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The Irish Mafia around JFK


David Andrews

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It's a worthwhile question, given Joe Kennedy's background. Also, we should be looking to pin down as closely as possible the extent and purpose of JFK's and RFK's dealings with the Italo-Sicilian mob, and verifying as much of the info printed about it as possible.

Jim DiEugenio has written a couple good articles questioning the extent and truth of 1970s revelations about JFK-Giancana-Judith Campbell. Someone should really do a book-length investigation of how much of the material from Sy Hersh and other post-HSCA revelators is disinfo, giving also a realistic overview of Kennedy-mob relations.

Edited by David Andrews
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Does anyone know whether the Irish Mafia that Kennedy had round him in the White House WERE actually Irish Mafia? Kenny O'Donnell, for example?

Or were they just clannish and a bit ruthless?

An important member of the Irish Mafia around Kennedy was Edward Grant Stockdale.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKstockdale.htm

He was rewarded by being appointed Ambassador to Ireland in March, 1961. However, he was also involved with the Mafia and Bobby Baker in the placing of vending machines in corporations with government contracts. He was forced to resign in July, 1962. He was replaced by another member of JFK's Irish Mafia, Matthew H. McCloskey. He was also part of the Bobby Baker set-up and he was forced to resign over the same issue.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKmccloskey.htm

Stockdale died on 2nd December, 1963 when he fell (or was pushed) from his office on the thirteenth story of the Dupont Building in Miami. Stockdale did not leave a suicide note but his friend, George Smathers, claimed that he had become depressed as a result of the death of JFK. However, his daughter told me via email that she was convinced that Stockdale was murdered to keep him quiet about what he knew about the assassination and the Bobby Baker case.

Other members of the Kennedy's Irish Mafia included Dave Powers, Larry O'Brien and Kenneth O'Donnell.

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