it doesn't start in 2007, when dick scruggs is indicted. this story goes way back. one evening in 1992 as scruggs struggled to deal with the case patterson and peters were building against him, he received a telephone call at his home from a man named pl blake. i know what is going on and i'm going to help you blake told scruggs. indeed, been seamy. blake was -- but scruggs understood the significance of this call. blake's name was not recognizable in most households in mississippi but among the political, he was regarded as one of the original agency still had the ability to pitch things. blake had contacted him scruggs believed at the direction of scruggs brother-in-law, trent lott, who had assumed command of the state's conservative power structure after eastland's departure from the scene. scruggs had first been introduced to blake a decade before by chief aide in washington, tom anderson. scruggs have been told by anderson that there was a friend up in the delta who needed help. blake owned several thousand were lakers in mississippi and a group of grain elevat