The rise, fall and comeback of the Norton juggernaut

There are various unconfirmed accounts of what really happened. Supporters allege he was pushed, while detractors claimed that he jumped of his own accord.

It all began when the Government, led by Dennis McVicker and comeback politico Tom Norton, published an Executive Order authorising members of the Linardist Party to be 'rounded up'. The memo cited multiple commissions of citizen abuse by members of the Linardist caucus as means to '..bring them to justice'.

Norton claimed in court testimony that the war memo was a 'joke' and the executive issued it to cause calamity and bolster activity in an otherwise stagnant state. They succeeded, but at the cost of being sentenced as 'war criminals' and 'felons' by the General Court. Norton was ordered to 13 days suspension from Titulia, which he accepted earlier this year as part of a sentencing deal.

McVicker's initial sentence was commuted on appeal to a judicial censure, ultimately alleviating a more serious penalty for the former president. As history recounts, he left the ranks of Titulia's elite around November and was seldom heard from after that-but not without mention throughout the republic thereafter.

Claims of corruption against McVicker and senior Linardist Party figures have been heavily documented, most prominently by the conservative base that Norton once held. One lingering claim holding substance is the connection between several leading Linardist members and members of the judiciary involved in the controversial East Titulia Company. The company has been secretly acquiring large parcels of land on the east side of Titulia City.

Evidence of the involvement was documented by Norton in a blog dated late March this year based on research conducted by his running mate, LRP president Leah Carmody. The bulk of the dossier came in the form of several 'chat' transcripts held in the publicly accessible, open forum of the company that was hosted on a third-party forum provider website. The transcript provides several direct accounts from company members and investors on the establishment of a housing cooperative.

An impact of understanding the company's establishment was not what caught the pair's eye. The alarm was caused by a comment in the transcript by the cooperative's founder, Clerk of Courts MC Daddy D. The comment referred that the eventual goal was 'succession' from the main republic. Linardist figures defended the comment as an 'off the cuff remark' and said there was never any discussion of succession from the Republic of Titulia.

The other key query was a manifest exchange between the company's members, questioning the Titulia's jurisdictional legality and propriety. One comment on this point was made regarding Chief Justice Colonel's involvement, in that his participation might be seen as bias if it ever came into question within the republic.

The MC promptly reassured his Titulian employer that should it come to that, he would be willing to take responsibility. There was also the matter of the Chief Justice's alleged ex parte conversation over Norton's pending contempt of court sentencing, with a person whose identity remains unclear. What is clear was that the person was not an associate justice and should not have had access to the forwarded email.

This was a far different presentation in public displays of unity by the investors, that there was no impropriety under Titulia law.

The East Titulia affair has died down in the republic over recent weeks. That changed during the election cycle when outgoing president William D. Money (LN) circumvented the Department of Justice Act and laid charges against both members of the LRP ticket for 'trafficking stolen goods' (Carmody) and 'receiving stolen goods' (Norton). Both were also indicted for one count of a Terms and Conditions (Admin rule) article of 'disrupting the user experience'. The charges referred to Carmody's research and Norton's posting, respectively.

Despite the charges, the once popular president has received widespread condemnation for the presidential breach of authority from outside of the Linardist and Social Democratic party coalition.

LRP secretary Malinda Noble said she had complete confidence in Carmody's innocence and the party would stand by her leadership, as it has done so since the foundation of the party. Party figures and notable lawyers James Matthews and Frank Stevens have lept to join Carmody's defence. On legal strategy, Mr Matthews declined to comment other than to say he was not concerned about the outcome.

Mr Matthews described it as '..an event well anticipated in advance from a government more committed to making Money than respecting liberty and citizens rights'. The text from Mr Matthews' email was copied verbatim with the capital 'M' in 'Money'. It's unknown whether that was in reference to the outgoing president, or a grammatical error.

Mr Norton has filed for discontinuance as the president breached legislation in exercising prosecution authority. Ms Carmody is yet to respond to the complaint.