America's No. 1 financial conglomerate

Chapter 351 A Circle Within a Circle

To the average person, those who can attend high-end parties and wield resources and power seem like a unified elite alliance. But only those who are actually in it can understand that the hierarchy within this circle is clearer than the variety of vegetables in a market.

Wenger never dreamed that one day he would gain access to California's top social circles through Ernst, and even directly connect with California's elite.

While most people wouldn't recognize the name William Newson III, in the legal profession, especially in California, the name is practically synonymous with royalty.

Having served as a judge on the California Court of Appeals, this resume alone is enough to make countless colleagues look up to him.

His family law firm is one of the most prestigious and top-tier law firms in the United States, and it is no exaggeration to call it an industry benchmark.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg of the family's power.

There's a saying circulating in California circles: there's no problem the Newsom family can't solve in California.

It sounds a bit exaggerated, but the Newsom family's strength is evident in the fact that they have such a high reputation in a place like California, which is economically developed and has a complex situation.

In reality, everyone knows that the real power doesn't belong to the Newsom family, but rather to the group that has single-handedly connected the most influential circle in California.

This circle brings together top figures from all walks of life, and the resources and power they wield are enough to stir up quite a storm in California. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they have absolute power in California.

Wenger was more than happy to accept the olive branch extended by such a big figure as his opponent, especially the proposed law firm collaboration.

Just as Wenger and William Newson III were engrossed in their conversation, Ernst walked over. "What are you talking about? You two seem to be getting along very well?"

Upon seeing Ernst, Wenger quickly and enthusiastically introduced him, "This is Mr. William Newson III, a very famous figure in our legal profession."

Upon hearing this, Ernst showed a perfectly timed expression of surprise and extended his hand, saying, "Really? It's truly an honor to meet such an important person."

No introductions are needed. Everyone at this party knows each other, especially someone as important as William Newson III.

The two men clasped hands tightly, and William Newsom III, with a sincere smile, offered a polite compliment, saying, "In fact, it is my honor to know you, a leader and representative of American youth."

Although there is no official definition, Ernst is definitely a leading idol among young Americans today, which also reflects his influence among the current generation of young Americans.

"That's all media hype. If I could, I'd still prefer the title 'playboy'."

William Newson raised an eyebrow. "Being a womanizer is in the nature of young people, especially since you are still so young."

After saying that, all three of them laughed. There was an interesting story behind it.

That is, there are tabloids in Los Angeles that often publish intimate photos of him with different women in order to boost sales, and the title of playboy always appears between the lines.

But who would have thought that those major newspapers would actually take the initiative to whitewash Ernst, quoting William Newson's words.

These newspapers felt that given Ernst's current achievements and contributions, he shouldn't be harped on by these tabloids every day; it was a desecration of the tech tycoon.

Ernst isn't married. He's young, rich, and has many girlfriends. So what if he changes them frequently?

Besides, it was consensual, and neither party said anything.

But the tabloids are indignant. What gives you big newspapers the right to stand on moral high ground and criticize us? You were the ones who first used the term "Playboy" to mock him, weren't you?

These tabloids found a bunch of news articles published in the major newspapers at the time that mocked Ernst, edited them out, and published them in their own newspapers, directly mocking him.

And it only got more and more popular later on, because people loved watching it and it sold well.

After the three chatted for a while, William Newson III suddenly waved to someone not far away.

A short while later, a rather capable-looking young man strode over.

William Newson III patted the young man on the shoulder and introduced him to Ernst, saying, "This is my son, Gavin Newson."

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"You are all young people, so you should mentor him and let him learn from you."

Ernst greeted Gavin Newson with a smile, but couldn't help finding it somewhat amusing.

The idea of ​​a 25-year-old mentoring a 31-year-old elite man sounds somewhat strange.

But in reality, no one present felt it was abrupt.

Compared to the next generation of the Newsom family, who are still leveling up and will become the governor of California in the future, Ernst's current achievements and status have long surpassed the age limit of his generation.

At a young age, he has already distinguished himself in multiple fields. Whether it is wealth accumulation or social influence, he far surpasses his peers and even makes many more senior figures feel inferior.

"I don't have that kind of ability, but if you need anything in the future, you can call me."

When Ernst handed him his business card, the future governor of California grinned from ear to ear and quickly accepted it with both hands.

Ernst wasn't just bored and came to interfere in Wenger and William Newson III's conversation; he had already taken notice of William Newson III, a family that was currently just one of the core members of their circle but would become its representative in the future.

Through the accumulation and planning of three generations, they created a legend comparable to the Kennedy family. This speed of rise is what Ernst values.

The United States has been promoting its so-called democracy, but in reality, elections are just a matter of the top elites circulating within their own circle.

On the surface, the various parties and candidates seem to be fighting tooth and nail, attacking each other without mercy. But in reality, their relationships are intertwined, with countless interests at play.

It wasn't the two cowboys who made the cowboy family famous; on the contrary, it was the cowboy family's own strength that made the two cowboys who they were.

The Cowboy family was a prominent old-money family on the East Coast of the United States more than two hundred years ago, and an important member of the upper class.

The old cowboy's great-grandfather was a steel and oil tycoon in the United States at the time, who controlled huge industrial resources and was also President Hoover's top advisor, holding a pivotal position in the political and economic fields.

His grandfather was a senator who had a close relationship with President Eisenhower and wielded considerable influence in Congress.

The grandmother came from a prominent family, being the darling of the Walker family, Wall Street financial giants. This gave the cowboy family a deep foundation in the financial field and enabled them to receive some support from Wall Street.

His mother is a direct descendant of the 14th President of the United States.

Such a family background is practically a condensed history of power in the upper echelons of American society.

Not only cowboy families, but also all the presidents of the United States, up to the term of Richard Burton, more than 70% of the elected presidents were related to another president.

Of the remaining 30%, they are either ancient figures from a long time ago. In the last hundred years, only the Kennedy family has broken this ironclad rule.

Even so, Kennedy still had intricate connections with American tycoons and was unable to truly escape the constraints of the top circles.

With the efforts and precise planning of several generations, the Newsom family will most likely become the second Kennedy family in the future. They are only one chair away from becoming the next Kennedy.

Ernst didn’t mind becoming the Newsom family’s super-financial backer, or even replacing the Getty family’s financial backer in this circle, thus having a front man to advocate for the Garfield family in the top political and social circles of California and even the whole United States.

The Newsom family can no longer even dream of owning the chair in California, let alone the chair in the White House. Now is the perfect time to take over this family.

As the most dazzling star of the party, Ernst was always surrounded by attention and people trying to curry favor with him wherever he went.

After all, being able to establish a connection with Ernst might bring unexpected opportunities for oneself or one's family.

Meanwhile, William Newson III also intended to win over promising and capable young leaders like Ernst on behalf of his circle, hoping to bring him into his own circle and further expand its influence.

One was eager to make friends, and the other was eager to win them over. They naturally had a very pleasant conversation, discussing everything from industry development trends to the political landscape in California, and then to the possibility of future cooperation. The topics kept coming, and the atmosphere became more and more enthusiastic.

Then, through William Newson's introduction, Ernst successfully met the core members of what is now the most influential donkey circle in California.

The Brown family, deeply entrenched in California politics; the Getty family, who dominated the oil industry and were the richest family for nearly a decade; the Fisher family, who founded the well-known clothing brand GAP; the Pritzker family, who control the Hyatt Hotel Group; and the Pelosi family, whom Ernst had heard of in his past life.

The Newson family plays a crucial role as a link in this circle. It is through the Newson family's connections that these top families, which were originally independent, have been able to come together closely and form this community of interests.

In particular, the Getty, Newsom and Pelosi families have a three-generation friendship.

It can only be said that William Newson's father, William the Elder, was a truly wise man. He was originally a small-time construction businessman, but instead of using his earnings to invest in businesses, he sent his son, William Newson, to the most prestigious private school in California at the time.

He then became good friends with Gordon Getty, the current head of the Getty family. After Gordon Getty took power, he made William Newson the company's legal counsel and the head of the family foundation, treating him as his own protégé.

Besides investing in his son's education, William the Elder also invests in people, one of whom is the Brown family.

It was thanks to William the Elder's financial support and connections that the Brown family received funding from the Getty family, resulting in two California governors serving for a total of 16 years within 30 years.

Another family he invested in was the Pelosi family.

When this Italian family suffered discrimination and humiliation in America, it was old William who stepped in to help them.

Many people may not know the status of Italians in the United States; they are truly at the very bottom of the social hierarchy.

It's often said that Chinese people had no status a hundred years ago, but Italians were even worse.

In 1911, the United States passed a law that divided all the world's ethnic groups into 44 classes, with Anglo-Saxons being the first class and the lowest class being the Southern Italians.

The rise of this family was inseparable from the help of William the Elder. It was with the help of the Newsom family that the eldest son, Ron Pelosi, founded several companies, became a partner in Korn Ferry, and later married William the Elder's daughter.

Meanwhile, Paul, the second son who was not doing well in the East, saw how successful his brother's family was and also moved to California.

Paul's skills are mediocre, but his wife is capable; she's known as the "old witch."

Through the efforts of three generations, the major families have firmly bound their interests together through marriage alliances.

Ron married William Newson's sister, Gavin Newson's sister, and the Getty family's liquor company, which is one of the largest liquor companies in California. He also had a marriage alliance with the Brown family.

Gordon Getty's sister has a close friend's daughter named Harris, who also has a Chinese name with the surname He. This close friend has close ties with the Brown and Fisher families.

The old hag's family, the D'Alessandro family, is a well-known political family in Baltimore, and they have a marriage alliance with the Pritzker family of the Hyatt Hotel.

This family also had some connection with Ernst, namely the Boston financial group. The old hag first appeared in the public eye when she danced a ballroom dance with Kennedy at a party.

Therefore, within the donkey, the two parties have a cooperative relationship.

The relationships involved are so complex and complicated that just thinking about them is enough to give you a headache.

However, Ernst didn't care. There was no such thing as sentimentality in this circle; there was only self-interest.

While Ernst was chatting and laughing with the crowd, behind his smile was a process of selection: who needed to be suppressed and who could be won over.