Can we really say they have been in decline in say the last 20 years? I don't know about his argument but what about Raab's "Resurgence" theory? Obviously its nothing like the power in the 70s but from 1990-current have they declined much? From 2000-2011 there doesn't appear to be noticeable decline in that period.
The Genovese family lost a number of things in the 1990's. The control of commercial waste hauling industry in NY they shared with the Gambinos. As well as their control of the Fulton Fish Market. Both of these were results of new regulations by the Giuliani administration. They also lost control of the Javits Convention Center. Also whatever interests they had in the Times Square porn business when Giuliani cleaned that up.
They're still the strongest family. But it's because they've declined the least. Not because they haven't declined at all or grown stronger. The last family to actually grow in strength was the Bonannos during the 1990's when the feds took their eye off the ball with that family.
