This family's membership size seems to be a hotly contested issue, I find it very hard to believe that the men in charge of the borgata let it dwindle down to 12 buttons, they didnt induct no new members over the last 30 years? However some knowledgeable researchers seem pretty convinced that the family is on its last legs. If there really is only 12 made guys left, than whoevers running that family must of never been schooled that "You gotta keep recruiting guys or this thing dies"
You're right to an extent. Back during the 70's and 80's lots and lots of members were either killed or died of natural causes, including old timers from the Capone days, and so before their deaths the organization was huge but as I already said, the number went down out of various reasons. The Outfit bosses rarely had their own family members inducted in the family, but instead they made them legit. We have evidences regarding the Outfit making people during the 80's and possibly 90s, but still most of the old members thought about going legit, which they really did. Starting from the garbage and food businesses, to traffic signs and real estate. Yes, they probably still have some loan sharking, gambling, prostitution and extortion rackets here and there, and probably even some burglaries here and there, but thats just a "drop in the whole ocean" compared to the old days. But the main thing is...I think they NEVER relinquished their political and police contacts. I mean, with the help of constant donations to various politicians around Melrose Park or any other area, their companies still receive most of the legit and quite lucrative contracts, or even working positions. The Chicago Outfit infiltrated all of Chicago's politics like no other family in the whole country, and thats why even today we still have some "known" surnames involved in Chicago's political agenda and also within the legit world. Who knows, maybe they are also still making guys but for what purpose?!
Your knowledge of all things Outfit is unmatched, but I'm going to disagree with your last point here regarding the current Outfit in politics. While yes, there are still some suburban mayors (Skip Saviano, Brad Stephens come to mind) who may have some Outfit connections, their political influence these days is pretty much nothing. Having spent the last decade in government and politics in the state capital and Washington D.C., they are pretty much a nonfactor over the last decade plus I've been involved. And trust me, I've dug and dug.
The recent corruption indictments in Chicago and Springfield haven't even had a mention of the Outfit, minus some of the red light camera bribery cases, and that was only minimal connections. Changing demographics in the Chicago city council and among the Chicago/suburban delegation in Springfield probably has a lot do with that as well. Greylord and GAMBIT pretty much put an end to their decades of controlling the courts and the old First Ward was literally eliminated.
Someone may point out the picture of Toots Caruso sitting with the Comptroller and Congressmen Davis, but that was completely random and if they knew who he actually was, they wouldn't have been sitting there.
That being said, I have no idea their ties to the police in 2023.
