Ben Kissel

Well, none of that would matter, of course, if nobody could prove that Paul was driving the boat.

And the Murdochs were pulling out all the stops to get Paul out of serving a single day in jail.

For Paul's lawyer, the Murdochs called up an old friend of Alec's grandfather.

Old Buster's friend was State Senator Dick Harpootlian.

It's more humane than the electric chair is what I'm telling you.

We got to bring back this firing squad and shoot these men in the head.

Also, guess what?

Ed, you interviewed Dick Harpoot, Liam.

Yes.

What was your vibe on Dick?

Yeah, they were Democrats.

Don't forget, Dick Harpoolian was a Democrat.

It's not going to happen.

Now, Dick Harpootlian was a household name in South Carolina.

He was possibly the most well-known solicitor in the state.

Famously, Harpootlian had been the one who had sent serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins to death row.

And Harpootlian had gained further fame after Gaskins had tried to have Harpootlian's three-year-old daughter kidnapped.

Well, by the time of Paul's boat crash in 2019, Harpootlian was one year into being a state senator.

And although he only served from 2018 to 2024, he had enough influence nationally where Joe Biden appointed Harpootlian's wife as ambassador to Slovenia, of all places, in 2021.

It's a low-pressure one.