On Monday night's episode of NBC's The Blacklist, the FBI is shown going after a fictional international thief named "Madeline Pratt," who actor James Spader's character Raymond Reddington explains "fosters relationships with incredibly powerful people" and then "exploits those relationships in ways that impact national security." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
Photoshopped images appear on screen showing viewers the "powerful people" that Pratt is supposed to have connections with. The fake photos show her socializing with former Florida Republican Congressman Allen West and current Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz. No pictures are shown of the made-up criminal mastermind rubbing elbows with any real-life Democratic politicians.
Here is an excerpt of Spader, as Reddington, explaining Madeline Pratt's criminality:
This is the Madeline Pratt you all know and love. Politically active, influential, a good citizen. What you don't know is the Madeline Pratt that I love. $6 million in diamonds stolen from a DeBeers outpost in the Congo. Security fibers used in printing the Czech Koruna taken from a mint in Prague and used to produce counterfeit bank notes.
The Madeline Pratt you know fosters relationships with incredibly powerful people. The one you don't, exploits those relationships in ways that impact national security.
