Chapter 23 - THE CIVIL GOVERNANCE HEARING
The largest legal confrontation did not involve Travis’s slap.
It concerned Raymond’s representations to the joint-venture boards.
One minority investor sought declaratory relief because the governance record had become uncertain.
Were future voting arrangements already agreed?
Could the boards rely on them?
Did Raymond possess authority to represent future Fiorentino alignment?
The answer mattered to real investors.
The hearing began with documents.
No ballroom footage at first.
Draft continuity agreement.
Emails.
Board minutes.
Bank presentations.
My refusals.
Then Raymond’s statement:
Next-generation interests are being unified.
His attorney argued:
Negotiating optimism.
Not enforceable promise.
Our side argued:
At minimum, inaccurate enough that the record required correction.
No one sought prison.
No one claimed Raymond stole shares.
The goal:
Clarity.
Then the gala became relevant only because it showed the agreement was still disputed that night.
Travis hit me during the dispute.
The public announcement never happened.
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The plan was not finalized.
That destroyed any argument that a binding family consensus already existed.
