS.]
[GROANS.]
[SIGHS.]
What's so funny? Cyrus sent me a thing.
Look.
- Cyrus Beene bobbleheads.
- You guys are texting? On and off.
Is that my lo mein? Hey, you don't have anything to do with this pervy spreadsheet that's going around, do you? Pervy spreadsheet? There's a list going around Congress ranking female interns.
Some girl killed herself over it.
I think Liv's working with the dad to sort it out.
So, you and Cyrus, you guys are like friends now? Brothers in arms, Abby.
We cheated death together.
Has he been asking about the investigation? - What do you mean? - Like whether or not you guys have any suspects, that kind of thing.
Not really.
Even if he did, I wouldn't know anything.
You're the Attorney General of the United States.
That's correct.
But in the case of the hijacking, I'm also a witness.
It's a conflict of interest.
- You recused yourself? - I had to.
- Recused himself? - He's a potential witness.
Conflicting out David could have been part of Cyrus' plan from the beginning.
- What'd you get from Lola? - Lola was a dead end, but she does have a Chagall available if anyone's got a couple million lying around.
Was there anything on the dark net? Nope, and I haven't had any luck tying Cyrus to the malware.
Hmm.
Is that a good "hmm" or a bad "hmm"? Could be nothing, but I just found a draft of his speech for the Al Smith dinner on Cyrus' computer.
The Al Smith dinner? That was the same day - Air Force Two was hijacked.
- Hold up.
Didn't you say that he asked to go to that pirate summit? Why would he waste his time writing a speech for this other thing? According to his calendar's metadata, he was supposed to go to the Al Smith dinner last night, and the summit was dumped on him last-minute.
All right, so let me get this straight.
We can't prove that Cyrus sold the painting, we can't tie him to the virus, and he wasn't even supposed to be on the plane when it all went down.
So tell me again why we're wasting our time with this? I hate to admit it, Abby, but Charlie's right.
- Thank you? - Did David say anything else that could be helpful to us? It wasn't David.
- It was Liv.
- Liv? She said he all but admitted it to her.
- Liv said? - I'm sorry, but - Shut it down! - You wouldn't have gone along with it if I had told you the truth.
We're done! Take the board down now.
I know I messed up.
I know.
But this is not about Liv.
Of course it is! Everything Olivia Pope does is about Olivia Pope.
She used you, Abby.
David almost died on that plane.
And I almost died in a basement.
I am not going down another rabbit hole that could end with one of us actually dead.
Not for Olivia, not anymore.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
Cyrus did good with Mais and Regnier, but Stowell and Clinesmith and a few others aren't budging.
If we don't make some changes to the budget, a shutdown is inevitable.
So much for getting an early night.
Oh.
Mm.
[SIGHS.]
We'll make it fun.
- Fun? - Yeah.
We'll have the kitchen make us some fried chicken, get you a hot pad for your back, and delve into the finer points of corporate tax law.
I think you and I have very different ideas about fun.
Oh, tell me, what would you rather focus on than exemptions and deductions and discretionary spending? Actually since you asked I'm thinking of introducing legislation addressing how this country handles sexual harassment in the workplace, starting right here on the Hill.
It's good.
Important.
[SIGHS.]
The Democrats will vote for it, and then they'll hold it over your head when you try to push this budget through, forcing you to make all kinds of compromises because, hey, they went along with your harassment bill even though they wanted it all along.
And then there's the Republicans - But if we wait - If we wait it'll be an easy sell.
Tackle it in a few months once this budget's been safely passed.
[SCOFFS.]
[INTERCOM BEEPS.]
Rachel we're gonna need fried chicken.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
You have news? Not about Cyrus, though about the team.
They know that it was you who put me on this.
And? We're dropping the investigation.
I couldn't keep lying to them, Liv.
They're my friends.
[SIREN WAILS DISTANTLY.]
I hear you're working a case on the Hill.
How's that going? About as well as this one.
He's guilty, Abby.
Cyrus did this.
You may be right but it can't be us who proves it.
[SIGHS.]
What if we put a guarantee on the funding for the Vet Affairs program? Stowell and Clinesmith have been pushing that vet assistance bill for months in committee.
You guarantee funding, they'll owe you their votes, plus some.
Ah! Two down! Two glasses of hooch coming up! [GASPS.]
Oh.
[GASPING.]
[GRUNTS.]
You okay? [GROANS.]
She will be after some hooch.
- And throw me the tennis ball, too? - Yep.
- Here.
- [SIGHS.]
Ohh.
[SIGHS.]
[GLASS CLINKS.]
All right.
Oh.
Cheers.
Ah! [PAINFUL CHUCKLING.]
You gonna be in fighting shape to celebrate when we pass this thing? I hope so.
If the press gets word that I'm laid up because of Happy Baby I'm sorry.
Happy Baby? It's a pose.
A yoga pose.
I threw my back out doing yoga.
Oh, we are definitely not telling the press that.
I should've known better! Presidents don't roll themselves into pretzels.
They run or play tennis or some other Western, accident-free activity.
You think running and tennis are accident-free? W-well.
1979, Jimmy Carter tries to run a 10K.
Three miles in, he faints into the arms of his detail.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Bush Sr exhausts himself playing doubles tennis with the Japanese prime minister which he loses, by the way and then a few hours later, he hurls his dinner into the guy's lap.
In front of all the press.
[LAUGHING.]
No, no more, no more! It hurts, it hurts! So you're doing just fine with your Happy Baby.
Oh! We make a good team, you and me.
[SIGHS.]
Yeah.
[SIGHS.]
[GIGGLES.]
Jake, I Mellie, I, uh I I think you should go.
[GROANS.]
[SIGHS.]
You need me to help you? Um I'm fine.
Good night, Madam President.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
I was thinking about grabbing some sandwiches from the deli up the block.
You want? Uh, yeah.
What're you working on over there? Nothing.
You are not still screwing around with that virus.
Quinn told us to drop that.
I know.
But it feels wrong to drop it.
What if the old Liv is back? [SCOFFS.]
Please.
You've seen what she's been doing since she left the White House.
Maybe she's maybe she's coming back.
The old Liv is dead! There's no coming back after what she's done.
No resurrection and life-everlasting hallelujah.
- Maybe she's try - The only thing that matters to Liv is the White House.
She doesn't care about justice.
All she cares about is getting back on Mellie's good side.
I'm not working for Liv, and I'm not working for the White House.
As far as I'm concerned, the whole thing can burn.
You okay? We just need one just one of these women to come forward.
I know.
[SIGHS.]
Hey.
Did I when we first met - On the campaign trail? - Yeah.
What about it? Was I What? I don't know.
Inappropriate? - You're asking if - Yes.
I mean it.
- Really? - You're asking if you and I Did I cross a line? I just want to know.
No.
That was different.
We crossed that line together.
Do you regret it? No.
I would cross that line again.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.]
- Look who stopped by.
- Meghan.
Hi.
I'm in.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Um [WHITNEY HOUSTON'S "I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME" PLAYS.]
I'm here today to talk about the death of my friend and co-worker, Alisha Francis.
A week ago, Alisha lost her job.
A few days later, she took her own life.
Before she was fired, Alisha made a courageous, professional choice one that, for her You will always be the one ended in tragedy.
Her choice was to decline to perform sexual favors for a man who had the power to help or hurt her in her chosen career.
I believe in dreams again He punished her for that choice, not just with the loss of her job, but with a devastating assault on her professional reputation.
If you're asking yourselves how I know all this, it's because I had the same choice to make, and I chose differently.
I had sex with this man, and just as he promised, I was rewarded with a permanent position.
I don't relish standing up here to discuss my sex life, but I see no other way to expose a culture where women cannot succeed on their own merits, but are instead judged by their attractiveness and their sexual compliance.
Ms.
Seeley's statement has prompted an outpouring of similar stories from other female Hill staffers some dating as far back as the 1980s.
And a group of these women has even turned the tables on predatory men, compiling a counter-list of D.
C.
's worst sexual offenders.
- That was incredible.
- OLIVIA: Meghan was very brave.
I told you we only needed one.
Yes, you are very smart.
Would you like your gold star now? Seriously, I know there's so much more to do, and I'm willing to help in any way I can.
Thank you.
I agree.
I'll be in touch.
'Cause I believe in you and me Don't be a stranger, Olivia Pope.
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
Madam President.
I'm announcing my intention later this afternoon to pursue legislation tackling workplace sexual harassment.
I thought that you should know.
- I thought we agreed that - We didn't agree on anything.
You gave me your opinion, I had a different one, which is that you should do your job and help me both get my budget and pass my legislation.
Is that something you're capable of? Madam President, I'd like to apologize for last night.
Clearly, I misread the situation.
Look, Jake.
[SIGHS.]
It's two things.
One, I am not starting an affair in the Oval with a subordinate, which, let me remind you despite our friendship, despite the fact that we make a "good team" is what you are.
I will not be another Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Pope, nor am I interested in sleeping with someone who has slept with Olivia Pope.
I know far too much about where you've been That's two things.
Is there anything else? Yes, actually.
Three if this is some kind of power hunt That's where I draw the line.
[SIGHS.]
You may think it's inappropriate to start something, you may be uninterested, fine.
But I have plenty of power without needing [SIGHS.]
I made an advance because I was attracted to you.
Forgive me.
And do you think it's lost on me that this is the week that you suddenly find yourself attracted to me, of all the weeks that we have known each other? The one week I need a little extra help, the one week that I'm a damsel in distress A damsel in I was attracted to you because it felt good, us working together.
And when you and Fitz had a good week working together, did you hold his hand, too? I hope you get well soon, Madam President.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
As Washington continues to reel from recent reports of widespread sexual misconduct, President Mellie Grant has announced her intentions of attacking this problem on a national level.
Analysts consider the President's move to be particularly bold in that she risks losing support she needs in order to push along an already-embattled budget.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Hi.
Come in.
I just wanted to tell you that I saw the press conference.
It was good.
Great.
Thanks.
I guess I could've called, but after all of I thought maybe you wouldn't pick up.
I would've.
I don't blame the team.
I can't because in the end, this is not their fight.
It's not Quinn's, it's not yours, it's mine.
I'm the one who needs to step up because I made Mellie a promise.
At some point or another, men would try to strip her of power.
I promised that I wouldn't stand by and let that happen.
No matter the fallout, no matter how hard Cyrus pushes back, I can't let Mellie stand alone.
Well I'm in.
Really? Yeah.
You had me at dismantling the patriarchy.
Okay.
- FILIZ: Sir.
- Not a good time.
I know who made the virus.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
What? [SIGHS.]
Those are the build time-stamps embedded in the virus's code.
- Huck.
- It's Charlie's IP address.
The virus was modified from his laptop.
So what? That virus was on all of our laptops.
Yeah, but he had it the day before it infected Air Force Two.
What? This doesn't make any sense.
He was against us looking into this case from the start because he knew what we'd find.
He's angry, Quinn.
Really, really angry.
There you are.
Ready? What was it? Some kind of relapse, hmm? You got bored working with the good guys? Slipped back into bad habits? Couldn't resist an old-school conspiracy? I don't know what you're talking about.
Huck traced it.
You wrote that virus.
I did not.
You're working with Cyrus again.
I'm not.
You don't think I have had enough lies for the year?! Look, I don't know what Huck found, but the hijacking? - I had nothing to do with it.
- [SCOFFS.]
Why would I? I'm your fiancé.
The father of your child.
I don't need that stuff anymore.
Then how did that virus end up on your laptop? How the hell would I know? Someone must've put it there! Wait.
Oh, my God.
We need to get you out of here.
[DOOR BANGS OPEN.]
Freeze! Let's see your hands! - Hands! - No sudden moves! Up against the wall.
You get your hands off of him! Clear over here.
I'm here to announce that Federal Agents have just completed the arrest of a suspect in our investigation of the hijacking of Air Force Two.
Details will be forthcoming.
As a witness to the hijacking, I have recused myself from the investigation.
In my place, the Deputy Attorney General has appointed as Special Prosecutor the former U.
S.
Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lonnie Mencken.
Lonnie's reputation for results is matched only by his reputation for integrity, and I have no doubt that he'll bring this episode to its swift and just conclusion.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
I've just been busy.
No, they're not overworking me, but I'm an intern, so I kinda have to do, like, everything.
[SCOFFS.]
President? I don't know, Dad.
Okay, I gotta go.
I'll talk to you later.
Love you, too.
Can I help you? I need a gun.
You got ID? So what kind of gun you want? One that works.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
I have nothing to say to you.
It's about the hijacking.
It was Cyrus.
Cyrus Beene hijacked his own plane for attention? He wants to be President.
The election's not for another three years.
Seven if Mellie runs again.
I don't think he wants to wait that long.
Cyrus wants the Oval.
He wants it now.
We need to figure out how he's going to take that, and what it means for Mellie.
- We? - The team.
You don't have a team.
I know that.
No, you don't.
If you did, you wouldn't come to my home, - asking for favors.
- Abby If I went to QPA with this and told them that it came from you? I'd be out on my ass, too.
That's how much they don't want to hear from you.
I understand what you're saying.
I wouldn't be here if I had another option.
I'm not asking for forgiveness, I'm asking for help.
I need help.
Please.
I'll see what I can do.
And then, if this theory of yours proves to be true, the team will decide whether it's a fight worth fighting.
Madam President? MELLIE: Down here.
I tweaked my back.
Can you believe it? The doctor gave me a tennis ball, some Tylenol, and said, "Good luck.
" President of the United States.
Short of overhauling the country's medical training, - how can I help? - The federal budget.
We're facing a government shutdown if we can't get the votes in Congress.
You want to use B613 to dig up some dirt? No.
Threatening people creates resentment.
I don't just want votes, I want support, and there's an easier way.
[GASPS, SIGHS.]
We need Cyrus.
Madam President He's dominating in the polls right now.
We'd be foolish not to take advantage of it.
I'd prefer we find another way.
And I'd prefer to be on my feet, but until a better option presents itself [SIGHS.]
you got to let your grudge match go.
We need him.
Yes, Madam President.
FILIZ: This thing's a mess.
The computer virus that managed to circumvent all our safety protocols and take control of the Vice President's plane is a mess? A total hack job.
It's got syntax errors, recursion loops, it leaks memory like the Exxon Valdez.
I could cross-reference the code with the code of all known hackers, but that would be a waste of time.
No self-respecting coder did this.
- So who did? - There are two possibilities.
Either the coder is new like grade-school new or they did a crappy job on purpose so the code would be impenetrable, which would make them a secret genius.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Liv.
It's late.
What's up? Not much.
I was thinking about grabbing some dinner.
Interested? You really don't have any other friends, do you? No.
Not really.
Although I did talk to Abby today.
She even invited me into her apartment, so that's something.
Yeah? What did you talk about? Nothing.
[SCOFFS.]
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Excuse me.
I'm sorry.
I waited in reception but there wasn't anyone at the desk.
Well, it's actually after hours, so if you want to come back - You're Olivia Pope.
- I am.
You're the person I'm looking for.
Alisha's only 21.
No one's seen her in days.
Her roommate doesn't know anything, and the cops say it's too soon to call her a missing person.
I-I don't know this city.
[CHUCKLES.]
It's the first time I've set foot outside Ohio in 10 years.
Gary.
I'm sorry, but this is not what I do.
Not anymore.
However, I am sure th She's here because of you.
- What do you mean? - She idolizes you.
She's watched you for years on TV speaking for members of Congress, senators, Presidents.
[CHUCKLES.]
A woman who looks like her.
You're the reason she fell in love with politics.
You're the reason she came to D.
C.
, the reason she became a Congressional intern.
A-And she's doing so well.
I'm I'm so proud.
I-If you could see how hard she works, how smart she is, you'd be proud [SCOFFS.]
to have someone like Alisha following in your footsteps.
But something happened.
She hasn't called me in a week, and it's not like her.
Something's wrong.
I know it in my gut.
Alisha came here because of you, and now I'm here because of you.
Please.
Help me find my daughter.
Alisha Francis.
21-year-old Georgetown senior majoring in Government Affairs.
Since the summer, she's been interning in the office of Ohio Congressman Philip Beard.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Her father hasn't heard from her for a week.
Have you spoken to anyone in Congressman Beard's office? I tried them, but I just got the runaround.
You think there's a case there? I know this isn't exactly what we do, but Okay.
I'll head to her apartment.
See what I can find.
I'll reach out to Metro Police.
They're getting pretty accustomed to hearing from me.
Thank you.
Cyrus Beene, the Vice President of the United States, hijacked his own plane? That's The plot of a bad action movie? Now that I said it out loud, yeah, I guess it kind of is, but that doesn't mean it's not true.
Well, where is this coming from? I-Is it a hunch? Have you been talking to someone? Just David.
Something he told me got me thinking.
Something? He said Cyrus requested that he go to Lisbon with him.
Cyrus Beene, my former boss A man whose personal e-mail still ends in "aol.
com" suddenly signs up for a digital piracy summit an ocean away? Why would he do that? Unless He wanted to be on Air Force Two.
Excuse me.
Before we all bust out the tinfoil hats, do I need to remind you people what happened the last time one of us ran up a White House conspiracy - involving a plane? - Charlie.
Quinncan I speak to you for a sec? Alone? Okay, talk.
I lost you.
You weredead.
Yeah, but now I'm back, and we have a job to do.
Yes, I know.
Butgoing after Cyrus Is exactly the kind of thing we do here.
Charlie, if Abby is right, if Cyrus is up to something and we do nothing? Then whatever happens next will be on us.
I didn't come back to sit on the sidelines.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Olivia Pope.
Yes, and you are? Meghan Seeley.
I What are you doing here? I'm looking for Alisha Francis.
You're Alisha's hero.
Or, I guess heroine.
You say she's been gone a couple of days.
She moped around for a day or so after she lost her job, but I didn't see her after that.
I figured she went home to her parents' place - to lick her wounds.
- She lost her job when? Last week.
She wouldn't have told you if she were leaving town? We really just share the rent.
We're not super close.
So then, she probably didn't talk to you about how she lost her job? [SIGHS.]
Well, that's actually kinda awkward.
We've both been interning for Congressman Beard.
It's how we got matched as roommates.
When your internship is over, they either hire you on full-time or they say, "Thanks, but no thanks," and you have to figure out something else to do with your life.
I got hired, but Alisha She didn't.
Yeah.
Speaking of, I really should get to work.
You go ahead, finish getting ready.
I'll walk out with you.
FITZ: "I promise I didn't mean to offend you, and I hope we can let bygones be bygones.
It's my dream to have a career in Washington.
I've worked too hard to be GFV'ed for this.
I'm not going to tell anyone what happened.
I hope you can do the same for me.
" What's "GFV"? Alisha sent this e-mail to her boss, Tim Waterbend, just hours before she was fired.
Metro police on it now, too.
- Good.
- What did you say to them? I gave them her name, and they ran a check on her.
Turns out, around the time Alisha disappeared, she bought a gun.
That got their attention.
- What'd I miss? - OLIVIA: Take a look.
Alisha lost her job last week.
She sent an e-mail to her boss, telling him she "wouldn't tell anyone what happened.
" You guys notice the part where she asks her boss not to "GFV" her? Does that mean something to you? I'm gonna show you something.
They call it the "fresh meat" list.
It's a list of all the attractive female interns - on the Hill.
- Oh, a hot list.
What? I didn't invent the term.
That's what we called it when I was in college.
You know, before the Internet.
I got sent the link anonymously when I first started at the White House.
Dudes use their initials to log "reviews" for interns they, uh We get it.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Still up and running.
Unbelievable.
Is Alisha on here? [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Bingo.
I still don't understand what GFV, like on a menu.
"Gluten-Free Vegan".
Ugh.
It means she won't put out.
And if you're one of the guys on this list - and you get her resumé - You won't hire her.
TW Tim Waterbend.
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
The day after she was fired, Alisha sent her resumé to 28 openings via the .
gov internal jobs listings.
Guess how many responses she got? - Ah, don't tell me.
- Zero.
So the gun you think she bought it for revenge? Girl has a dream of working in D.
C.
, girl lands coveted internship at Congressman's office, Congressman's Chief of Staff fires girl because she won't sleep with him.
Girl buys gun, girl disappears.
There's only a handful of ways this story ends.
And none of them are good.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
And the Democrats are, well [SIGHS.]
they haven't even made clear their precise issues with the budget.
I think they want us to go into a shutdown.
Of course they do.
And they'll say it's because we were unwilling to compromise.
Mm.
[GASPS.]
How'd you throw it out? [SIGHS.]
Just stress, I think.
So you want me to talk to some folks? Would you? I know how in demand you are right now.
It's just a slow news cycle.
I'd be happy to whip some Dems into shape.
[SIGHS.]
Cyrus I'm so glad you're all right.
[SIGHS.]
I wanted to apologize directly for Madam President, you have nothing to apologize for.
If we hadn't regained control of that plane, shooting it down would've been the right decision.
The only decision.
I would've done the same if I were you.
[SIGHS.]
Thank you.
Thank you for understanding.
- You get some rest.
- I will.
And, Cyrus? We are going to figure out who hijacked that plane.
There will be justice.
I believe it.
VPs are used to taking a back seat, but America's put you in the spotlight.
How are you planning to spend all this new political capital? I'm focused on one thing supporting the agenda of President Mellie Grant.
This virus they used to hijack the plane, there is no way that the NSA or any other government agency developed malware with this much code smell.
Cyrus must've farmed it out.
Which means there's a money trail.
Charlie? Not his personal account.
No unusual activity.
The assets in Cyrus's blind trust have not been touched.
Okay, what about secret off-shore accounts? I could look into those and not find anything, or, you know, we could call it.
Call it? We've been working on it for like two seconds.
But I've already broken like seven Federal laws.
Shh! Where's the painting? - What painting? - The Cezanne.
"The Boy in the Red Vest".
The one that Fenton Glackland gave him.
- It's not there.
- Glackland gave him a Cezanne? A real Cezanne? That must be worth Enough to hire a hacker to write you a special Air Force Two hijacking virus.
And to finance whatever comes next.
But you have a contact in the art underworld, don't you? All right, I'll give it a shot.
It's something isn't it? A shame I won't be able to enjoy it.
I don't follow.
She just met with Abby Whelan.
[SIGHS.]
Olivia Pope is having her investigate you.
[SCOFFS.]
Lonnie This is getting too dangerous.
What if What if she finds your hacker? What if she finds me? You haven't done anything wrong.
You paid me with a Cezanne so there wouldn't be a money trail.
Don't tell me I haven't done anything wrong.
John Adams was a farmer who just wanted to be a good lawyer.
George Washington's greatest wish was a royal commission to the British army.
No one sets out to be a revolutionary.
Not at first.
Sometimes history doesn't give you a choice.
The Founding Fathers, Mr.
Vice President? - Really? - Why not? They were just men.
Men like us who saw a corrupt system and had to do something about it.
You've got a job to do.
An important job.
Worry about that.
Let me worry about Olivia Pope.
[DOOR OPENS.]
I'm sorry, I don't know an Allison Franklin.
Alisha Francis.
- [PHONE BEEPS.]
- She was your intern in your office.
Maybe it would help if you saw her name in print.
What do you mean? See? He remembers.
- Where did you get that? - I don't see how that matters.
All I see is the name of a missing girl with your initials stamped right next to it.
- [PHONE BEEPS.]
- Initials? Please.
You don't know what you're talking about.
Yes, we do, and you know that we do, which is why you haven't even glanced at your phone once in the last thirty seconds, even though it's been beeping incessantly.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
It's not my fault.
If she didn't want to play the game, that's on her, - but I'm not responsible - Not responsible? You ruined a woman's life, destroyed her career, because she wouldn't sleep with you.
You think I cared about that? You have the list.
I'm not hurting here, okay? But there is a way the game is played.
Everybody knows that.
She knows that.
I never told anyone not to hire her, but if she had made some better choices - Where is she? - I told you, I don't know.
No, you didn't.
You told me you didn't know her, and that was a lie, but you can try to tell me that now if you want, and I won't believe it, because I know about the gun.
- What? - [WHISPERING.]
Alisha bought a gun.
And if I had to guess, I'd say it's because she knows who's responsible for screwing up her life.
That's insane.
Maybe, but it's what I would've done.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
So, I don't know if she wanted to hurt you, or if she just wanted to scare you, but whatever happened, clearly it didn't go the way she planned because you're still here - and she's not - [PHONE BEEPING.]
which, as far as I'm concerned, is the injustice of the century.
And for the love of God, would you just put your phone on vibrate like a normal person! Liv.
It's not his.
It's mine.
So, Waterbend's not just a sleaze, he's a murderer.
Do they think he used her own gun against her He didn't kill her.
Excuse me? It was suicide, Liv.
That's why she bought the gun.
She killed herself.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
She just, uh never said anything.
And do something like this, hurt herself in this way [SOBS.]
She could've talked to me.
To think that she felt so alone.
[SIGHS.]
This town these monsters.
[SIGHS.]
And you.
You think I don't know who you really are? I watch the news.
I know about your relationship with Grant.
Oh, you're at the top of the heap, and everyone knows who you screwed to get there.
Gary I understand that you're hurting, but that's not She was here because of you.
But you are not a role model.
But my daughter couldn't see that.
She couldn't see how disgusting this place is, and how you fit right in.
Because she was good.
She was a good person.
She was better than you and she wouldn't play this sick game.
And she died because of it.
She followed you into the swamp, and it sucked her under.
We can't just let this go.
Alisha deserves justice.
Waterbend might not have killed her, but he's not innocent.
We have to do something.
We have to do something for every woman on this list.
Behavior like this is allowed to fester because those in power allow it to.
I'm here, yes.
Absolutely, I'll take any time you can give me.
- Yes, and? - And so maybe I talk to their bosses.
- You're kidding.
- I'm not.
This town is one big, endless frat party with zero accountability.
Don't tell me their bosses, men of your generation, are any better, and what moral high ground do you think you have, anyway? I'm on the books.
Talked my way into 15 minutes with the President.
If we can get her to consider legislation That'd be great for the future, but it won't do much for the problem in front of us right now.
This shouldn't be that difficult.
We have a list that proves these men abused their power.
Shouldn't this be enough of a smoking gun on its own? It should be, but it isn't.
[SIGHS.]
[PAPERS RUSTLE.]
What is it? Your name is on the list, too.
T.
W.
ranked you a "Prime Rib".
I assume that's Tim Waterbend? Meghan, when Tim Waterbend took you to dinner last month, did he make it explicit that you wouldn't be hired unless you slept with him? I'd had a couple drinks.
I figured it'd be easier to just put up with it.
You know these guys.
If you reject them, they get so butt-hurt about it.
I know exactly.
Because this rejected man your boss used the fresh meat list to make sure Alisha would never work in Washington again.
Because she wouldn't sleep with him?! The good news is we can use this list to build a case against the man who fired her.
But it would help if some of the other women whose names appear on the list were willing to corroborate these kinds of details.
You want me to out this pig as a pig.
Ruin his career.
But what happens to my career? I don't know.
But at least, unlike Alisha, you'll still have your life.
If nobody finds the courage to take these men on, they're just gonna keep doing what they've been doing.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Even more disturbing than what's in that folder is what happens to staffers on the Hill when they try to report workplace harassment - to her or his boss.
- Oh, I know.
When I was a Senator, every female knew it by heart.
30 days counseling, 30 days mediation, meaning confrontations with your harasser and not-so-veiled threats by your harasser and their very powerful legal defense team.
The odds are immediately stacked against you.
And if you're a woman of color? Mm.
All that's left for these women is a non-disclosure agreement, a ruined career, and then it's - Back to business as usual.
- Yes.
We have to do something about this, Madam President.
The way to truly prevent harassment is to incorporate a punitive clause into any new legislation.
[CHUCKLES.]
That's great.
[SCOFFS.]
Well, ideally it's great, but realistically? You're asking me to propose a bill that would punish many of the lawmakers who would need to pass it.
They would scour that bill and find enough flaws that it would never even make it to my desk.
What about an executive order? Congress would insinuate that I was abusing my power for a personal cause.
[SIGHS.]
I can't do it.
You can't, or you don't want to? Marcus Come on, there's got to be a way for us to I'm sure there is a way.
This just may not be it.
Maybe you don't want to put forth the effort - to make it happen.
- Just because you are not getting what you want, don't accuse me Oh, Mellie, when it comes to you, I never get what I want.
Thank you for coming, Marcus.
I will take your proposal into consideration.
[DOOR OPENS, SHUTS.]
[GASPS.]
[GROANS.]
[SIGHS.]
What's so funny? Cyrus sent me a thing.
Look.
- Cyrus Beene bobbleheads.
- You guys are texting? On and off.
Is that my lo mein? Hey, you don't have anything to do with this pervy spreadsheet that's going around, do you? Pervy spreadsheet? There's a list going around Congress ranking female interns.
Some girl killed herself over it.
I think Liv's working with the dad to sort it out.
So, you and Cyrus, you guys are like friends now? Brothers in arms, Abby.
We cheated death together.
Has he been asking about the investigation? - What do you mean? - Like whether or not you guys have any suspects, that kind of thing.
Not really.
Even if he did, I wouldn't know anything.
You're the Attorney General of the United States.
That's correct.
But in the case of the hijacking, I'm also a witness.
It's a conflict of interest.
- You recused yourself? - I had to.
- Recused himself? - He's a potential witness.
Conflicting out David could have been part of Cyrus' plan from the beginning.
- What'd you get from Lola? - Lola was a dead end, but she does have a Chagall available if anyone's got a couple million lying around.
Was there anything on the dark net? Nope, and I haven't had any luck tying Cyrus to the malware.
Hmm.
Is that a good "hmm" or a bad "hmm"? Could be nothing, but I just found a draft of his speech for the Al Smith dinner on Cyrus' computer.
The Al Smith dinner? That was the same day - Air Force Two was hijacked.
- Hold up.
Didn't you say that he asked to go to that pirate summit? Why would he waste his time writing a speech for this other thing? According to his calendar's metadata, he was supposed to go to the Al Smith dinner last night, and the summit was dumped on him last-minute.
All right, so let me get this straight.
We can't prove that Cyrus sold the painting, we can't tie him to the virus, and he wasn't even supposed to be on the plane when it all went down.
So tell me again why we're wasting our time with this? I hate to admit it, Abby, but Charlie's right.
- Thank you? - Did David say anything else that could be helpful to us? It wasn't David.
- It was Liv.
- Liv? She said he all but admitted it to her.
- Liv said? - I'm sorry, but - Shut it down! - You wouldn't have gone along with it if I had told you the truth.
We're done! Take the board down now.
I know I messed up.
I know.
But this is not about Liv.
Of course it is! Everything Olivia Pope does is about Olivia Pope.
She used you, Abby.
David almost died on that plane.
And I almost died in a basement.
I am not going down another rabbit hole that could end with one of us actually dead.
Not for Olivia, not anymore.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
Cyrus did good with Mais and Regnier, but Stowell and Clinesmith and a few others aren't budging.
If we don't make some changes to the budget, a shutdown is inevitable.
So much for getting an early night.
Oh.
Mm.
[SIGHS.]
We'll make it fun.
- Fun? - Yeah.
We'll have the kitchen make us some fried chicken, get you a hot pad for your back, and delve into the finer points of corporate tax law.
I think you and I have very different ideas about fun.
Oh, tell me, what would you rather focus on than exemptions and deductions and discretionary spending? Actually since you asked I'm thinking of introducing legislation addressing how this country handles sexual harassment in the workplace, starting right here on the Hill.
It's good.
Important.
[SIGHS.]
The Democrats will vote for it, and then they'll hold it over your head when you try to push this budget through, forcing you to make all kinds of compromises because, hey, they went along with your harassment bill even though they wanted it all along.
And then there's the Republicans - But if we wait - If we wait it'll be an easy sell.
Tackle it in a few months once this budget's been safely passed.
[SCOFFS.]
[INTERCOM BEEPS.]
Rachel we're gonna need fried chicken.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
You have news? Not about Cyrus, though about the team.
They know that it was you who put me on this.
And? We're dropping the investigation.
I couldn't keep lying to them, Liv.
They're my friends.
[SIREN WAILS DISTANTLY.]
I hear you're working a case on the Hill.
How's that going? About as well as this one.
He's guilty, Abby.
Cyrus did this.
You may be right but it can't be us who proves it.
[SIGHS.]
What if we put a guarantee on the funding for the Vet Affairs program? Stowell and Clinesmith have been pushing that vet assistance bill for months in committee.
You guarantee funding, they'll owe you their votes, plus some.
Ah! Two down! Two glasses of hooch coming up! [GASPS.]
Oh.
[GASPING.]
[GRUNTS.]
You okay? [GROANS.]
She will be after some hooch.
- And throw me the tennis ball, too? - Yep.
- Here.
- [SIGHS.]
Ohh.
[SIGHS.]
[GLASS CLINKS.]
All right.
Oh.
Cheers.
Ah! [PAINFUL CHUCKLING.]
You gonna be in fighting shape to celebrate when we pass this thing? I hope so.
If the press gets word that I'm laid up because of Happy Baby I'm sorry.
Happy Baby? It's a pose.
A yoga pose.
I threw my back out doing yoga.
Oh, we are definitely not telling the press that.
I should've known better! Presidents don't roll themselves into pretzels.
They run or play tennis or some other Western, accident-free activity.
You think running and tennis are accident-free? W-well.
1979, Jimmy Carter tries to run a 10K.
Three miles in, he faints into the arms of his detail.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Bush Sr exhausts himself playing doubles tennis with the Japanese prime minister which he loses, by the way and then a few hours later, he hurls his dinner into the guy's lap.
In front of all the press.
[LAUGHING.]
No, no more, no more! It hurts, it hurts! So you're doing just fine with your Happy Baby.
Oh! We make a good team, you and me.
[SIGHS.]
Yeah.
[SIGHS.]
[GIGGLES.]
Jake, I Mellie, I, uh I I think you should go.
[GROANS.]
[SIGHS.]
You need me to help you? Um I'm fine.
Good night, Madam President.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
I was thinking about grabbing some sandwiches from the deli up the block.
You want? Uh, yeah.
What're you working on over there? Nothing.
You are not still screwing around with that virus.
Quinn told us to drop that.
I know.
But it feels wrong to drop it.
What if the old Liv is back? [SCOFFS.]
Please.
You've seen what she's been doing since she left the White House.
Maybe she's maybe she's coming back.
The old Liv is dead! There's no coming back after what she's done.
No resurrection and life-everlasting hallelujah.
- Maybe she's try - The only thing that matters to Liv is the White House.
She doesn't care about justice.
All she cares about is getting back on Mellie's good side.
I'm not working for Liv, and I'm not working for the White House.
As far as I'm concerned, the whole thing can burn.
You okay? We just need one just one of these women to come forward.
I know.
[SIGHS.]
Hey.
Did I when we first met - On the campaign trail? - Yeah.
What about it? Was I What? I don't know.
Inappropriate? - You're asking if - Yes.
I mean it.
- Really? - You're asking if you and I Did I cross a line? I just want to know.
No.
That was different.
We crossed that line together.
Do you regret it? No.
I would cross that line again.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.]
- Look who stopped by.
- Meghan.
Hi.
I'm in.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Um [WHITNEY HOUSTON'S "I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME" PLAYS.]
I'm here today to talk about the death of my friend and co-worker, Alisha Francis.
A week ago, Alisha lost her job.
A few days later, she took her own life.
Before she was fired, Alisha made a courageous, professional choice one that, for her You will always be the one ended in tragedy.
Her choice was to decline to perform sexual favors for a man who had the power to help or hurt her in her chosen career.
I believe in dreams again He punished her for that choice, not just with the loss of her job, but with a devastating assault on her professional reputation.
If you're asking yourselves how I know all this, it's because I had the same choice to make, and I chose differently.
I had sex with this man, and just as he promised, I was rewarded with a permanent position.
I don't relish standing up here to discuss my sex life, but I see no other way to expose a culture where women cannot succeed on their own merits, but are instead judged by their attractiveness and their sexual compliance.
Ms.
Seeley's statement has prompted an outpouring of similar stories from other female Hill staffers some dating as far back as the 1980s.
And a group of these women has even turned the tables on predatory men, compiling a counter-list of D.
C.
's worst sexual offenders.
- That was incredible.
- OLIVIA: Meghan was very brave.
I told you we only needed one.
Yes, you are very smart.
Would you like your gold star now? Seriously, I know there's so much more to do, and I'm willing to help in any way I can.
Thank you.
I agree.
I'll be in touch.
'Cause I believe in you and me Don't be a stranger, Olivia Pope.
Thank you.
[SIGHS.]
Madam President.
I'm announcing my intention later this afternoon to pursue legislation tackling workplace sexual harassment.
I thought that you should know.
- I thought we agreed that - We didn't agree on anything.
You gave me your opinion, I had a different one, which is that you should do your job and help me both get my budget and pass my legislation.
Is that something you're capable of? Madam President, I'd like to apologize for last night.
Clearly, I misread the situation.
Look, Jake.
[SIGHS.]
It's two things.
One, I am not starting an affair in the Oval with a subordinate, which, let me remind you despite our friendship, despite the fact that we make a "good team" is what you are.
I will not be another Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Pope, nor am I interested in sleeping with someone who has slept with Olivia Pope.
I know far too much about where you've been That's two things.
Is there anything else? Yes, actually.
Three if this is some kind of power hunt That's where I draw the line.
[SIGHS.]
You may think it's inappropriate to start something, you may be uninterested, fine.
But I have plenty of power without needing [SIGHS.]
I made an advance because I was attracted to you.
Forgive me.
And do you think it's lost on me that this is the week that you suddenly find yourself attracted to me, of all the weeks that we have known each other? The one week I need a little extra help, the one week that I'm a damsel in distress A damsel in I was attracted to you because it felt good, us working together.
And when you and Fitz had a good week working together, did you hold his hand, too? I hope you get well soon, Madam President.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
As Washington continues to reel from recent reports of widespread sexual misconduct, President Mellie Grant has announced her intentions of attacking this problem on a national level.
Analysts consider the President's move to be particularly bold in that she risks losing support she needs in order to push along an already-embattled budget.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Hi.
Come in.
I just wanted to tell you that I saw the press conference.
It was good.
Great.
Thanks.
I guess I could've called, but after all of I thought maybe you wouldn't pick up.
I would've.
I don't blame the team.
I can't because in the end, this is not their fight.
It's not Quinn's, it's not yours, it's mine.
I'm the one who needs to step up because I made Mellie a promise.
At some point or another, men would try to strip her of power.
I promised that I wouldn't stand by and let that happen.
No matter the fallout, no matter how hard Cyrus pushes back, I can't let Mellie stand alone.
Well I'm in.
Really? Yeah.
You had me at dismantling the patriarchy.
Okay.
- FILIZ: Sir.
- Not a good time.
I know who made the virus.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
What? [SIGHS.]
Those are the build time-stamps embedded in the virus's code.
- Huck.
- It's Charlie's IP address.
The virus was modified from his laptop.
So what? That virus was on all of our laptops.
Yeah, but he had it the day before it infected Air Force Two.
What? This doesn't make any sense.
He was against us looking into this case from the start because he knew what we'd find.
He's angry, Quinn.
Really, really angry.
There you are.
Ready? What was it? Some kind of relapse, hmm? You got bored working with the good guys? Slipped back into bad habits? Couldn't resist an old-school conspiracy? I don't know what you're talking about.
Huck traced it.
You wrote that virus.
I did not.
You're working with Cyrus again.
I'm not.
You don't think I have had enough lies for the year?! Look, I don't know what Huck found, but the hijacking? - I had nothing to do with it.
- [SCOFFS.]
Why would I? I'm your fiancé.
The father of your child.
I don't need that stuff anymore.
Then how did that virus end up on your laptop? How the hell would I know? Someone must've put it there! Wait.
Oh, my God.
We need to get you out of here.
[DOOR BANGS OPEN.]
Freeze! Let's see your hands! - Hands! - No sudden moves! Up against the wall.
You get your hands off of him! Clear over here.
I'm here to announce that Federal Agents have just completed the arrest of a suspect in our investigation of the hijacking of Air Force Two.
Details will be forthcoming.
As a witness to the hijacking, I have recused myself from the investigation.
In my place, the Deputy Attorney General has appointed as Special Prosecutor the former U.
S.
Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lonnie Mencken.
Lonnie's reputation for results is matched only by his reputation for integrity, and I have no doubt that he'll bring this episode to its swift and just conclusion.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]