I agree that Vito had more political infuence than the others, but as I said earlier Sollozzo had a police captain in his pocket, and surely the other families had SOME political connections. If they could turn a big profit with drugs they could have started buying off these same people...I mean if some crooked judge was on the take from Vito, he would also go on the take for someone offering him more money.
I don't agree that all the "nickels and dimes" in Vito's pockets would have jumped to the highest bidder.
It always seemed to me that Vito's political connections were based as much on relationships as money. Otherwise, why would Tom and Vito worry about losing those connections after Vito's death?
As Vito explains at the commission meeting, there was a distinction between providing illegal services that were generally supported by the people (e.g. gambling) and those that were truly wrong (e.g. drugs).
The politicians and judges in Vito's pockets probably realized that Vito respected that distinction, so they wouldn't get involved in anything too bad through their association with him.
Getting involved with the other Dons was a far riskier matter for them. Some would take the risk for the right price, but I think all the Dons realized that many would not.
