The myth that the Commission has "rules" is deeply ingrained in Mob buffs' imagination. Charlie Luciano's genius in forming the Commission was that he recognized that Mob bosses only have two things in common: greed, and distrust of each other. He never expected that the Commission would manage "the Mafia" as a whole, or tell Dons or families what to do. Instead, he recognized that the Dons who sat on the Commission would act only when they saw specific actions as being in their self-interest, and agreedto abide by decisions. If not, no decisions--and no "rules."

So, for example, Luciano tried to dissuade Dutch Shultz from killing special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey. When Shultz refused, Luciano convinced the Commission that their interests would be endangered if Shultz carried through--and they agreed that Shultz should be whacked (and they paid Murder Inc. to carry out the hit). Ditto Bugsy Siegel's murder (probably). But after Luciano's exile from America and ouster from Cuba, his influence waned. Later Commissions lost clout because they lacked a leader of Luciano's force.

Case in point: after Profaci capo Joe Columbo ratted out a plot by Bonanno and Joe Magliocco to whack Tommy Lucchese and Carlo Gambino, the Commission called both plotters to account for themselves. Magliocco complied because he agreed to comply: he was terminally ill with heart disease and was tired of Mob life. The Commission ordered him to step down in favor of Columbo and to pay a $50k indemnity, and he agreed. Joe Bonanno refused to come in. The Commission selected Gaspar DiGregorio as his successor. Neither Bonanno nor about half of his family accepted, setting off a long, destructive war that disabled the family for nearly 30 years. Bonanno eventually stepped down, but so did DiGregorio. The Commission lost. They finally agreed to recognize Rusty Rastelli and to permit Caarmine Galante to be whacked only because he threatened Carlo Gambino. And they refused to allow Rastelli to retake the Bonanno seat on the Commission.

Another point: the Commission can "rule" when the "books" for making new family members can be opened or closed. The self interest is that distrust of each other means they want to keep families from getting stronger than the others. Families get around that "rule" simply by adding associates--technically unmade, but still earning, muscling, killing for their Dons. And,as Lilo pointed out, the Commission's "rule" about requiring approval before removing or whacking a boss didn't apply to the removals of Mangano, Costello, Anastasia and Castellano. Those events were simply faites-accompli. Some rules.