I think very few people think that the majority of corruption cases in Chicago can be directly tied to the Outfit. Everyone knows the mob is a joke today and every time somebody stresses that fact, they think they're giving us some groundbreaking news. However, we do know that Blagojevich was a bookie who did work with people who were connected to the Chicago Outfit. I don't know if he really paid tribute to them as some have claimed, but it wouldn't surprise me. What people fail to realize, especially the ones who love to talk about how weak and dysfunctional the mob has become, is that it really doesn't take much to be politically connected. Your family can be in a thousand pieces with rats in every crew. All you need is one guy who knows one guy. If some associate in the Colombo family is on good terms with someone highly influential in the New York State Senate and this is a person who is willing to grant favors for money and other services, you then have serious political power. Maybe this is the case with DiFronzo. We don't know, but the possibilities are endless.

it gives some today the feeling that they can make any connection they want between the mob and a case of corruption.

All these facts you mention IVY LEAGUE, I already knew them when I came to this opinion and thats what it is I do not state it as fact it is my opinion. That said I agree with you that the Outfit and Blagojevitch are small potatoes compared to to the corrupt political machine that runs chicago I mean Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Bank of America, Bankruptcy court racket , The 6th circuit court of appeals, the graft chicago is notoriously corrupt, I see the bigger picture and Blagojevitch, Marcello,Calabrese, are pawns but Difronzo has a little more juice IMHO. An eyeball witness to a murder like Nick calabrese could have sunk difronzo or at least put him out of commision for 3 years without bail and with the FBI they always take what they can get so IMHO Difronzo had a Guardian Angel or at least a favour to call in to not be indicted.I`m not saying the Outfit as a whole gets protection but John Difronzo who is boss of the oufit amongst other things(Freemasonry,Family holdings, payoffs and political contributions) has political protection for himself IMHO

I think very few people think that the majority of corruption cases in Chicago can be directly tied to the Outfit. Everyone knows the mob is a joke today and every time somebody stresses that fact, they think they're giving us some groundbreaking news. However, we do know that Blagojevich was a bookie who did work with people who were connected to the Chicago Outfit. I don't know if he really paid tribute to them as some have claimed, but it wouldn't surprise me. What people fail to realize, especially the ones who love to talk about how weak and dysfunctional the mob has become, is that it really doesn't take much to be politically connected. Your family can be in a thousand pieces with rats in every crew. All you need is one guy who knows one guy. If some associate in the Colombo family is on good terms with someone highly influential in the New York State Senate and this is a person who is willing to grant favors for money and other services, you then have serious political power. Maybe this is the case with DiFronzo. We don't know, but the possibilities are endless.

You'd be surprised what some people on forums believe. Not only about the current political pull of the Chicago Outfit, but also the very existence of families around the country.

Blago is a good example of where people start trying to connect the dots and end up God knows where. He was supposedly a mob bookie back in the day, and he eventually became governor, so that must mean ________________ .

Hell, why stop there. Our current President is from Chicago....

Just because the Chicago Outfit is more of a joke than the Mormons down in Utah, it doesn't mean they can't have political power.

Hell, why stop there. Our current President is from Chicago....

Obama was never born in Hawai, he was actually born in Partinico!

Nobody is saying Blagojevich belongs to the Outfit or answers directly to John DiFronzo. Nobody knows that and I personally doubt that very much, but once you are able to establish a connection between two guys, questions will be raised and they'll be raised on legitimate grounds. Just because the Chicago Outfit is more of a joke than the Mormons down in Utah, it doesn't mean they can't have political power. The point is we don't know, but like I said earlier, all you need is one guy who knows one guy.

Nice metaphor Vin! The Outfit and Mormons! ROFL!

As a metaphor it doesn't make any sense at all. It's Vinny taking a personal shot at me.

If you read what I've said, I still think the Outfit has some political clout on a local level. But not nearly on the level where they could influence whether the top guy is indicted by the US Justice Department.

As a metaphor it doesn't make any sense at all. It's Vinny taking a personal shot at me.

I hope the Chicago Outfit does something about the Mormon problem down in Utah. It's a long shot, but I'd have more respect for them.

The way you scoffed at the possibility of this group having serious political power is what I take issue with. You really don't need much for this to happen. Whitey Bulger was just one guy and his brother was the most powerful politician in the state. All you need is a connection. As long as these groups exist, this is always gonna be a possibility. The ball is gonna land some place. It could be a two faced rat Irish man from Boston or a Compton Crip who's made a fortune as a dope peddler.

There's is one small link though: both the Chicago Outfit and the Mormons tried to extort Howard Hughes. The Outfit failed, but the Mormons succeeded.

I'd bet DiFronzo definitely has some friends in high places. It was weird that he wasn't named in that indictment and a lot of people have expressed that (especially that guy who's name escapes me who runs that blog on The Outfit). But like IvyLeague said, to pull those kind of strings on a federal level, dealing with the money and headline hungry Justice Department? It's possible, anything's possible, but it's not probable - my opinion

There is the possibility also which has been floated around, that he's a long time high level informant. I doubt that too but again...

Basically DiFronzo's just been careful as shit with some luck thrown into that. He's managed to stay insulated and on the street - great - but I'd give anyone on here 50/1 that he dies in jail.