Racket Busters, I.The Mafia: Myth and Reality II.Organized Crime in American Life A.Structure B.“Going Legit” III.Government response A.Popular Attitudes B.Political Conditions C.Investigations IV.Impact A.National Politics B.Law C.Benefits and Costs

Myth and Reality

Structure Bosses –Control territory –Pay off politicians –Organizational models Family Fraternal societies Unions Partnership Made Men –Lead & staff crews Crews find their own sources of profit –Theft, gambling, loans, extortion, fraud, vice, drugs

National Network Mob war leads to calls for 1957 meeting of Mafiosi from all over America Busted Joseph Barbara’s house, Apalachin, NY

“Going Legit” Expansion –Unions –Politics Investment –Business Contracting –Las Vegas

Popular Attitudes Hero worship of 1930s turns to demonization in 1950s Fear bad actors will subvert or corrupt new order –Communists –Gangsters But continuing fascination, glamour –Sinatra Creates ambiguity Blood donor watching crime hearings, 1951

Political Conditions Powerful constituencies –Urban machines –Labor unions –Contractors –Ethnics Irish, Italian, Jewish, Latino, & African Americans Target for Republicans & Democratic mavericks –Thomas Dewey –Estes Kefauver –John Kennedy

Investigations Kefauver hearings, 1951 Rackets Committee, 1957 McClellan hearings, 1963

National Politics Candidates Thomas Dewey –GOP: 1944, 1948 Estes Kefauver –Dem VP: 1952, 1956 John F. Kennedy –Dem: 1960 Robert F. Kennedy –Dem: 1968

High Profile Busts Mobsters –Vito Genovese (1959) Labor leaders –Jimmy Hoffa (1964) Businessmen? Teamsters’ president James R. “Jimmy” Hoffa

Changing Policy Aggressive prosecution –Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 –Witness Protection Racketeering –RICO Act of 1970

Results Good –Purify urban government, business Bad –Prosecutors gain immense power Ambassador William O’Dwyer before Kefauver committee