Guest Tom Scully Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Don, I am wondering about Frank Church, now, too. What were these guys afraid of, or entered into a devil's bargain, with.....or both....and Teddy, right on up to 2009? http://www.archive.org/stream/investigatio...43unit_djvu.txtINVESTIGATION OF IMPROPER ACTIVITIES IN THE LABOR OR MANAGEMENT FIELD HEARINGS BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON IMPROPER ACTIVITIES IN THE LABOR OR MANAGEMENT EIELD EIGHTY-SIXTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ... .....SELECT COMMITTEE ON IMPROPER ACTIVITIES IN THE LABOR OR MANAGEMENT FIELD JOHN L. McCLELLAN, Arkansas, Chairman. KARL E. MUNDT, South Dakota, Vice Chairman JOHN F. KENNEDY, Massachusetts BARRY GOLDWATER, Arizona SAM J. ERVIN, JE., North Carolina CARL T. CURTIS, Nebraska FRANK CHURCH, Idaho HOMER E. CAPEHART, Indiana Robert F. Kennedy, Chief Counsel Rdth Yodng Watt, Chief Clerk ..... ....Mr. Kennedy. Could you tell us what figures you arrived at? Mr. Uhlmann. With respect to Central States, our calculations show that from the first policy year, which started March 1, 1950, through March 1, 1958, that the commissions that should have been paid under this code aggregated $611,200. AVith respect to the Michigan conference, which started April 1, 1951, through March 31, 1958, the commissions there should have been $139,400. Local 1031, for which the first policy date was May 1, 1949, and through April 30, 1958, the aggregate commissions amount to $502,600 under the code. This makes a total — I am sori-y. The figures I have read there, I beg your pardon ; the figures I read to you represent the excess com- missions in each case. The Chairman. Wait a minute now. Let us start all over again. You have us confused. Mr. Uhlmann. I am afraid I have. The Chairman. Let us start over again and get it correct. "WTiat is the $611,000? Mr. Uhlmann. The $611,200 represents the excessive commissions paid under the Central States policy between March 1, 1950 and March 31, 1958. The Chair:man. In other words, for 8 years there was an excess payment in commissions from the Central States of $611,200? Sir. Uhlmann. Yes, sir. Tlie Ctt.'.irman. All right. Now we will take the Michigan con- ference. Let us get that next. Mr. Uhlmann. From April 1, 1951 through March 31, 1958, $139,400 was excess. The Chairman. That was excess? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes ; they are both excess figures. The Chairman. Let us get the third one. That would be local 1031. Mr. Uhlmann. Local 1031 of IBEW, Electrical AVorkers, May 1, 1949 through April 30, 1958, $502,600 is excess. And this makes an aggregate excess in commissions for these three policies of $1,253,200 for the period of time stated. The Chairman. That is just commissions ? Mr. Uhlmann. That is just commissions. The Chairman. That has nothing to do with service charges ? ]\Ir. Uhlmann. No, sir. The Chairman. Do you have something with respect to service charges ? ]Mr. Kennedy. I do not think he has finished with commissions. I would like to ask Mr. Goodman if he has any comment on those figures. Mr. Goodman. Yes, I think that the method of computation which led to these excess figures was done on an extremely conservative basis, giving the benefit of the doubt and possibly having the commission slightly higher according to the code of ethical practices scale than they might bs. The reason for that is that we had no basis of deter- mining what were to be considered first-year premiiuns upon which they might be entitled to a first-year commission during renewal years. As a result, we considered all increases in premium from year to year as first-year premiums for first-year commission purposes. Be- cause a commission in the first year is considerably higher than in renewal years, there is a possibility that these figures may overstate the amount of what would have been the reasonable amount of com- mission. So possibly if it were possible to go back in complete detail, the excess might possibly be greater. Mr. Kennedy. This is a conservative figure ? Mr. GrOODMAN. Right. Mr. Kennedy. On these three policies, at least $1,250,000 in excessive commissions were paid? INIr. Goodman. Based upon the benchmark of the code of ethical practices. The Chairman. Do you think there is any doubt but what a repu- table insurance company would have been glad to handle it for the amount of commission you indicate would be reasonable ? Mr. Goodman. Yes, sir. We have characterized in at least one or two or three of these cases, and the two reports I referred to, that the commissions on these cases were excessive. Mr. Kennedy. You have already taken note of that officially ? INIr. Goodman. Yes. They have been characterized in the report. They are only identified by code, though, and not by name. The Chairman. In other words, these were taken into account in the report that you made ? Mr. Goodman. Yes, sir. The Chairman. Although they are not identified except by code. You know which ones they are, do you ? Mr. Goodman. I do, sir. Senator Ervtn. Did I understand that in making this computation, reaching this conclusion, in order to be perfectly fair you gave the benefit of all doubt to those receiving the commissions ? Mr. Goodman. Yes, sir. Mr. Kennedy. That would be over $750,000 of that which was from the Central Conference of Teamsters and from the Michigan Welfare Fund ; is that right, Mr. Ulilmann ? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes, sir. Mr. Kennedy. And those were insurance policies that were awarded directly by Mr. Ho if a ? Mr. tjHLMANN. I would say that, yes, or through his influence. Mr. Kennedy. Do you have some other figures that you want to add to that on the commissions as far as Dr. Perlman is concerned ? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes. Mr. Kennedy. We have another figure to add to this. There were otlior commissions that were paid on the same insurance. Go ahead. Mr. Uhlmann. Over and above the commissions paid to the Dorf- man agencies for the insurance just described, there were some $600,000-odd paid to the United Public Service Corp., which was an entity that was established largely by Dr. Perlman, who was referred to earlier in this testimony, and by virtue of the dual capacities that he occupied in each of these companies, he was able to funnel rather extensive sums of money by way of commissions and alleged service fees through the United Public Service Corp, primarily for his own financial enrichment. With respect to the three policies alone that we have been talking about here today, we calculate that a little over $600,000 by way oi commissions, commissions alone, were paid to the United Public Service, all of which we regard as excessive on the ground that there seems to have been no basis whatsoever for this company to play any part in this insurance, that is, in the acquisition of this insurance or in servicing the contract. (At this point Senator Church entered the hearing room.) Mr, Kennedy. Do you agree with that, Mr. Goodman ? Mr. (toodman. My recollection on some of that is quite hazy, as I only participated on sort of a fringe basis with respect to some of these transactions, although I would say that Dr, Perlman was wear- ing two hats at the same time and there might be a question as to the payment of commissions. ]\Ir. Kennedy. But the part that is slightly more questionable is an additional $600,000; is that right? Mr. UiiLMANN. Yes. Mr, Kennedy. That would bring the total up to approximately $1,850,000? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes. Mr. Ivennedy. $1,250,000 definitely is established, and the $600,000 is where there is a question ; is that right ? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes. (At this point the chairman left the hearing room.) Mr. Ivennedy, Is there anything you wish to add ? Mr. Goodman, I have nothing further. Mr, Ivennedy. This report and the investigation was done on the Dorfman and Perlman operation was done in what year ? Mr. Goodman. May I have both volumes ? Mr. Kennedy. That was done by the commission in New York ? Mr. Goodman. By the insurance department in New York. I might say this: That you must bear in mind that we were not considering Dorfman or Union Casualty as individual operations. We were in- vestigating all welfare fund activities in the State of New York as handled by insurance companies licensed to do business in the State of New York. At the same time, we were developing other information as part of our regular examination w^ork of the Union Casualty. What is con- tained in this report is based primarily upon the special investigation of welfare funds generally. At certain parts of the report reference is made to Central States, Michigan conference, and local 1031, and they indicate and character- ize that the commissions and fees paid in those instances were excessive. If you wish to, I can identify the places in the report. Mr, Ivennedy, Wliat year was this ? Mr, Goodman, This first report, "Wliose Welfare?" was printed on December 6, 1954, Mr, Ivennedy, And this situation that you went into in 1954 has been going on ever since, evidently, from the figures that have been revealed here ? Mr. Goodman. I have reason to believe so. Mr. Kennedy. Are the Dorfmans licensed to practice insurance in the State of New York? Mr. Goodman. No, sir. Mr. Kennedy. Why is that? Has their license been lifted by the Stateof New York? Mr. Goodman. Their license was revoked by the State of New York. Mr. Kennedy. For what reason ? Mr. Goodman. For refusal to permit our examiners to look into the records of Allen Dorf man or the Union Insurance Agency of Illinois, a licensee of the New York Insurance Department. Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Uhlmann, are there some figures on the service fees that you would like to place into the record ? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes. Mr. Kennedy. That is, the excessive payments on service fees to the Dorfmans? Mr. Uhlmann. The only cost information that we were able to develop with respect to servicing of contracts which are handled by the Dorfman agencies cover a period of some 18 to 20 months. In this period of time, we have found that, for about 6 or 7 months, the difference between the amount received from the insurance com- pany as service fees and the amount charged as expenses in servicing these contracts, represented a difference of 53 percent, which is a different way of saying, another way of saying, that there was roughly a 53 percent profit made on this servicing. I believe that insurance experts will vouch for the fact that in the main, servicing is a function performed by an agent concerning which little or no profit is expected to be made. Mr. Kennedy. Is that correct, Mr. Goodman ? Mr. Goodman. Yes, sir. Mr. Kennedy. Based on our calculations, it would appear, at least, that they made profits amounting to approximately 53 percent? Mr. Uhlmann. For the period of time I just referred to. For a fuller period, and this is the only period on which the records were available to us, we have found that the profit was some 27 percent. So in, shall we say, averaging it out or leveling it off, we come up with an extraordinarily conservative estimate as to what might be ex- cess, and we fixed it at 25 percent. We don't feel anyone can quarrel with that as constituting excess. On that basis alone, measured against the total service fees received over a period of time on these three policies alone, there is a minimum of $400,000-odd that could readily be declared as being excessive. (At this point the chairman entered the hearing room.) (At this point Senator Ervin left the hearing room.) Mr. Goodman. May I make a correction ? As far as the service fees are concerned, it has been a long established policy of the Insurance Department of the State of New York and it is now represented in the code of ethical practices, that there should be no profit factor in service fees. Mr. Kennedy. None at all? Mr. Goodman. None at all. May I read from the code of ethical practices with respect to that ? An insurer should not make any payment of fees or allowances of whatever na- ture and by whatever name to any person, firm, or corporation, in connection with the sale, service, or administration of a group policy issued to a welfare or pension fund other tluin commissions to an insurance agent or broker as heretofore described, except in reimbursement for the reasonable value of one or more of the following services performed on behalf of the insurer. They must be services performed on behalf of the insurer. The only four services that we recognize are : (1) Issuing certificates. (2) Maintaining employee records. (3) Billing premiums. (4) Processing claims. Senator Church. Is that code of ethics officially promulgated by the State of New York ? Mr. Goodman. It was adopted first by the National Association of Insurance Connnissioners in December of 1957, and in the same month adopted by the Insurance Department of the State of New York. Senator Church. So it has the adherence and approbation of the insurance companies themselves ? Mr. Goodman. Yes. We worked in the drafting of this with many representatives of some of the outstanding insurance companies in the country. Mr. Kennedy. So it would appear, would it not, that the excess payments to the Dorfmans and Dr. Perlman in this matter amounted conservatively to $1,650,000, and possibly up to well over $2,250,000 ; is that correct ? Mr. Ulhmann. I would say that; yes, sir. Mr. Kennedy. But the conservative figure is $1,650,000 that was paid in excess to Allen Dorfman, period, and with the possibility of another $600,000 in excess to Dr. Perlman ? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes. Mr. Kennedy. But Allen Dorfman and his mother received this $1,650,000 excess payments. Mr. Chairman, we are going into other matters in connection with this, but I think we might want to call Mr. Allen Dorfman back for a moment first. Thank you, Mr. Goodman. The Chairman. Thank you, gentlemen. Mr. Dorfman, you may take the stand if you wish. TESTIMONY OF ALLEIT DORFMAN— Eesumed The Chairman. Let the record show that Mr. Dorfman is recalled. All right, Mr. Kennedy ; proceed. Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Dorfman, could you tell us what arrangements, what conversations you had regarding the granting of the commis- sions in connection with the Central Conference of Teamsters? Mr. Dorfman. I claim my privilege under the fifth amendment to the Constitution. Mr. Kennedy. Can you tell us anything about the Michigan Con- ference of Teamsters ? Mr, DoRFMAN. I claim my privilege under the fifth amendment to the Constitution. Mr. Kennedy. Can you tell us whether it is a fact that you have received excess payments of $1,650,000 ? Mr. DoRFMAN. I claim my privilege under the fifth amendment to the Constitution. Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Dorf man Mr. Clinton. Mr. Chairman, I do not know how good my mathe- matics are, but if that computation of $1,600,000 is correct, Dorfman would have been in the hole around $400,000 or $500,000 during the time he was in business. I would suggest that maybe some recompu- tation might be in order. The Chairman. We are perfectly willing to have it. We will ask your client to help us do it. Would you help us? Would you be glad to help us? Mr. Dorf- man? (The witness conferred with his counsel.) Mr. Clinton. Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Dorfman is in a position that if he starts to discuss finances, he would have waived his privilege. But these are simple matters of statistics of income and disbui-sements of this agency, to which the investigators of the committee have had access. As I understand it, Dorfman would have lost $400,000 by being in business for over 9 years, if Mr. Kennedy's mathematics are correct. I think it might bear checking. The Chairman. Mr. Counsel, you are here to represent your client and that is true. But I don't believe it would be well for you to testi- fy for him. I think it would be well and we would be glad to re- ceive his testimony if he wants to testify that he lost it or would have lost $400,000 on the basis of this calculation. AVe will be glad to hear his testimony, and then take other testimony and go right into the merits of it and ascertain what the facts are. All I know is what these witnesses who are in a position to know, who have checked the records, testify to. Here is a man who is pre- sumably an expert in this field who has been a witness. I have no reason to question his qualifications as such. Apparently that has been pretty well established. Sometimes there can be expense that we do not know about, but these experts ought to know generally what is right and what is a fair fee, and a commission. They have testified. I would be very happy if Mr. Dorfman could testify and throw some light on this whole transaction. If there is nothing wrong with it, it should be cleared up, because there are working people who have something at stake here. In fact, the whole labor movement has something at stake. I think business has something at stake, too. We have here, again, as I pointed out earlier, a spectacle of a businessman handling large trans- actions like this who comes in here and states under oath that he honestly cannot talk about it or he cannot answer questions about it and tell the truth about it without the risk of self-incrimination. So under those circumstances, we liave to resort to testimony from others who have had experience, and make comparisons with what the record shows here and what, from their experience, would be a proper or fair charge, a reasonable profit or commission, for such services. All right, Mr. Counsel, have you anything further ? Mr. Kennedy. Just if Mr. Dorfman would give us any explanation as to how he was able to make over $1,650,000 in excess profits in connection with the Central Conference of Teamsters and the Michi- gan conference. I would like to hear it. Could you give us an explanation, Mr. Dorfman ? Mr. Dorfman. I claim my privilege under the fifth amendment of the Constitution. Mr. Kennedy. Do you feel that a truthful answer might tend to incriminate you, if you gave us a truthful answer ? Mr. Dorfman. Yes, sir. The Chairman. Is there anything further? Mr. Kennedy. That is all for now. The Chairman. Mr. Dorfman, you will return tomorrow. The committee will stand in recess until 11 o'clock tomorrow. (Members of the select committee present at time of recess: The Chairman and Senator Church.) (Whereupon, at 4:12 o'clock p.m. the select committee recessed, to reconvene at 11 o'clock a.m., Wednesday, January 28, 1959.).... ........THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1959 U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Improper Activities IN THE Labor or MxVnagement Field, Washington, D.C. The select committee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to recess, in room 3302, New Senate Office Building, Senator Jolm L. McClellan (chair- man of the select committee) presiding. Present: Senator Jolm L. McClellan, Democrat, Arkansas; Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., Democrat, North Carolina. Also present : Robert F. Kennedy, chief counsel ; Pierre E. G. Salin- ger, investigator; Martin S. Ulilmann, investigator; John P. Findlay, investigator; James J. P. McShane, investigator; Richard G. Sin- clair, investigator; Ruth Young Watt, chief clerk." The Chairman. The committee will be in order. (Members of the select committee present at convening of session: Senators McClellan and Ervin.) The Chairman. Call your first witness. Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Chairman, over the period of the past day and a half, we have been developing a number of points that we wish to go into further today. There are four major points we have gone into. The first which we have established is that there was collusion in the awarding of the insurance for the Central States Conference of Teamsters, and that is shown through the documents that have been placed in the record here. Second, there was collusion in the awarding of tlie contract of the Michigan Conference of Teamsters, which is shown from the docu- ments and, for instance, the fact that the bid was submitted to the Michigan Conference of Teamsters the day after the award was made, submitted from Allen Dorfman's company. Third, right from the beginning, there were excessive commissions paid for both the Central Conference of Teamsters and for the Michigan Conference of Teamsters, Fourth, there is the matter that climaxes all of this, that between 1952 and 1954 the cost to tlie Michigan Conference of Teamsters and to the Central Conference of Teamstei-s was increased. The commissions to Allen Dorfman were increased and tlie benefits to the members of tlie Central Conference of Teamsters and the Michi- gan Conference of Teamsters were decreased on three separate occa- sions. 16081 All of these matters were handled with the help and assistance and direction of Mr. James Hoffa. When we had our witnesses at the beginnmir, we developed tlie fact that this contract for the Central Conference of Teamsters was orio-hially awarded through the ett'orts and the friendship that ex- iste'cl between Mr. Paul l)orfman and Mr. James R. Hofifa. Now, Mr. Chairman, what I would like to do today is to call hnn as a witness, but prior to so doing that I would like to call a staff member who made an investigation of Paul Dorfman, and Paul Dorfman's background, and place that information in the record. I would like to call Mr. James McShane. 'The Chairman. Will you be sworn ? _c i • You do solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give before this Senate select committee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and noth- ing but the truth, so help you God ? Mr. McShane. I do. TESTIMONY OF JAMES J. P. McSHANE The Chairman. State your name and your place of residence and your present employment. • i • at Mr McShane. My name is James McShane, and I reside m ^'e^ York' City and I am a staff member of this committee. Mr. Kennedy. How long have you been with the committee, Mr. McShane ? Mr. McShane. A little better than a year and a lialf. Mr. Kennedy. AAHiat were you doing prior to that ? . , , ^^ Mr. McShane. Prior to that time I was a detective witli the x\ew York City Police Department. , . .i at a- i n-, Mr. Kennedy. For how long did you work for the ^ew \ork City Police Department? Mr. McShane. Approximately 21 years. • -^i ^i Mr. Kennedy. Did you receive some avrards for services with the New York Police Department ? Mr. McShane. I did, sir. Mr. Kennedy. AMiat were those awards ? . Mr McShane. I was cited for bravery 14 times. I have received the New York City Police De]^artment Medal of Honor. Mr Kennedy. Is tliat the highest award that can be awarded i Mr. McShane. That is the highest possible award that any living member can receive, sir. . . Mr Kennedy. Now, Mr. McShane, since coming with this commit- tee, have you devoted some time working on the background of Mr. Paul Dorfman ? Mr. McShane. I have, sir. .. ., . 1 1 Mr Kennedy. And do you have some information that would sum- marize your investigation, as well as the investigations that have been conducted by other Government departments? Mr. McShane. Yes, sir; 1 have. „ . , ... . Mr. Kennedy. Would you give that information to the committee? Mr! McShane. According to our investigation, :Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Paul Dorfman is a major figure in the Chicago underworld. He is an associate of most of the leading gangsters in the Chicago area. TTo is tlie contact man between dishonest union leaders and members of the ChicajTo underworld. ]VIr. Dorfman is 5(5 years. He is tlie former secretaiy-treasurer of local 20467, AFL Waste Material Handlers ITnion in Chicago. He was ousted from that job by the AFL-CIO in late 1957. As to i\Ir. Dorfman's criminal backirround, it does not appear that he has ever been arrested for any crime. Mr. Kexxedy. Do you mean convicted of any crime? Mr. McShaxe. I am sorry; convicted. However, he was arrested in li)'2S in connection with ))anots in the 13th ]:)recinct of the old 2-4th ward in favor of the Ee]:)iiblican State's Attorney Crow. No disposi- tion of this charo-e can be found. In 1942 he was charged with mayhem in connection with the beat- ing of the executive secretary of the Waste Materials Dealers xVsso- ciation. He sulisequenth' was freed on this charge. Now the foundei- of local 204B7, one Leon R. Cook, was shot and killed in Chicago, 111., on December 8, 1939. Following this murder, Mr. Dorfman appeared on the scene and became secretarj'-treasurer of the union. Mr. Kexxedy. Would it appear from your investigation that he merely took over the union immediately after the killing of Mr. Cook? Mr. McShaxe. It would appear that way, sir. Mr. Kexxedy. What about Mr. Dorfman's criminal and other asso- ciates in Chicago? Mr. McShaxe. Well, of Mr. Dorfman's criminal and other asso- ciates, there is one Anthony "Tony" Accardo, known as the head of the Chicago mob since the death of Al C^apone. Another is ]Mr. Abra- liam Teitelbaum, former attorney for the Capone mob. Another is Abner "Longy" Zwillman, one of the top figures in the American underworld, who heads the rackets in the State of New Jersey. Telephone calls have been traced indicating that a New Jersey attorney by the name of Harold Krieger called Longy Zwillman at a summer camp owned by Mv. Dorfman in Wisconsin. Now, there is a Sol Cilento, a former oflicial of the Distilleiy Workers LTnion, who was a subordinate of Abner "Longy" Zwillman. There is Mr. Claude Maddox, alias "Screwy" Moore, a Chicago racketeer and hoodlum connected with the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union. Now, the St. Valentine's Day massacre was plamied in Mr. Mad- dox's bar in February of 1929. Now, there is Mr. Jolm Dioguardi, alias Johnny Dio, a notorious New York gangster in the garment district, and Mr. Dio at the present time is in Sing Sing- with another Teamster otHcial for extortion. Mr. Dio, I might add, has appeared before this committee. Then there is Harry "Chink" Meltzer, a notorious ^Michigan hood- lum who was arrested in Chicago for extradition to ^Michigan on charges of placing explosives with intent to destroy. Mr. Kexxedy. He received a 15- to 25-year sentence? Mr. McShaxe. He is currently serving that in Jackson State orison in Michigan. When he was arrested he placed a call to Mr. Dorfman and told him he was in need of funds and, according to the police officers who accompanied him, we went to a West Side Chicago bar where he found Dorfman had left $25 for him. Mehzer was report- erly very angry at the time, and he commented to the officers that Dorfman owed him very much more than that. There is a Ruth Brougher and she has reported that Robert Barney Baker sent her to see Paul Dorfman about the disposition of some jewelry she had in her possession. She said subsequently that she met Dorfman in Chicago in connection with this matter. Although nothing came of the meeting, Dorfman gave her his unlisted tele- phone number and told her to call him if she ever needed help. Mr. Kennedy. She is the lady who appeared before this com- mittee and testified and is now serving a sentence in Florida in con- nection with the murder of her boy friend ? Mr. McShane. That is true. Mr. Kennedy. Now, you talked about his connection with some of the union officials. Have we f ovmd that he has been responsible for the setting up and establishment of certain locals throughout the country ? Mr. McSiiANE. That is true ; he has, sir. Mr. Kennedy. Would you give us some information on that? Mr. McShane. Well, there has been testimony before the com- mittee here that clearly indicates that Paul Dorfman was responsible in securing the charter of Local 102 of the United Auto Workei*s Union, AFL, for Johnny Dio. Sam Zakman, in whose name the charter was originally issued, was taken to the Hampshire House in New York City and introduced to Paul Dorfman by Sam Berger, the manager of Local 102 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Berger told Dorfman that this is a young man he would lilvc to see get a charter. Paul Dorfman's name appears on the original charter of local 102, and following the meeting with Dorfman, Berger flew to Milwaukee with Zakman and obtained the charter which, within a matter of months, was turned over to Johnny Dio. Paul Dorfman was instrumental in securing a charter in the Teamsters Union for Abe Gordon, who now heads local 805 of the Teamsters in New York City. Mr. Gordon is a close associate of Dorfman, and James R. Hofi'a, and Johnny Dio. It is significant that Gordon's initial organizing activities were in the vending machine industry in New York and New Jersey, a sub- stantial portion of which was controlled by "Longy" Zwillman. Mr. Kennedy. During the hearings that we held on Johnny Dio- guardi, we traced some telephone calls to Johnny Dio at the head- quarters of Abe Gordon ; did we not ? Mr. McShane. We did. Mr. Kennedy. And the office of Abe Gordon in local 805 and it was Mr. Abe Gordon that was down here for a considerable amount of time consulting with Jimmy Hoffa during the hearings that we held last year; isn't that correct? Mr. McShane. That is true; it is, sir. Now Mr. Dorfman is reported to have been instnnnental in secur- ing a Teamsters Union charter in Minneapolis for James Azzone, who was convicted of grand larceny in 1938 and sentenced to the State reformatory at St. Cloud, Minn. Azzone was active in this Teamstei-s Union Local 688 with Gerald Connelly, now servin*^ a Federal penitentiaiy sentence at the U.S. penitientary at Terre Haute, Ind. Paul Dorfman is responsible for obtaining of a charter for Hari-y Karsh, in St. Louis, ISIo., who is the present secretary-treasurer of the Carnival Workers Local 447 in St. Louis. Incidentally, Mr, Kai-sh has also appeared before this committee. As to some of his business associates, he was a partner with Mr. James Hott'a in the operation of a summer camp in Wisconsin. He is a partner with Mr. Hoffa in the Nortliwestern Oil Co. in North Dakota. He is a partner, or rather was a partner, v.ith Mr. Ted Sludman and Ross Miller in the man:ioement of a heavyweight fighter, known as Billy Nolan. Mr. Shulman at that time was the executive secretary of the Waste Materials Dealers Association A\ith whom Mr. Dorfman would negotiate for contracts. ]Mr. Kexxedy. That is S-h-u-1-m-a-n ? Mr. ]McShaxe. That is correct. And Mr. Dorfman's son, Allen Dorfman, is a ])artner with Mr. Shulman in the Sheridan Lien Co., set u[) for the purpose of purchas- ing property seized for the nonpayment of taxes. Now, a bit or two more about Mr. Dorfman, if I may say, Mr. Kennedy : ]Mr. Dorfman is a former prizefighter Avho fought under the name of "Red" Dorfman. He was managed by Sam Pian, who also managed Barney Ross, the former welterweight and middleweight champion. In 19r)5 and 1956, Mr. Paul Dorfman was a guest at the Hotel Riviera in Las Vegas, Nev. A part owner of this hotel is the afore- mentioned Ross Miller. The hotel ledger sheets show that Dorfman was not charged for his rooms. In 1956, yh\ Dorfman made a trip to Honolulu and stayed at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and a check of the Union Insurance Agency of Illinois, dated May 4, 1956, in the amount of $912.41 was used in the payment of Mr. Dorfman 's room. Rose Dorfman also received a check from the Union Insurance Agency, and this in the amount of $2,.S00, for partial reimbursement of the Honolulu trip. Mr. Kexxedy. That summarizes the situation as far as Paul Dorf- man is concerned? Mr. McSiiANE. Up to the present time, sir. Mr. IvEX'XEDY. But you gave some examples of some of the criminal associates in the Chicago area, and you have foimd him to be a key figure with the underworld in that area ? Mr. McShaxe. Yes, sir; I have. The rest of the 1959-1960 hearing minutes indicate that Bobby Kennedy had enough knowledge of Local 1031 testimony in the 1953 hearing when 1031's president M. Frank Darling testified to his transfer of Local 1031's insurance business to the Dorfman's for Kennedy to be aware that Darling's counsel had been Albert Jenner, Jr. Bobby, but not Frank Church and Ted Kennedy, had to be aware that the counsel who represented the Dorfman's at the 1959 hearings, was also counsel to the Teamsters Pension Fund at that time. It was in 1960 that the Dorfman/Teamsters lawyer, Stanford Clinton, stepped aside in the evaluation of and negotiation for a $4 million loan from the Teamsters Fund to the Pritzkers, and Albert Jenner's lawfirm acted as counsel to the Teamsters Pension Fund. Stanford Clinton retired from his position as Teamsters Pension Fund inding 1967, and sometime later from the practice of law. Frank Church and Ted Kennedy should have noticed and reacted to the fact that Albert Jenner, after "serving" as assistant senior WC counsel, succeeded Stanford Clinton as Allen Dorfman's attorney. Frank Church left the Senate in 1981 and died in 1984. Given his exposure to the details in the hearings I have excerpted, and the fact that he outlived Bobby Kennedy by 16 years, and because of his knowledge conducting the investigative hearings in the mid 1970's, had to suspect that Albert Jenner may have contaminated the WC investigation and it's non "findings." Ted Kennedy lived another 25 years after Frank Church. He had to see Albert Jenner's defense of Allen Dorfman, and his defense of Henry Crown's son against bribery charges, in full flower. Bobby, Tedddy, and Frank all had an opportunity to connect Earl Warren's 1966 appointment of Paul Ziffren's son as Warren's law clerk, with Albert Jenner's "service" on the WC. None of them reacted publicly, or probably at all. http://books.google.com/books?q=robert+ken...nG=Search+BooksBobby wrote quite a bit about the Dorfmans: The enemy within: the McClellan Committee's crusade against Jimmy Hoffa and ... - Page 86 Robert F. Kennedy - Political Science - 1994 - 358 pages While we were working in the office of the hotel manager, the door suddenly swung open and in walked Allen Dorfman himself. A shocked look crossed his face— Frank Church had one, weak link to the mob: http://books.google.com/books?id=PeMCAAAAM...hak&f=falseNew York Magazine - Page 10 Magazine - Feb 16, 1976 - v. 9, no. 7 - 96 pages The man for whom the funds were being sought — Senator Frank Church of Idaho, ... asI still don't think a phone call made by Irv Kupcinet's daughter triggered her November, 1963, death, but the theory that Paul Dorfman became alarmed by a call from Irv Kupcinet about "Sparky" Ruby, and then successfully discouraged Kupcinet from ever mentioning Ruby again, is looking more and more reliable, Bobby Kennedy dragged Allen Dorfman's mother and a number of other family members into his investigation. He entered into evidence her checking and savings records. If Bobby learned that Ruby had changed his middle name to Leon, a bell had to have gone off, and he should have challenged Albert jenner's presence on the WC, either before its report was published, or shortly after. The narrative was that Bobby hounded Hoffa, but he went through the Dorfmans to do it and became an expert on their insurance racket. Local 1031's M. Frank Darling was the Dorfman's first large "customer", he gave them a 100 reserve retemtion when the norm was 8 percemt and Hoffa's Central States Welfare fund gave them 17-1/2 percent retention and raised eye brows for being excessive. The 1953 hearing minutes show Albert Jenner explaining that his client Darling, did not understand what retention percentage rate was. Bobby had to have noticed this....he would have remembered while the WC went about its "business". Journalists sleot....Goldwater was a co-member on the 1959 hearings committee and now we know that his brother,... http://news.google.com/archivesearch?pz=1&...+del+webb+crownArizona Probe Links Del Webb, Mobsters . Modesto Bee - Google News Archive - Mar 20, 1977 Ill 1966 Crown and Webb sold the ranch to a partnership of RobertW. Goldwater and Joseph Martori, the stories in print said. ...
Guest Tom Scully Posted August 11, 2010 Posted August 11, 2010 After the assassination of RFK's brother, RFK seems to have sat idly by while the people who had been targets of his investigation of organized crime, were placed in charge of the Warren Commission and the investigation into JFK's death. Did they threaten RFK with harm to his family if he did not cooperate with them in the cover up? http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=16336&view=findpost&p=201195 http://books.google.com/books?id=BfJ7pLZ7RksC&pg=PA175&dq=robert+kennedy+general+dynamics&hl=en&ei=hGliTObzNIaKlwf5may3Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=robert%20kennedy%20general%20dynamics&f=falseThe American Way of War: Guided Missiles, Misguided Men, and a Republic in Peril - Page 175 Eugene Jarecki - 2010 ..Behiind McClellan's maneuver though, was a combination of motives which dated back to his days as chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. With Robert F. Kennedy as his chief counsel, McClellan had overseen a sweeping investigation of organized crime in which General Dynamics had been implicated... http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=late%20partner%20of%20Humphreys%20and%20Glimco&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=bks:1&source=og&sa=N&tab=wp&fp=709e8b6913abdf3 # Captive city Ovid Demaris - 1969 - 366 pages - Snippet view In one hotel, police discovered that listed with Ziffren on the hotel's liquor license was the wife of Fred Evans, the late partner of Humphreys and Glimco. Another principal was Samuel Genis, a financial wizard who fronted for Alex ... books.google.com - Book overview - Add to My Library▼ - In My Library: Change▼ # Billboard - Mar 10, 1958 - Page 84 100 pages - Magazine - Full view Smith | reportedly comes under the thumb ] of Joseph (Joey) Glimco, local syn- 1 dicate lieutenant, ... facing deportation proceedings and income tax prosecution; Murray (The Camel) Humphreys, long linked with labor rackets; ... books.google.com - Magazine overview - Add to My Library▼ - In My Library: Change▼ # Searching look at big crime from shadows, hoodlums - Feb 23, 1959 - Page 19 LIFE - Vol. 46, No. 8 - 120 pages - Magazine - Full view Most of Luciano's partners in the big purge (right) went their way violently. True to his nickname, Luciano stayed lucky. .... 7 Delivery drivers handling everything from liquor to linens are dominated by Joe Glimco. ...
Dawn Meredith Posted August 11, 2010 Posted August 11, 2010 I had mixed feelings about Talbot's book. Realizing it was a conspiracy almost immediately, he also understood he had been blindsided. He understood that with LBJ and Hoover in power, there was no way he could solve the crime. Once he realized that LBJ was not going to continue JFK's policies and that he would be marginalized, he left. HE decided to run for the presidency in some degree to reopen the case. The other side knew this, and this was one reason behind his murder--which could not have been done by Sirhan. I don't understand why people are surprised. Of course he felt threatened. His brother was blown away in broad daylight in front of thousands while the SS stood down. The entire family "got it". After RFK was killed Jackie did say something: " They are killing Kennedys and my kids are next" or words to that effect. And she was right: they killed her son. So let's just all blame the victims for not "solving this case" . Dawn
Guest Tom Scully Posted December 11, 2010 Posted December 11, 2010 (edited) Who were these men? According to some, not only were they powerful enough to halt a 1953 congressional committee investigation into their misuse of Union funds, they were later able to buy control of a major US defense contractor, obtain the necessary security clearances and regulatory approval to maintain that control and then achieve the award of the TFX contract, the largest single award in history, then infiltrate and taint the investigation and report of the WC, and finally to intimidate or in some other way influence RFK to remain silent and to not interfere. I'm sorry, I just can't accept the explanation that the brother of the assassinated president, himself the attorney general of the U.S., and before that, the counsel for a Senate Committee investigating labor racketeering, would just roll over by quietly deferring to the Warren Commission and its "report", the composition of said commission certainly being an affront to RFK's principles because of his own personal knowledge through his work experience. In 1957, Drew Pearson wrote a column in which he observed that a congressional committee investigation into the union related insurance "business" of Paul and Allen Dorfman had been stopped in its tracks, much to the frustration of the congressman who chaired the committee. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QV5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wE8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6603,3930426&dq=drew-pearson+electrical-workers&hl=en Archived record of 1959 Senate Committee that revived the same investigation. JFK was a senator serving on that committee and RFK was the investigative counsel. http://www.archive.org/stream/investigationofi43unit/investigationofi43unit_djvu.txt...Mr. Kennedy. And this would show clearly, or the correspondence would show clearly, that Allen Dorfman received his start initially through the efforts of his father, Paul Dorfman, and with the help and assistance of Joe Jacobs ; is that right? Mr. Uhlmann. The correspondence I read clearly points to that. Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Uhlmann, what was the next situation that evolved from this ? Mr. Uhlmann. On April 29, 1949, Mr. Dorfman received his perma- nent license as an insurance agent in the State of Illinois. Mr. Kennedy. When did he receive his first insurance? Mr. Uhlmann. Just 2 days later, on May 1 of that year. Mr. Kennedy. That was the insurance for local 1031 ? Mr. Uhlmann. That is right. Mr. Kennedy. What did he receive as far as commissions on that insurance? Mr. Uhlmann. Over the years, he has received a total of $700,000, approximately. Mr, Kennedy. He has received $700,000 for the handling of that insurance ? Mr. Uhlmann. Yes, sir. Mr. Kennedy. For local 1031 ? Mr. TThlmann. Yes, sir. Mr. Kennfj)y. What percentage commissions did he receive initially when he received tliat ? Mr. I'hlmann. Initially, for approximately the first 3 years of that insurance, he received 10 percent commission from the Union Casualty Co., the underwriter, and an additional 5 percent from the United Public Service Corp. which was affiliated with the Union Casualty Co., making an aggregate of 15 percent. Mr. Kennedy. Is that extremely high ? Mr. Uhlmann. That is regarded as quite excessive. Mr. Kennedy. Excessive? Mr. TTHLMANN. Yes, sir. Mr. Kennedy. Do you have also some correspondence {Rowing liow this insurance for local 1031 Was awarded to Allen Dorfman^ 15992 IRIPROPER ACTIVITIES IN THE LABOR FIELD Mr. Uhlmann. Yes, sir. As a matter of fact, Mr. Darling who was head of the union then, and he still is, was questioned about it by another committee some few years ago. During the hearing he was questioned, I should say, about the events that lead up to awarding this insurance. He said that he had discussed the matter with Mr. Jacobs, who was attorney for local 1031, and he was the Joe Jacobs that I referred to earlier, and he had also discussed it with Mr. Paul Dorfman and he tliought that Allen Dorfman was present at the time,, and Dr. Perlman, of course, as the vice president of the underwriter^ was there too. Mr. Kennedy. Would you put the correspondence in the record. We have some correspondence indicating how this insurance was awarded through Allen Dorfman, and we would also like to have it placed in the record for reference. The Chairman. What do you have, Mr. Witness, witli respect to correspondence on this point ? Mr. Uhlmann. Well, on April 27, 1949 IMPROPER ACTIVITIES IN THE LABOR FIELD 15993 ...On April 8, 1950, Allen Dorfman wrote to William Smith, one of the officers of the Union Casualty Co., pointing out that he had talked with Mr. Darling about getting some life insurance for a group of members, and that the life insurance at the time was carried with another company. He mentioned that Mr. Darling would like to turn that business over to him, that is, Mr. Dorfman, as — well, to quote it, he says : "As a favor to me." lie then suggested that the company try to bid on it with a view to having the business transferred to them. On November 28, 1949, we find a letter written by the company at Mount Vernon. This person that wrote the letter was assistant, then, to Dr. Perlman, and he advises the United States Life Insurance Co., wliich then was underwriting the life portion of this insurance, to address all commimications to their representative who was handling •claims, and tliat all such communications be sent to the office of the local, that is, Mr. Darling's office. So apparently the insurance company itself, from this correspond- ence, did not have its own office in the city of Chicago, since it was using the facilities of local 1031 for the purpose of handling and paying claims. Mr. Kennedy. It would indicate even at the time that this insur- ance was granted that neither ]Mr. Allen Dorfman had an office nor the insurance company had an office in Chicago ? Mr. UiiLMANN. Yes, sir; that is correct.... Again, even at the risk that some will react as if I am beating a dead horse; RFK had to know that Albert Jenner had been Chicago Electrical Workers Union local manager, M. Frank Darling's lawyer, and thus, had to know at least as well as I do that Albert Jenner had no business being a lead investigator of Jack Ruby's ties to Chicago organized crime figures. I need a better explanation than fear for the reason that RFK did not intervene to remove Jenner, or protest when such intervention was unsuccessful, or question the WC report's "no conspiracies" conclusions, if all other efforts failed. I need to know why there was so much later press and other print commentary of Jenner's post WC legal representation of Allen Dorfman, but absolutely none related to his representation of Frank Darling in the 1953 hearings in Washington, when it became part of the public record that Darling was the Dorfmans' first union customer, chosen by Darling despite the Dorfmans' total lack of business references or experience in insurance, and no offer from them at all to rebate Darling's union local for excess insurance premiums. As attorney general, RFK also had to be exposed to the FBI's investigation of James M. Ragen's 1947 assertions about the Chicago mob, that it was controlled by Albert Jenner's most important client in late 1963. http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks%3A1&tbo=1&q=%22led+to+very+high+places%22&btnG=Search+Books#q=%22Yet%20they%20still%20controlled%20the%20mob%22%20&hl=en&tbs=nws:1,sbd:1,ar:1&source=lnt&sa=X&psj=1&ei=aVQDTdrtCYOglAf64uG1CQ&ved=0CBUQpwU&fp=fe401f148de4c665October 26, 1963 ...business men and politicians whose names were household words in Chicago Some of them it was stated had reformed Yet they still controlled the mob. http://books.google.com/books?ei=iU4DTbmvLMWqlAfZ3aD_Bw&ct=result&id=UD0LAAAAIAAJ&dq=percent+darling+mr.+jenner&q=%22Mr.+Jenner.+Excuse+me%2C+I+don%27t+think+the+witness+understands+the+question.%22#search_anchorHearings United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education - 1953 - page 226 Mr. McKenna. The retention rate at that time was 100 percent, is that correct? Mr. Jenner. Excuse me, I don't think the witness understands the question. Mr. Darling. I don't know what you mean by the question... Retention rates of excess health insurance premiums paid, less the amount paid out to cover claims, seem to have normally been no more than 7-1/2 percent. Insurance brokers such as the Dorfmans already were receiving a commission for brokering the insurance policy. Albert Jenner was representing to the congressmen in 1953 that his client Darling permitted the Dorfmans to retain 100 percent of the excess premium because Darling did not even understand the concept. At the beginning of the questioning, Jenner had been admonished not to answer for his client and he agreed that he would never do that. Later, during the same hearing, http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks%3A1&tbo=1&q=mr.+hoffa.+and+i+will+show+you+how+it+is+not+true&btnG=Search+Books#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbo=1&tbs=bks:1&source=hp&q=%22mr.+hoffa.+and+i+will+show+you+how+it+is+not+true%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=%22mr.+hoffa.+and+i+will+show+you+how+it+is+not+true%22&gs_rfai=&psj=1&fp=7a5ff6e4754518c3Hearings United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education - 1953 - Page 425 ...Mr. Hoffa. And I will show you how it is not true. Do you see this little dollar here? That is $1. This dollar here is with four quarters. There is no mystery about retention. There is no mystery about purchasing insurance. ... Edited December 11, 2010 by Tom Scully
Guest Tom Scully Posted December 11, 2010 Posted December 11, 2010 (edited) Just a coincidence that Albert Jenner and republicans were linked to a recent history of "squelching a probe" with involvement of a key post office official? http://www.google.com/search?q=hackett+summerfield&tbs=nws:1,ar:1&source=newspapers#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbs=nws:1%2Ccdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A1954%2Ccd_max%3A1954&q=probe+halleck+summerfield&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=probe+halleck+summerfield&gs_rfai=&psj=1&fp=32e303ce7dee4776Investigation Of Teamsters Called Off In Detroit . Tuscaloosa News - Apr 13, 1954 In return for quashing tho probe, tho Teamsters Union In Detroit is to ... Halleek in turn was acting as a result of the Summerfield Ferguson deal with the — ... The Washington Merry-go-round .By Drew Pearson. Southeast Missourian - Apr 13, 1954 ... for quashing the probe, the team sters union in Detroit is to support Sen. ... Halleck in turn was acting as a result of the Summerfield-Ferguson deal http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5uohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=95kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7255,1757617&dq=hoffa+has+been+a+lifelong+republican&hl=en The Tuscaloosa News - Aug 14, 1959 Drew Pearson ...Squelching the Probe April 13, 1954 How Charlie Halleck and Postmaster General Summerfield squelched the probe of Jimmy Hoffa and Teamster racketeering..... Edited December 11, 2010 by Tom Scully
Robert Howard Posted December 14, 2010 Posted December 14, 2010 Just a coincidence that Albert Jenner and republicans were linked to a recent history of "squelching a probe" with involvement of a key post office official? http://www.google.co...2e303ce7dee4776Investigation Of Teamsters Called Off In Detroit . Tuscaloosa News - Apr 13, 1954 In return for quashing tho probe, tho Teamsters Union In Detroit is to ... Halleek in turn was acting as a result of the Summerfield Ferguson deal with the — ... The Washington Merry-go-round .By Drew Pearson. Southeast Missourian - Apr 13, 1954 ... for quashing the probe, the team sters union in Detroit is to support Sen. ... Halleck in turn was acting as a result of the Summerfield-Ferguson deal http://news.google.c...epublican&hl=en The Tuscaloosa News - Aug 14, 1959 Drew Pearson ...Squelching the Probe April 13, 1954 How Charlie Halleck and Postmaster General Summerfield squelched the probe of Jimmy Hoffa and Teamster racketeering..... Deep Politics indeed....... I can certainly sympathize with posting where no-one responds, it seems interest is like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder.... For what it's worth, I think RFK, while he had become knowledgeable about covert ops, with his oversight of Cuban ops, so much so, that William Harvey frequently complained about him, was pretty naive about the monstrosity that orchestrated JFK and Bobby's own death. In retrospect, in 1965, in a conversation with Dorothy Schiff, Bobby asked her, "why do people hate me?" page 907, RFK and His Times I personally believe both JFK and RFK were somewhat insulated from the realization that the hate wasn't just in the South, or, strictly conservative Republican's. As an example, I would cite his naming one of his children after Maxwell Taylor, I believe they were so imbedded in the ideal that serving the country transcended politics, that it didn't occur to them there were Caesarian overtones in the "New Frontier," at least going into the fall of 1963. You might not know this but if JFK had not been assassinated, according to CD 320 the plan to exit the Trademart, involved exiting the building via the kitchen." Bobby was so introspective about what he knew, with a couple of exceptions, that it is hard to get a bearing on whether he had suspicions, outside the realm of the CIA "one of you're guys did it," LBJ and organized crime. Which, in turn probably explains why some people don't have a lot to say about it, his death and the forces driving it.... All I can add, is that for me, the big RFK question relates to the document that states the French assassin who was in Dallas on November 22, 1963, was flown out of Texas on orders from the Justice Department. I know RFK may not have wanted the assassination of his brother fully explored for reasons that could be related to his Addison's disease and medications he was being prescribed......but I have always believed that if the allegation is true perhaps Katzenbach may have been acting in place of RFK, without his knowledge, but even that seems shaky. Suffice to say, there are still trails to be blazed.
Guest Tom Scully Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 State Alleges Fund Misuse By Dorfman Pay-Per-View - Chicago Tribune - Aug 7, 1959 The committee counsel, Robert F. Kennedy, was at- tacked by Dorfman's lawyer, Stanford Clinton, as a "little monster." S tate insurance officials charged ...far his own use $51461 in premiums collected over three years from members of local 1031 of the Interna- tional Brotherhood of Elec- trical Workers. Delegates Consider Revisions in Code of Conduct Pay-Per-View - Los Angeles Times - Feb 8, 1983 Albert E. Jenner Jr., a Chicago lawyer, said that If the whistle-blowing rules had been adopted as proposed, his representation of Alan Dorfman could have ... ABA rejects revealing of client crime - The Sun What do you suppose Bobby's real reaction was, when it sunk in that the WC and Tom Clark had placed Henry Crown's and IBEW Local 1031's M. Frank Darling's lawyer, Albert Jenner in the primary spot to "investigate" the background of Lee Harvey Oswald. Bobby was a busy man, maybe it just slipped his mind, who and what Albert Jenner was.... Jenner and the WC's "report" are what passes for "justice" among the "serious people" in America, and here is what passes for a spokesperson they can embrace, an employee of that "too liberal", New York Times. Serious they all are, but not a curious mind in their circle. Oh yeah, they like it, they like it fine! "serve" is not the word I would have chosen...neutralize is a more accurate description of what they do when they "emerge". http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/opinion/23brooks.html?hp%22The Establishment Lives! By DAVID BROOKS Published: September 22, 2008 Once, there was a financial elite in this country. During the first two-thirds of the 20th century, middle-aged men with names like Mellon and McCloy led Wall Street firms, corporate boards and white-shoe law firms and occasionally emerged to serve in government. ..... David Brooks's Op-Ed column in The New York Times started in September 2003.
Guest Tom Scully Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 By the time Allen Dorfman was murdered in January, 1983, with Irwin Weiner at his side, Albert E. Jenner, first through his representation of M. Frank Darling in 1953, and later, Dorfman directly, had been serving and shielding Dorfman and his interests for 30 years, and he wasn't done yet, even considering the death of Dorfman, as I will show in my next post. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZxwxlI3ZQ0QC&pg=PA262&dq=shenker+roy+williams&hl=en&ei=fS3kTZy9GIfEgAe1n6nABg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=shenker%20roy%20williams&f=true The Last Dance By James Jack and Eldon Ham, calibre (0.7.43) [http://calibre-ebook.com] pg. 261 I've seen the elephant: an autobiography - page 246 William B. Saxbe, Peter D. Franklin, Diana Britt Franklin - 2000 - 276 pages - ...When I first went there I had an independent auditor, too, because I didn't know whether to trust the Teamsters' auditors. I admit I had some concerns about getting involved with the Teamsters pension fund. I am sure everybody at Teamster headquarters in Chicago thought I was a crook, and I glanced furtively at them, too. It took me a while to realize that the crooks, virtually all of them, had been kicked out before I arrived. I worried about Lehr for a while, too, because Teamster President Roy Williams, also from Kansas City, and who later went to jail in connection with kickbacks from the mob, was one of his sponsors for the job of executive director. The government also suspected that Lehr was part of the game, but an exhaustive investigation revealed he was totally straight. He told Ryan, "I'm basically here to work with you. My biggest problem is that I have a guy running the insurance company called [Allen M.] Dorfman, who is a total mobster. He spends all of his time putting on his putting green or flying around in a corporate jet, which we have, or he's up in our dining rooms or bedrooms playing around with some prostitute."2 So one of Lehr's goals was to get rid of Dorfman and get the fund operating like it should. Dorfman was still at the fund's Chicago headquarters when I got there. He was a key figure in the organized crime picture, a high-living ... '"Dorfman probably was aware of more information on more [mob] people than maybe any other single individual around the country,' a federal prosecutor said. 'It wouldn't be beyond belief that he knew who killed Jimmy Hoffa.'"3 Page 247 ...Ronald J. Kubalanza, who later succeeded Lehr as executive director of both Central States funds, told me: Dorfman was a multi-faceted kind of guy, very smart in certain ways and very personable. He would personally lend money to his... Page 248 ....What everyone agrees was a mob hit came three days after he had decided to become a cooperative witness for the federal government. Apparently they got quite a bit of information out of him for three days, but word leaked out that he was singing. As a headline in the Chicago Tribune accurately said, his was "A Death by Natural Causes." I felt I had walked into an environment more deadly than I anticipated, but after the demise of Dorfman, there never was anything that looked even remotely sinister or improper. The pension fund began to operate smoothly,.. So, why did James Ragen receive FBI protection in 1946, at least during the period he was "singing" to investigators, but Albert Jenner did not negotiate protection for his client as a condition of Dorfman's cooperation? http://www.google.com/#q=VALUATION+BY+MERRILL+LYNCH+DISPUTED.+EMAIL.+Permissions%3B+Save.+By+RAYMOND+BONNER+NYT+Financial+Desk.+December+7+1983+Wednesday&hl=en&safe=off&tbm=nws&prmd=ivnso&source=lnt&tbs=ar:1&sa=X&psj=1&ei=bYfkTcWGPIm_gQedm8GgBg&ved=0CA8QpwUoBQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=73a5782601ead03&biw=794&bih=497VALUATION BY MERRILL LYNCH DISPUTED - Free Preview - The... $3.95 - New York Times - Dec 7, 1983 The Labor Department and Merrill Lynch & Company are caught up in a dispute over whether the nation's largest securities firm compromised its independence in evaluating the assets of an insurance company owned by Allen M. Dorfman, a longtime associate of organized crime figures. The dispute arises out of the desire of the health and welfare fund of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to buy Amalgamated Insurance Agency Services Inc., which had handled the union's claim processing for 30 years. Amalgamated was owned by Mr. Dorfman, who was murdered gangland style last January, a month after he was convicted on charges of conspiring to bribe a United States Senator. Before his murder, the teamsters' fund wanted to buy out Mr. Dorfman's business in order to purge itself of past charges of engaging in unlawful activity. .. ....Value Defended by Merrill During the deposition, in response to a question by Mr. Rovell, Mr. Meers said that he was not influenced by his relationshp with Mr. Jenner, that there was ''no question in my mind'' that Merrill Lynch acted professionally and that $10.75 million was a fair value to the fund. When the Labor Department attorney, Page H. Jackson, was questioning Mr. Meers about the relationship between Merrill Lynch on the one hand and Jenner & Block and Amalgamated on the other, Mr. Meers's attorney objected. ''What does it have to do with anything?'' David T. Pritikin asked. ''It basically goes again to the independence of Merrill Lynch White Weld in the matter, and I think goes to the credibility of the value determination made,'' Mr. Jackson said. At the request of Merrill Lynch, Judge Hubert L. Will has placed the deposition and 53 documents, including memorandums of discussions between Mr. Jenner and Mr. Meers, minutes of Merrill Lynch meetings and papers relating to the evaluation process, under a protective order, which means they are not part of the public record. Earlier Discussions Held Merrill Lynch turned down the offer from Jenner & Block to act as adviser to the transaction at a meeting on Dec. 14, 1981 according to Mr. Meers. Among the reasons given by Mr. Meers in his deposition were that Merrill Lynch lacked the necessary expertise and that ''we did not want to be Dorfman's banker.'' A few weeks later, however, Merrill Lynch accepted what was essentially the same assignment when the offer came from the fund.... ....Another line of questioning pursued by the Labor Department during the course of Mr. Meers's deposition related to how and why Merrill Lynch added $1 million to the Arthur Andersen figure. The department's lawyer said, during the deposition, that the $10.75 million figure appeared in the final report and only one other place - Mr. Meers's file. Asked where the $10.75 million figure in his file came from, Mr. Meers answered: ''That could easily come when I might have been on the phone and just wrote it down or suggested to somebody else. I haven't any idea what this relates to.' In the next post, how close did Albert E. Jenner come to perjuring himself in testimony related to the details of his effort to get the union fund to pay the highest possible amount for the Dorfman asset? Was not that the same activity Jenner had been engaged at for 30 years, facilitating the maximum amount of money from the IBEW and the Teamsters to the Dorfmans, and usually, right under the watchful eye of the government?
Guest Tom Scully Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 (edited) By the time Allen Dorfman was murdered in January, 1983, with Irwin Weiner at his side, Albert E. Jenner, first through his representation of M. Frank Darling in 1953, and later, Dorfman directly, had been serving and shielding Dorfman and his interests for 30 years, and he wasn't done yet, even considering the death of Dorfman, as I will show in my next post. Some background: The Fenster was a lobbyist for Hoffa and Organized Crime. Under the guise of protecting privacy rights etc he went after those who went after Hoffa and his flunkies. He worke for Long who was a Hoffa puppet. Later on his job was to cover up Ruby's connection to OC, Teamsters, Marcello etc. He was more dangerous than I first thought ....SHENKER AND HIS PUPPET EDWARD V. LONG .... http://books.google.com/books?id=ZxwxlI3ZQ0QC&pg=PA262&dq=shenker+roy+williams&hl=en&ei=fS3kTZy9GIfEgAe1n6nABg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=shenker%20roy%20williams&f=true The Last Dance By James Jack and Eldon Ham, calibre (0.7.43) [http://calibre-ebook.com] pg. 261 LIFE - May 29, 1970 - Page 25 Vol. 68, No. 20 - 96 pages - Magazine - Full view by DENNY WALSH Morris Shenker (above) is St. Louis' crime commission head. He is also a top US Mob lawyer http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=william+saxbe+george+lehr&btnG=Search+Books#sclient=psy&hl=en&safe=off&tbo=1&tbm=bks&source=hp&q=%22*I+worried+about+Lehr+for+a+while%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=%22*I+worried+about+Lehr+for+a+while%22&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=7694d34fae9de011&biw=794&bih=497I've seen the elephant: an autobiography - page 246 William B. Saxbe, Peter D. Franklin, Diana Britt Franklin - 2000 - 276 pages - ...When I first went there I had an independent auditor, too, because I didn't know whether to trust the Teamsters' auditors. I admit I had some concerns about getting involved with the Teamsters pension fund. I am sure everybody at Teamster headquarters in Chicago thought I was a crook, and I glanced furtively at them, too. It took me a while to realize that the crooks, virtually all of them, had been kicked out before I arrived. I worried about Lehr for a while, too, because Teamster President Roy Williams, also from Kansas City, and who later went to jail in connection with kickbacks from the mob, was one of his sponsors for the job of executive director. The government also suspected that Lehr was part of the game, but an exhaustive investigation revealed he was totally straight. He told Ryan, "I'm basically here to work with you. My biggest problem is that I have a guy running the insurance company called [Allen M.] Dorfman, who is a total mobster. He spends all of his time putting on his putting green or flying around in a corporate jet, which we have, or he's up in our dining rooms or bedrooms playing around with some prostitute."2 So one of Lehr's goals was to get rid of Dorfman and get the fund operating like it should. Dorfman was still at the fund's Chicago headquarters when I got there. He was a key figure in the organized crime picture, a high-living ... '"Dorfman probably was aware of more information on more [mob] people than maybe any other single individual around the country,' a federal prosecutor said. 'It wouldn't be beyond belief that he knew who killed Jimmy Hoffa.'"3 Page 247 ...Ronald J. Kubalanza, who later succeeded Lehr as executive director of both Central States funds, told me: Dorfman was a multi-faceted kind of guy, very smart in certain ways and very personable. He would personally lend money to his... Page 248 ....What everyone agrees was a mob hit came three days after he had decided to become a cooperative witness for the federal government. Apparently they got quite a bit of information out of him for three days, but word leaked out that he was singing. As a headline in the Chicago Tribune accurately said, his was "A Death by Natural Causes." I felt I had walked into an environment more deadly than I anticipated, but after the demise of Dorfman, there never was anything that looked even remotely sinister or improper. The pension fund began to operate smoothly,.. So, why did James Ragen receive FBI protection in 1946, at least during the period he was "singing" to investigators, but Albert Jenner did not negotiate protection for his client as a condition of Dorfman's cooperation? http://www.google.com/#q=VALUATION+BY+MERRILL+LYNCH+DISPUTED.+EMAIL.+Permissions%3B+Save.+By+RAYMOND+BONNER+NYT+Financial+Desk.+December+7+1983+Wednesday&hl=en&safe=off&tbm=nws&prmd=ivnso&source=lnt&tbs=ar:1&sa=X&psj=1&ei=bYfkTcWGPIm_gQedm8GgBg&ved=0CA8QpwUoBQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=73a5782601ead03&biw=794&bih=497VALUATION BY MERRILL LYNCH DISPUTED - Free Preview - The... $3.95 - New York Times - Dec 7, 1983 The Labor Department and Merrill Lynch & Company are caught up in a dispute over whether the nation's largest securities firm compromised its independence in evaluating the assets of an insurance company owned by Allen M. Dorfman, a longtime associate of organized crime figures. The dispute arises out of the desire of the health and welfare fund of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to buy Amalgamated Insurance Agency Services Inc., which had handled the union's claim processing for 30 years. Amalgamated was owned by Mr. Dorfman, who was murdered gangland style last January, a month after he was convicted on charges of conspiring to bribe a United States Senator. Before his murder, the teamsters' fund wanted to buy out Mr. Dorfman's business in order to purge itself of past charges of engaging in unlawful activity. .. ....Value Defended by Merrill During the deposition, in response to a question by Mr. Rovell, Mr. Meers said that he was not influenced by his relationshp with Mr. Jenner, that there was ''no question in my mind'' that Merrill Lynch acted professionally and that $10.75 million was a fair value to the fund. When the Labor Department attorney, Page H. Jackson, was questioning Mr. Meers about the relationship between Merrill Lynch on the one hand and Jenner & Block and Amalgamated on the other, Mr. Meers's attorney objected. ''What does it have to do with anything?'' David T. Pritikin asked. ''It basically goes again to the independence of Merrill Lynch White Weld in the matter, and I think goes to the credibility of the value determination made,'' Mr. Jackson said. At the request of Merrill Lynch, Judge Hubert L. Will has placed the deposition and 53 documents, including memorandums of discussions between Mr. Jenner and Mr. Meers, minutes of Merrill Lynch meetings and papers relating to the evaluation process, under a protective order, which means they are not part of the public record. Earlier Discussions Held Merrill Lynch turned down the offer from Jenner & Block to act as adviser to the transaction at a meeting on Dec. 14, 1981 according to Mr. Meers. Among the reasons given by Mr. Meers in his deposition were that Merrill Lynch lacked the necessary expertise and that ''we did not want to be Dorfman's banker.'' A few weeks later, however, Merrill Lynch accepted what was essentially the same assignment when the offer came from the fund.... ....Another line of questioning pursued by the Labor Department during the course of Mr. Meers's deposition related to how and why Merrill Lynch added $1 million to the Arthur Andersen figure. The department's lawyer said, during the deposition, that the $10.75 million figure appeared in the final report and only one other place - Mr. Meers's file. Asked where the $10.75 million figure in his file came from, Mr. Meers answered: ''That could easily come when I might have been on the phone and just wrote it down or suggested to somebody else. I haven't any idea what this relates to.' In the next post, how close did Albert E. Jenner come to perjuring himself in testimony related to the details of his effort to get the union fund to pay the highest possible amount for the Dorfman asset? Was not that the same activity Jenner had been engaged at for 30 years, facilitating the transfer of the maximum possible amount of money from the IBEW and the Teamsters to the Dorfmans, and usually, right under the watchful eye of the government? Edited May 31, 2011 by Tom Scully
Ian Kingsbury Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 C. David Heymann (RFK: A Candid Heymann) does not mention the meeting with Mark Lane. Nor does Arthur Schlesinger (Robert Kennedy and His Times). However, he does include details of a telephone call LBJ made to RFK shortly after the assassination. LBJ told RFK that he believed that his brother had been killed as part of a "worldwide plot". Schlesinger also includes this interesting passage: Robert Kennedy perceived so much hatred about, so many enemies: the Teamsters; the gangsters; the pro-Castro Cubans; the anti-Castro Cubans; the racists; the right-wing fanatics; the lonely deluded nuts mumbling to themselves in the night. I do not know whether he suspected how much vital information both the FBI and the CIA deliberately denied the Warren Commission or whether he ever read its report. But on October 30, 1966, as we talked till two-thirty in the morning in P. J. Clarke's saloon in New York City, "RFK wondered how long he could continue to avoid comment on the report. It is evident that he believes that it was a poor job and will not endorse it, but that he is unwilling to criticize it and thereby reopen the whole tragic business."" The next year Jim Garrison, the New Orleans district attorney, started making sensational charges about a conspiracy. I asked Kennedy what he made of them. He thought Garrison might be onto something; NBC, he added, had sent Walter Sheridan to New Orleans to find out what Garrison had. Garrison's villain turned out to be the CIA. Kennedy said to Sheridan something like: "You know, at the time I asked McCone . . . if they had killed my brother, and I asked him in a way that he couldn't lie to me, and they hadn't."" Kennedy asked Frank Mankiewicz of his Senate staff whether he thought Garrison had anything. "And I started to tell him, and he said, `Well, I don't think I want to know.' Kennedy told me later: "Walter Sheridan is satisfied that Garrison is a fraud." I cannot say what his essential feeling was. He came to believe the Warren Commission had done an inadequate job; but he had no conviction - though his mind was not sealed against the idea of conspitacy - that an adequate inquiry would necessarily have reached a different conclusion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Denis, This is what I have always heard, that RFK intended to open up the investigation of his brother's murder once he was president. But obviously the powers that be could not have that, so they "invented" Sirhan Sirhan. I have always felt that this case would be, by far, the easiest to "solve" because there was a real autopsy by an honest coroner. I believe that Dr. Thomas Noguchi is even still alive. As is Sirhan. (Who does have an conspiracy-aware lawyer working on his case, against all odds). People saw a security guard immediately behind RFK with a gun drawn, exactly at the spot where Dr. Noguchi's autopsy said the killing shot had to have come from ( vs. several feet in front of RFK, where Sirhan was). Security guard, Thane Eugene Cesar was the name of this guard and he was in fact located in I blieve 1987 and interviewed. In this interview he admitted not only to being there but to HAVING HIS GUN DRAWN,. This was for a mag called "Ragaldies". I used to have a copy of it and probably sitill do someplace. This case can be solved!!! Dawn <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Dawn, I think that talk of RFK re-opening his brother's murder case upon assuming the presidency is a lot of bull. Even if he had wanted to, which in some measure he may have, he would still have had to face all the other disclosures mentioned above, such as that he was working with anti-Castro exiles, that he was conducting foreign policy as an Attorney General, that he and his brother had accepted big help from the Mafia to get elected in 1960, and on and on. The Kennedys were not the innocent public servants many today continue to suppose, and all hell would have broken loose. Even if RFK told someone just prior to California that he wouldn't be able to discover "who did it" until assuming the presidency, I don't believe he would have followed through on it. Royce Bierma Royce LBJ managed to avoid all sorts of problems while in the Whitehouse and it appears he was one edition of Life away from jail.RFK as president would have been the end for many !. Ian
Guest Tom Scully Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 Bobby Kennedy also must have known about Del Webb, and Lawrence Wien and their "business dealings" with the mob and with the mob financier in "very high places", Henry Crown, and that Crown's attorney was Albert Jenner, Jr. From early 1964, until his own deafh in June, 1968, Bobby Kennedy had to know that the appintment of Albert Jenner, Jr. to the WC was a corruption of the investigation into the background of his brother's assassination and the shooting of Oswald. Jenner was the attorney for the man in financial control of the corporation awarded the most expensive military contract in history, TFX. Bobby's brother had been embroiled in questions about the propriety of the award of that contract by the Pentagon, resulting in the firing of Navy Secretary Fred Korth, just days before Bobby's brother, the President's assassination.: News Conference 64 - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & MuseumText of President Kennedy's press conference #64, November 14, 1963. ... QUESTION: Mr. President, the Fred Korth and Bobby Baker cases have prompted some ... http://www.jfklibrary.org/.../Pres...64_11141963.htm http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AlE0A...oseph&hl=enThe Milwaukee Journal - Mar 19, 1977 Led to More Deals For Webb, the Flamingo experience led to a series of deals with other developers including Henry Crown of Chicago and Arnold S. Kirkeby of Los Angeles. Crown, now 80, a Chicago financier who owned the Empire State Building from 1954 to 1961, became a close adviser to Webb. He was a longtime ally of a Chicago Democratic boss, the late Jacob M. (Jake) Arvey, and a business associate of Tucson developer Sam Nanini, another Chicagoan with acknowledged mob connections.... http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1XkRA...+webb&hl=en http://books.google.com/books?cd=1&q=%...nG=Search+BooksThe money and the power: the making of Las Vegas and its hold on America ... - Page 233-234 Sally Denton, Roger Morris - History - 2001 - 479 pages "If Moe told them to make a loan," said one observer of the moment, "they made the loan." In 1960, Teamster money began pouring in to finance the next round of casino growth, even beyond what the Bank of Las Vegas was providing with its discreet "character loans." There were the expansions at the Fremont, Desert Inn, and Stardust, including the latter's own eighteen- hole course laid out with "golf bags full of pension funds," as a reporter described the $1.2 million financing Of the first nine pension fund loans, Dalitz interests received four, though Hoffa soon diversified his portfolio. Major lending followed to the Dunes, Landmark, Four Queens, Aladdin, and for the first portion of what would be more than $20 million to Sarno's Caesars Palace (there were more funds later for Sarno's cavernous Circus Circus). The ever ready Bank of Las Vegas, now renamed and expanded as Valley Page 233 Bank , handled most of the Teamster loans on the scene, an amount climbing over the decade past $100 million. Typically, Parry Thomas was in close and lucrative relationships with Dalitz and Hoffa attorney Morris Shenker, a Syndicate lawyer from St. Louis with myriad political and business connections as well as his own casino interests then and later. The Teamster ties and corresponding bank loans began to take Walter Cosgriff's once modest bank into much wider, murkier terrain, though much of that world would not be exposed for decades to come. Soon the power of the Teamsters, and of the organized crime around and behind Hoffa, seemed a new arbiter in the city. "Jimmy was the juice," one Las Vegan said of Hoffa in the early sixties. With the loans — "they all had unwritten strings attached," a lawyer for the casinos recalled — came still more claimants on the skim, Hoffa allies from the Midwest and elsewhere who added to the welter of gang holdings and levies along the Strip. But the predominant authority in the city remained Lansky and his closer associates. "A lot of guys were coming in then on the split," said a longtime manager, "but these were still mostly Lansky joints." The Hoffa millions did nothing in in the end to change that reality in the backrooms, though outwardly the union presence was conspicuous. Represented in Nevada by US senator Alan Bible's law firm in Reno, the Teamsters became one of Nevada's largest creditors and mortgage-holders, and of its kind, even in a place accustomed to absentee, colonial rule, a distant force to be reckoned with. "Any ambitious businessman in Las Vegas would eventually run across the Teamsters, the biggest lender in the state," a Cleveland journalist wrote of the period. "They have bankrolled the better part of Las Vegas," concluded a writer for the Wall Street Journal. Still, significant as it was, that corrupt union financing — from which Las Vegas was supposedly rescued later by more respectable millions — only tended to only tended to overshadow and distract attention from other money no less vital to the city. As Hoffa was lavishing his pensions on the Strip, construction magnate Del Webb, whose huge corporation was already publicly traded, was doing some casino investing of his own. Webb's CEO in 1961, an ex-carpenter named LC "Jake" Jacobson, had known racketeer Al Winter in Oregon, where they were both connected in the Northwest's business-union-political nexus of Dave Beck and Seattle-Portland organized crime. Using what one account called "the substantial resources and good name" of the Webb Corporation, Jacobson had helped Winter and his mob partners finance the Sahara in the fifties. A decade later, Jacobson and Webb were brandishing their corporate stock to buy the Sahara along with the Winter faction's Mint in Glitter Gulch, and soon added the Thunderbird and the downtown Lucky, as well as building a massive new Sahara-Tahoe casino resort on the south shore of the lake not far from Cal-Neva. By 1965, the deals amounted to a Webb investment in Nevada of more than $60 million, rivaling the Teamsters'. Like the mob, Webb had easily gotten around the Nevada restriction on licensing a public corporation by simply creating what Jacobson termed a "conduit"—an entity called Consolidated Casinos — with a handful of licensees that funneled profits back into the barely separate parent company. Snaking through Webb's construction firm and eventually into the purchase and expansion of the casinos were millions in loans brokered by Wall Street's venerable Lehman Brothers, discreetly shielding the actual lenders, which included trusts of Princeton University, the US Steel Pension Fund, and Morgan Guaranty. Webb and his prestigious investors were not the first of their sort along the Strip. Even before Webb bought the Sahara, a Manhattan investment consortium led by Lawrence Wien, who also headed a group that owned and operated the Empire State Building, had bought the Desert Inn and promptly begun leasing it back to Dalitz and its other original hoodlum owners — just as Webb turned the lucrative operations of his properties back over to Syndicate figures.... http://books.google.com/books?cd=1&q=W...nG=Search+Books Gamblers' money: the new force in American life - Page 196 Wallace Turner - Games - 1965 - 306 pages ...renewable first for twenty-one years, and again for twenty-two years. Who was the DI Operating Company? Why, it was the same people who owned the hotel in the first place. They were selling it to the partnership made up of Wien and his associate Henry W. Klein, and then leasing it back. For the first three years, the DI Operating Company would pay a rental of $1100,- ooo. Wien and his law partner were only the recipients of title. The prospectus makes clear that they are selling "participating interests" in their holdings at $25000 per "interest" for a total of $3025000. Who bought those? In part at least the same people who owned the place originally, before all of this transaction came about — Moe Dalitz, Morris Kleinman, Allard Roen, and the others. Just what was it they owned, in addition to a gambling house? The prospectus describes it: The Desert Inn offers luxurious guest accommodations and a wide variety of recreational facilities. The Desert Inn property includes the 1 8-hole golf course which is the site of the annual Tournament of Champions, and is the only golf course owned by a Las Vegas hotel; a Country Club which was erected within the past few years; a 90' by 40' swimming pool, a 3600 square foot casino; the Painted Desert Room, a dinner and supper club accommodating over 400 persons where outstanding stage shows are presented daily; various restau- ner and supper club accommodating over 400 persons where ment attractions. There was more. The prospectus described the guest facilities as 329 rooms, which have been expanded since by a high-rise hotel built with one of those Teamster pension fund loans. These are a phenomenon that we will examine in a later chapter. All of this was built in the years since the Cleveland crowd had joined Wilbur Clark, the small-time gambler with the big-time dream. The prospectus estimated that about $4000000 had been put into improvements since. It also made clear that Nevada might close down gambling, but belittled this possibility by pointing out that the state took 29 percent of its general fund revenues from gambling in-59. Also, the following sentences made plain the fact that the Dalitz forces would continue to control the Desert Inn: Various corporations controlled by the principal owners of the seller have operated the Desert Inn since its opening in. Such corporations have at all times been duly licensed under the Nevada Gaming Control Act, and a licensee controlled by this group will conduct such operations after Associates acquires title. In other words, little or nothing was changed except the amount of money the federal government would get in taxes. The prospectus showed through the analysis by accountants that after the first three years, each "participating interest," which had cost $25000 to begin with, would get an annual income payment of $5000. By binding these to depreciation schedules, even this $5000 payment was only partially subject to federal personal income taxes. In 1966, for example, only 53.9 percent of it would be subject to tax, the remainder being considered to be returned capital. Meantime, the initial gathering up of $3025000 from sale of 125 participating interests had provided the money for the $2875000 down payment and costs of the transaction. The first three years' rentals have retired the initial $2000000 mortgage and have been whittling away on the $5000000 mortgage that will be repaid in full in the first twenty years. The holders of the "participating interest" blocks are now reaping $5000 a year for each block they hold. All of this is possible, of course, only because the federal government does not collect its 52 percent corporation tax bite on the income of the Desert Inn Associates, a partnership, and because the increased depreciation based on the new high value added further tax shelter. Further, the money the owners get from the sale of the property to their partnership is treated as capital gains, so that again the federal treasury takes a beating. What Wien put together for the Desert Inn gamblers was a far, far better deal for them than the most flowery proposals that Guterma could offer. They not only have eaten their cake; they still have it, and each year the frosting gets sweeter. There were certain minor disadvantages to the creation of the partnership, and one of these was that the Desert Inn had to give an accounting of its income and expenditures over five years to justify some of the statements made to the SEC in the prospectus. These are fascinating. Insofar as the author is aware, they constitute the most recent complete public disclosures of the full operating experience of any of the Nevada gambling casinos. The gamblers are secretive by nature, naturally conspiratorial, and it sets badly with them to surrender any information about their beyond what they want to give up. They are compelled by law on occasion to give up some bits of data such as the complete disclosure for the years 1954 through 1958 printed here. But they dislike doing it. By, the collection of former bootleggers and gambling operators at the Desert Inn had survived their entanglement with Alexander L. Guterma, they believed. Business was booming. Income was running high. Their properties at the Desert Inn had been placed in the most favorable possible tax position, and the money was pouring in. Far behind them were the days when Guterma had brought in the proposition that they might sell their stock on the American Stock Exchange.... SEC News Digest, 04-18-1961 http://www.sec.gov/news/digest/1961/dig041861.pdf ....INDICTMENT NAMES GUTERMA. GARFIELD. OTHERS. The SEC reports the return of a Federal indictlllent(USDC SONY) on April 13th (LR-1982) charging a conspiracy to violate the Secucities Aet registration and anti-fraud provisions in the aale of Shawano Development Corporation stock by Samuel Garfield, Alexander L. Guterma. Irving Pasternak, Allard Roen, Allen K. Swann, Louis p. Coticchia. also known aa Louis P. Brady, John Ehrlich, Natham W. Gennes, Frank Gruber, also known aa Frank Graver, Daniel A. Lamar, Morris Miller and World Wide Investora Corporation. http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=142159&relPageId=195 CG 6343-C* advised on January 18, 1960, that on that date, Murray Humphreys had a conference with Frank Ferraro concerning a meeting Ferraro had recently had with an elderly man. The following conversation took place between Humphreys and Ferraro in this regard: Ferraro: Yeah. First of all, he came in with his son who is tied up with a bonding firm in Cleveland. A guy with them, a guy by the name of Lou Brady was instrumental in selling to all.....which he fleeced all, Mooney out of $90,00. Humphreys: Did he fleece Mooney? I didn't know that. Ferraro: I knew he did. Humphreys: How could he do that? You mean he disappeared with the rest of the money? Ferraro: Not only that, but he borrowed an additional amount of $25,000. Humphreys: Where's he at, now? Ferraro: Don't know. And he's the first cousin to uh, Joe Manno. Milano. First he wanted to clear and he wanted to know how interested we were in this thing. We were interested in the thing from the very beginning, if we tied the Chicago Bonding Companies with them. He cut that out. That's when he come in first. Then he said something about this finance. Moe was a partner way back with them, and uh, Mooney handled himself very well there, and he stopped him right there. He said this is ours, and ours alone, and ain't nobody going (obscene) with it. Not in those words, but the old man shut up right away. He wanted to place his son in, you know. The kid is 23 years old. So that stopped right there. They kept talking, and would he get the right shake from the guys in Cleveland, and more or less had no regard for SCALISE. JOHNNY SCALISE, and his brother MILANO, is the boss. But he said he's like a puppet. A guy by the name of DEMARCO is more or less throwing the snowballs, know what I mean? All smooth, no complaints. Humphreys: Well, a thing like that will have to go before the Commission. Ferraro: Oh, sure..... http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=guterma+brady+coticchia&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=brady+coticchia+courier&hl=en&safe=off&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&tbm=nws&prmd=imvnso&source=lnt&tbs=ar:1&sa=X&ei=R5IrT-O0IZTBtgfAxOXMDw&ved=0CA4QpwUoBQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=e5990e43fd7fcb4&biw=1440&bih=781 CRIME SWEEPS BIG US CITIES, PROBERS TOLD Chicago Tribune - Oct 16, 1963 ... as Lou Brady, was described as a courier for the Cosa Nos- ira, or Mafia. ... Sgt. Jack de la Llana, of Tampa, said that Coticchia fre- quently visits http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=guterma+brady+coticchia&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#pq=inauthor%3A%22william+f.+roemer%22&hl=en&ds=bo&cp=19&gs_id=7u&xhr=t&q=%22*they+killed+him.+Upon+learning+of+the+situation+we+attempted+to+locate+Brady+in+order%22&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&safe=off&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&tbm=bks&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=%22*they+killed+him.+Upon+learning+of+the+situation+we+attempted+to+locate+Brady+in+order%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=e8d0f8f7211bcc07&biw=1440&bih=781 Roemer: man against the mob books.google.com William F. Roemer - 1989 - 415 pages - Little Al was there when they discussed what to do with Lou Brady, a Cleveland mob associate who bilked Giancana out of $90000. They killed him. Upon learning of the situation we attempted to locate Brady in order to secure protection for him but were unable to do so. His body was finally located in New Orleans, as I recall. Again, there was a local investigation that never revealed the killer(s). We also listened to Lou Led- erer, another mob man in Vegas, who was assigned the task of recovering http://crimemagazine.com/under-surveillance Under Surveillance April 18, 2010 This is an excerpt from Ron Chepesiuk’s new book: The Trafficantes: Godfathers from Tampa, Florida: The Mafia, the CIA and the JFK Assassination... ....The FBI began investigating the disappearance of an associate of Trafficante named Luigi Pietro Coliachin, also known as Louis P. Brady. A FBI report noted that a special agent of the FBI’s Miami office last saw Brady on August 9, 1963. Brady’s wife, Frances, told the FBI that she had last been with her husband at the Capra Restaurant in Miami Beach. The Bradys and their son were dining with friends, awaiting Santo Trafficante, who telephoned to say he would be arriving shortly. Before that happened, though, Brady sent his family home. The wife never saw her husband again. In its report, the FBI noted: “Mrs. Brady is of the opinion that Trafficante is responsible for her husband’s disappearance.” The intelligence reports show that the authorities were certainly aware of Trafficante’s movements and activities, but it did not seem to make a difference.... http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=137851&relPageId=32 CG 6486-C* advised on 2/23/62 that early in the morning on that date, Samuel Giancana, and his associate, LOU BRADY had a lengthy conversation which obviously was a continuation of the conference which they had initiated on 2/21/62..... ...Giancana: If it don't work out, it don't work out. It's one of those things. Brady: Bit I laid there with that (obscenity) Sidney (Korshak) on my mind after what you said yesterday and all night long I had Sidney on my mind. And I started to put a lot of things together.... continued on next page: http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=137851&relPageId=33 ....And he (Sidney Korshak) said well I wouldn't 've had anything to do with the hoodlum element. OK let's say he's a xxxx because he never said it. I'll tell you why I don't believe he ever said it, he's too smart! But now I remember Johnny Marshall. But Ralph...... coming out of the Pump Room of the Ambassador East and he saw Johnny Marshall with this (obs)(obs), this square Ferrara, getting ready to go up in an elevator and this J.B. gets ahold of Ferrara and says to him on the phone, nice people you're running around with! Now as I understand it Johnny followed it up and went to see the guy about it. Now Pat Hoy he was being talked about by an insurance company, the hottest insurance company in Chicago, one of the hottest in the country. They got Pat Hoy up for the Board of Directors, they got a lot of big guys on the board of directors, Salerno, the Presidnt of Inland Steel, the Attorney General of the state, and they started out with nothing just a year and a half ago. They bought an insurance company in Philadelphia, Kansas City, Detroit, and they got their own here, big people. So they invited Pat Hoy on the Board of Directors and Pat is supposed to have gone to Sidney (Korshak) and asked Sidney for his opinion. And Sidney is supposed to have said if this is the insurance company that this guy from New York is attached to, he's Ferrara, he's a hoodlum kind of a guy or he knows hoodlums.... http://books.google.com/books?cd=1&q=T...nG=Search+Books Committee prints, Issues 63-66 By United States. Congress. House. Special Committee to Investigate Campaign Expenditures Book overview Snippet view - Item notes: nos. 63-66 - 1963 The Winfield Baird Foundation's note payable appears to have been paid in full on January 13, 1961. Although Mr. Lawrence A. Wien had agreed to repurchase the mortgage and collateral security, he had not availed himself of this opportunity as of December 31, 1962. November 10, 1960, November 17, 1960, February 23, 1961 — to further strengthen the alliance, two of the Baird Foundations donated $200000 to the Lawrence A. Wien Foundation, as follows : Donor Date Amount Winfield Baird Foundation Nov. 10, 1960 $50,000 David, Josephine & Winfield baird Foundation Nov. 17, 1960 50000 David, Josephine & Winfield Baird Foundation Feb. 23, 1961 100000 MORE HARMONY— TRANSACTIONS WITH FRANCIS S. LEVIEN AND JESSE MALVIN Harmonious relations also exist between the Lawrence A. Wien Foundation and Mr. Francis S. Levien, president of Universal American Corp. and chairman of the Franchard Corp. (formerly Glickman Corp., a real estate investment company). On November 10, 1960, Mr. Levien loaned $20000 to the Foundation. According to the Foundation, the loan was paid in full on February 27, 1961, and 5 days later, on March 3, 1961, Mr. Levien contributed $20000 to the Foundation. A similar gesture was made by Mr. Jesse Malvin. On October 3, 1958, Mr. Malvin loaned $5000 to the Lawrence A. Wien Foundation. The Foundation says the loan was paid in full on January 5, 1959, and, on October 16, 1959, Mr. Malvin donated $5000 to the Foundation. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OTHER BUSINESS ASSOCIATES Here, too — as with the Baird Foundations — there is indication that sizable contributions have been received from business associates of Mr. Lawrence A. Wien, for example, a $50000 donation from the Desert Inn, of Las Vegas, on May 7, 1962. I find it difficult to understand the reasons for this contribution in the light of the need for funds by numerous charitable organizations in Nevada, such as community funds and cancer funds — unless, of course, it was the desire of the Desert Inn management to express its appreciation to Mr. Wien for his syndication of Desert Inn Associates (see page 398 for Prospectus). Mr. Wein's role in the syndication of Desert Inn Associates is described by his law firm as follows : Wien personally owns a $5000 partnership interest, or participation in Desert Inn Associates. This is a syndicate partnership with total participations of $3075000, which acquired the Desert Inn. Desert Inn Associates does not operate the Desert Inn, but receives rent under a net lease with the operator, DI Operating Co. The firm of Wien, Lane, Klein & Purcell (predecessor to Wien, Lane & Klein) , in which Mr. Wien is the senior partner, created the syndication, Desert Inn Associates. Wien, Lane, Klein & Purcell received a fee of approximately $100000 in connection with the syndication and acquisition of the property, and receives an annual retainer to supervise the operation of the partnership agreement and to defray legal and accounting costs and disbursements. To further demonstrate the established and well-defined identity and community of interest between Messrs. Wien and Helmsley, the latter's company, Helmsley-Spear, Inc., was retained as consultant to Desert Inn Associates. The deal is described in the September 9, 1959, Prospectus of Desert Inn Associates as follows: Helmsley-Spear, Inc., one of the leading New York City management firms, has been retained on behalf of Associates to make periodic physical inspections of the property, to render reports thereon, and to act as consultant to Associates with respect to other matters arising out of the ownership of the property. As compensation for such services, they will receive the sum of $1250 per year for the first 3 years after the property is acquired, and $25000 per year thereafter. NO IRS AUDITS AND RELUCTANCE TO SUBMIT DATA No field audits were performed on these foundations by the IRS from date of exemption through the end of their 1962 fiscal year. Both foundations may be classed as being reluctant to submit information to our committee. In the case of the Lawrence A. Wien Foundation, we were forced to issue a subpoena in order to obtain the desired data and documents. The Harry B. Helmsley Foundation only furnished information after being reminded of the committee's subpoena power. TREASURY'S SPLENDIDLY INEFFECTIVE SUPERVISION So the Treasury's splendidly ineffective supervision is in no small way responsible for the widely held view that foundations can serve any private or selfish ends with complete impunity. Hence, the "how-to-do-it" tax publishers continue to grind out advice on the virtues of charitable foundations For tax avoidance and control of businesses. To illustrate (from a mailing, dated July 18. 1962, of Commerce Clearing House Federal Tax Service) : Closed Corporations Perhaps the greatest advantage is afforded closed corporations. Through the use of a foundation the operator of a closed corporation may be able to keep voting control of the corporation in the family after the death of the principal stockholder..... http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/...,815823,00.htmlBusiness & Finance: Boss of the Empire Monday, Jan. 07, 1952 A year ago Chicago's Henry R. Crown, who runs the biggest U.S. building-supply firm and finds time to promote big deals on the side, got interested in buying the Empire State Building.... ....He has also supplied much of the money behind Hotelman Conrad Hilton's buying ventures, is now the biggest stockholder (8.7%) after Hilton in the Hilton Hotels Corp. Singlehanded. Crown bought the 19-story Chicago Mercantile Building, which houses the Midwest's butter & egg exchange, for $2,500,000. Last week, the new boss had plans to make the onetime white elephant an even bigger moneymaker than it now is (estimated 1951 net: $5,500,000). Among his changes: complete air-conditioning of the 102-story building, which now is air-conditioned only up to the 42nd floor. *Of the total $51 million, Prudential Insurance Co. paid $17 million for title to the land, put up another $15,500,000 for a first mortgage on the building, and Raskob's estate took a $5,000,000 second mortgage for the balance. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/...,939859,00.html Real Estate: Highest Finance Friday, Sep. 01, 1961 The tallest building in the world was sold last week for the highest price ever paid for a single structure. For $65 million, Chicago Financier Henry Crown sold the 102-story Empire State Building, a flop when it was built in the Depression but a moneymaker now, to a syndicate headed by a personable Manhattan lawyer and real estate wheeler-dealer, Lawrence Wien, 56. The transaction was as complex as keen-eyed tax lawyers could make it. As soon as his Empire State Building Associates takes title to the property next December 27, Wien (rhymes with keen) will sell the building to the Prudential Insurance Co. for $29 million. Prudential, which already owns the land on which the Empire State sits (worth $17 million), will turn right around and lease the building and land back to the Wien syndicate for 114 years. Advantages for Prudential: a 7% return on invested capital and a way around a New York law that limits Prudential's investment in a single piece of real estate to less than $50 million. Advantages for Wien: the $29 million from Prudential can be applied toward Colonel Crown's selling price, thereby reducing the actual cost to the syndicate to $36 million, and the annual lease payments ($3,220,000) to Prudential can be written off as a business expense. A Thousand Partners. The Empire State deal is typical of Lawrence Wien's style of operating on high-rent turf around the country. Columbia-educated, Wien got into commercial real estate in 1949 when he gathered a small group of investors to buy a two-story building for $165,000. Broker on the deal was Harry B. Helmsley, chief of the Manhattan broker-management firm of Helmsley-Spear. Wien and Helmsley have been allies ever since, have parlayed their original venture into a $600 million real estate empire that includes New York's plush Plaza hotel and the more plebian Taft, Cleveland's Leader Building and the Palm Beach Towers.... ....Heart of the Wien-Helmsley technique is large-scale syndication—a maneuver that they pioneered. Syndication gives a number of people a chance to own property none of them could afford singly, and often yields investors as much as 10% a year on their money, far better than most stocks. Above all, since a syndicate of as many as a thousand members can still legally be called a partnership, there is no corporate income tax to worry about. In the case of the Empire State, Wien even syndicated the $4,000,000 deposit required. He himself put up only $500,000—a relatively small sum compared with the $3,000,000 that lawyers and real estate brokers stand to collect as fees on the transaction.... http://www.siteselection.com/ssinsider/bbdeal/bd020325.htm NEW YORK – The Empire State Building, the cinematic backdrop for everyone from King Kong to Cary Grant to Tom Hanks, has changed hands. Donald Trump and his Japanese partners have agreed to sell the fabled 102-story structure. The sales price is a stunner: US$57.5 million. That represents only a tiny fraction of the $1 billion that many analysts say the building would be worth without its burdensome 114-year master lease. Drawn up in 1961, that lease provides for payments of only $1.97 million a year on the 2.5 million-sq.-ft. (225,000-sq.-m.) building. And the lease rate actually drops to $1.72 million from 2013 to 2076, when the lease term expires. That low-ball lease has depressed the storied skyscraper's market value. So much so, in fact, that the $57.5 million purchase price is considered high, yielding an estimated annual return of just 3.4 percent. The buyer, however, is Empire State Building Associates, an investor group led by New York real estate maven Peter Malkin. And that same group also holds that master lease, which runs through 2076. Therein lies the buy rationale. With leaseholder and owner in the same stable for the first time since 1961, the legendary tower can now be more easily sold with significantly better financing terms. The sale closes - perhaps - a tumultuous, byzantine chapter for the facility built in 1930-31. Since the early 1990s, Trump, Malkin and real estate heiress Leona Helmsley have slugged it out for control of the Empire State Building.... .....The building alone cost $24.7 million. Without the onset of the Great Depression, however, Empire State would've cost twice as much - only $8 million less, in fact, than 2002's purchase price..... http://books.google.com/books?id=8zV1aziv9CYC&pg=PA121&lpg=PA121&dq=thistledown+dalitz&source=bl&ots=JkvIboRlW2&sig=d8Rxg5_b3LQ796LpK2vTFwzyO0g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=A7grT6LbJMjO2AXS85jwDg&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=thistledown%20dalitz&f=false The last mogul: Lew Wasserman, MCA, and the hidden history of Hollywood By Dennis McDougal Page 121 5 Within the year, it was revealed that Henry Beckerman and his former business partner, Edwin P. Strong, had not been the only partner's in Cleveland's Thistledown Race Track. Unlike Beckerman, who bequeathed everything to his wife, Strong left a tangled estate with investments in drive-in theaters, racetracks, and Florida real estate. Only after Strong's will was filed in probate did it become clear that Strong and Beckerman had been frontmen for four familiar Cleveland businessmen; Sam Tucker, Morris Kleinman, Lou Rothkopf, and Moe Dalitz, each of whom owned 15 percent of Thistle Down. As a familial touch, Edie's brother, Stanley Beckerman, was named co-trustee of Strong's $3 million estate. Working with co-trustee Samuel T. Haas, the former Mayfair Casino investor, Stanley oversaw the Strong estate's liquidation. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/19/local/la-me-edie-wasserman-20110819 Edie Wasserman dies at 95; Hollywood philanthropist and wife of studio chief Edie Wasserman and her husband, Universal Studios boss Lew Wasserman, were known as the 'king and queen of Hollywood.' Their generosity helped fund the Music Center, CalArts and the Motion Picture and Television Fund. August 19, 2011|By Valerie J. Nelson and Barbara Thomas, Los Angeles Times ....Edith Beckerman was born Nov. 4, 1915, in Cleveland. Her father was a lawyer with such show-business clients as Sophie Tucker and Guy Lombardo. Edie, who grew up in a tony part of Cleveland, liked to tell people that Lew was from the wrong side of the tracks but they "met in the middle because my father was broke," a reference to the Depression. She was making $18 a week at May Co., and he was hiring bands for a local nightclub. Soon after they married in 1936, Lew was hired by Jules C. Stein, an ophthalmologist who founded the Music Corp. of America. Eventually, Lew became president and chief executive of MCA, spawning an empire that included movies, music, Universal Studios, theme parks and more.... http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=molaska+%22Sun+Shine+Furniture%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=beckerman+embezzlement&hl=en&safe=off&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&tbm=nws&prmd=imvnsb&source=lnt&tbs=ar:1&sa=X&ei=i8YrT4DSNIi9twfMg7wB&ved=0CA4QpwUoBQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=e5990e43fd7fcb4&biw=1440&bih=781 MASCHKE INDICTED IN CLEVELAND FRAUD; Republican Leader and... New York Times - Jul 30, 1932 1, 1928, Alex Bernstein embezzled the $140000 and Charles Bernstein, Beckerman, Maschke and Felsman knowingly aided, abetted and participated in the ... Action With The Half Million Dollar... Painesville Telegraph http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GLxZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KEoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4947,270079&dq=beckerman+fugitive+arson&hl=en Cleveland Politician Is Held In Arson Casi . Painesville Telegraph - Dec 7, 1933 ... tomorrow to face an arson indict ment in the Stanton Ave. firo plot of 1931 Booked as a fugitive from justice after his arrest at the Hotel New Yorker, Beckerman .. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/13/movies/13mogu.html?pagewanted=print&position= January 13, 2005 A Hollywood Powerhouse, Finally Captured on Film By ROSS JOHNSON ...Born in 1913 in a Cleveland slum, Wasserman, the son of Jewish immigrants from Russia, started his show business career as an usher in a vaudeville house. After a brief stint as a publicist for the reputed Cleveland mobster and future Las Vegas casino magnate Moe Dalitz, he married Edie Beckerman , whose father, Henry Beckerman, was indicted on charges of embezzlement and arson, and found not guilty, while doing legal work for Dalitz. By 1939, Wasserman was in Hollywood running the fledgling motion picture unit of the Music Corporation of America, the talent agency started by Jules Stein. With time, he turned his combined agency and studio into a movie and television powerhouse, until it was finally broken apart under government pressure in 1962. (It was considered in violation of antitrust laws.) Even then, Wasserman and the remaining MCA operation remained forces to be reckoned with, until he was pushed aside by the company's Japanese owners in the early 1990's, in a move extensively documented by Mr. Avrich's film. In assembling "The Last Mogul" - which ThinkFilm expects to release in theaters in New York and Los Angeles later this year and on video and television soon after - Mr. Avrich relied partly on striking archival film and photographs unearthed by Barbara Gregson, a researcher who also worked on "The Kid Stays in the Picture," the 2002 documentary on the producer Robert Evans. Using seldom seen clips pulled from vaults in Cleveland, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles (though not the Universal Studios archives), "The Last Mogul" traces the growth of the entertainment business from its vaudeville roots through silent pictures, talkies, radio and television to the globalized entertainment conglomerates of today. The clips provide an extensive document of the relationship between Mr. Wasserman and the Democratic Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter (whom Mr. Avrich interviews on camera) and Bill Clinton. The archival excerpts also illuminate the lengthy dealings between Mr. Wasserman and Ronald Reagan, who, while president of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1950's, pushed for the actors' union to grant MCA (which then represented Reagan) a waiver that allowed the company to book actors into productions it owned.... http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=molaska+%22Sun+Shine+Furniture%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#pq=molaska+arson&hl=en&ds=bo&cp=9&gs_id=3i&xhr=t&q=beckerman+arson&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&safe=off&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&biw=1440&bih=781&tbm=bks&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=beckerman+arson&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=e8d0f8f7211bcc07 Mr. Mob: The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz - Page 70 books.google.comMichael Newton - 2009 - 317 pages - Google eBook - Preview Mob lawyer Henry Beckerman's name appeared on the Mayfair's deed and liquor license. Around the time of Beckerman's arson acquittal, Wasserman married Beckerman's daughter Edie (who fawned over “Uncle Moe” Dalitz) and moved into the ... The last mogul: Lew Wasserman, MCA, and the hidden history of ... - Page 54 books.google.comDennis McDougal - 2001 - 600 pages - Preview The charge: attempted arson. Beckerman proclaimed his innocence. A trial was repeatedly postponed while both sides prepared their cases. The cost of defending himself began mounting. Meanwhile, Edward Strong and Maurice Maschke ... The silent syndicate books.google.comHank Messick - 1967 - 303 pages - Snippet view "Stanton Avenue Arson Plot." Yet it was an essential background fact. On November 3o, 1932, smoke was observed coming out of a six-story building ... Henry Beckerman was vice-president and his law partner, Herman Felsman, was secretary. http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=molaska+%22Sun+Shine+Furniture%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#pq=beckerm+arson&hl=en&ds=bo&cp=7&gs_id=5p&xhr=t&q=molaska+arson&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&safe=off&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&tbm=bks&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=molaska+arson&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=e8d0f8f7211bcc07&biw=1440&bih=781 Mr. Mob: The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz - Page 63 books.google.comMichael Newton - 2009 - 317 pages - Google eBook - Preview Molaska established its first factory in a six-story building that covered a square block of Cleveland's Stanton Avenue, the scene of a bungled insurance-fraud arson attempt on November 30, 1932. FBI files described landlord Edward ... The silent syndicate books.google.comHank Messick - 1967 - 303 pages - Snippet view And, as already mentioned, Strong's old associate, Sammy Haas, eventually became attorney for Molaska. Haas' experience with arson plots had come some years earlier. But perhaps the story of Molaska begins with Jacob Stein. More editions The Journal of criminal law, criminology and police science: Volume 58 books.google.comNorthwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). School of Law, Illinois Academy of Criminology, International Association of Arson Investigators - 1967 - Snippet view Named president of the Molaska firm was John Drew of New York (real name Jacob Stein), a co-conspirator of the infamous ... Through the joint venture of Cleveland and New York mobsters in the Molaska Corporation, illicit alcohol was http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=molaska+%22Sun+Shine+Furniture%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#pq=beckerm+arson&hl=en&ds=bo&cp=15&gs_id=78&xhr=t&q=molaska+batista&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&safe=off&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&tbm=bks&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=molaska+batista&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=e8d0f8f7211bcc07&biw=1440&bih=781 Mr. Mob: The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz - Page 63 books.google.comMichael Newton - 2009 - 317 pages - Google eBook - Preview Lansky secured Molaska's sugar supply through Fulgencio Batista, a Cuban army officer who seized power in September 1933 and ruled the island until 1944. Molaska established its first factory in a six-story building that covered a ... Playboy's illustrated history of organized crime books.google.comRichard Hammer - 1975 - 377 pages - Snippet view Batista guaranteed Lansky as much molasses as he would ever need. (And this was just one of the many deals that, in the decades ahead, that partnership would parlay into millions.) But Molaska had no intention of using any but a small ... Meyer Lansky: The Shadowy Exploits of New York's Master Manipulator - Page 124 books.google.comArt Montague - 2005 - 142 pages - Preview ... sugar cane concession he'd obtained from Batista for Molaska Corporation. The latter was still heavily involved in distilling liquor for the bootleg market, which continued to thrive. For at least six months of each year, ... Pleasure Island: Tourism and Temptation in Cuba - Page 100 books.google.comRosalie Schwartz - 1999 - 247 pages - Preview The Molaska Corporation registered in Ohio on 25 November 1933; Prohibition ended 5 December 1933; Batista led the ouster of Grau San Martin in January 1934. Lansky went to Cuba shortly thereafter and concluded a deal to buy the raw
David Lifton Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 Jim Garrison, the flamboyant New Orleans district attorney who challenged the Warren Commission's conclusions, recalled a telephone conversation he had with RFK in 1964: "I told him some of my theories. He listened carefully, then said, `Maybe so, maybe you're right. But what good will it do to know the truth? Will it bring back my brother?' I said, `I find it hard to believe that as the top law man in the country you don't want to pursue the truth more ardently.' With this he hung up on me."[/color] 1964? Is that date correct? Garrison's investigation didn't begin until '66. It seems odd to think he would be discussing his theories with RFK as early as '64. John, The date is almost certainly 1967--but that is a typo (on the part of the author, or his publisher). Another problem with the quote: that when this (RFK/Garrison) conversation took place, RFK was Senator from New York, and not "the top law man in the country". He had been that--in 1963--but not in 1967. FYI: I went to the trouble of actually obtaining the (handwritten) source document (written by Heyman) from the archive that the book cites. Unfortunately, I did not have a scanner back then, made no easily retrievable scan, and could not today locate my hard copy. Its a brief one-page handwritten document. DSL 2/3/12; 4:05 AM PST Los Angeles, CA
David Lifton Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) DUPE POST. Sorry. Deleted. Edited February 4, 2012 by David Lifton
David Lifton Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 I had mixed feelings about Talbot's book. Realizing it was a conspiracy almost immediately, he also understood he had been blindsided. He understood that with LBJ and Hoover in power, there was no way he could solve the crime. Once he realized that LBJ was not going to continue JFK's policies and that he would be marginalized, he left. HE decided to run for the presidency in some degree to reopen the case. The other side knew this, and this was one reason behind his murder--which could not have been done by Sirhan. I don't understand why people are surprised. Of course he felt threatened. His brother was blown away in broad daylight in front of thousands while the SS stood down. The entire family "got it". After RFK was killed Jackie did say something: " They are killing Kennedys and my kids are next" or words to that effect. And she was right: they killed her son. So let's just all blame the victims for not "solving this case" . Dawn Dawn, I think you've got the quote (and/or the sequence) incorrect. The "killing Kennedys" quote occurred AFTER RFK's assassination. From the Wikipedia writeup: "In June 1968 when her brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, she came to fear for her life and that of her children, saying "If they're killing Kennedys, then my children are targets...I want to get out of this country."[59] On October 20, 1968, she married Aristotle Onassis, a wealthy, Greek shipping magnate, who was able to provide the privacy and security she needed for herself and her children.[60] The two cited footnotes are as follows: 59: a b Seely, Katherine (July 19, 1999). "John F. Kennedy Jr., Heir to a Formidable Dynasty". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2009. 60. Cheslow, Jerry (August 7, 1994). "If You're Thinking of Living In/Peapack and Gladstone; Fox-Hunting and High-Priced Homes". The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2011. "She does have a story about Aristotle Onassis, who rented a home in neighboring Bernardsville with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis." As for Edward Kennedy, it was sometime after RFK's assassination that he appeared--as I recall--on the Johnny Carson show, and said ". . and we still don't know who killed Jack." OR. . have I got that wrong, and was it former NBC correspondent Sander Vanocur who appeared and quoted EMK as having said that? Not sure. But one of them did, and I'm pretty sure it was on Carson. I agree with you that both RFK (and Jackie) "got it" very soon, within days, of the JFK murder. Don't forget the message they imparted to Khruschev by close friend Walton (who was going to Moscow) that--regardless of what they might be hearing about Oswald, it was a domestic conspiracy that felled JFK. (First revealed in "Helluva Gamble" by Naftali, and his co-author). DSL 2/2/2012
Guest Tom Scully Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 http://books.google.com/books?id=GnCn1u-zHbQC&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=gus+russo+%22explained+that+he+had+already+approved+the+pardon.*%22&source=bl&ots=GfkvhEWLwv&sig=ZhZq0feuLCGGoW-Fq6IWHxv5Ov4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=bdorT5HMM4yWtwfR1KTJDw&sqi=2&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false The Outfit: The Role of Chicago's Underworld in the Shaping of ... - Google Books Result books.google.com/books?isbn=1582342792...Gus Russo - 2003 - Biography & Autobiography Jack Clarke, who worked in the investigative police unit of Chicago's Mayor Daley, recently recalled what happened next. “Bobby Kennedy called me and asked if there would be any problem if jake Factor were pardoned,” said Clarke. “When I explained the details of Factor's Outfit—Capone, Humphreys, the Sands, et cetera—Bobby went, 'Holy xxxx!' He then explained that he had already approved the pardon." Clarke added that Bobby's dealings with the Factor case were not atypical: “RFK didn't know what he was doing in the ]ustice Department. He had no idea of the subtleties, the histories of these people.” I couldn't find another source for the quotes attributed to Jack Clarke. But the gist of it is consistent with what I am finding. For example, there is no record that RFK attempted to interfere with his brother leasing Glen Ora from a family with intense mob connections, or to immediately insist on the resignation of the clueless, incompetent SS Chief. ....... The comments by Urbanus Baughman in his book indicate persuasively that before he resigned as chief of the SS, he believed Glen Ora was not a secure choice and that http://books.google.com/books?um=1&q=u...nG=Search+Books"]the costs of making it less insecure were prohibitive. So, why was JFK placed there for 2-1/2 years? In summer, 1961, did Baumann make CYA move by claiming that there was no national organized crime because he was aware Glen Ora was owned by the family that employed Pat Hoy for more than 15 years, until the same year JFK leased Glen Ora? ...... http://books.google.com/books?um=1&q=u...nG=Search+Books Secret Service Chief - Page 261 by Urbanus Edmund Baughman - Secret service - 1962 - 266 pages "It is that there is only one road that leads to the estate from the ... had a special heliport constructed and a helicopter kept in constant readiness when"
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