Vena & Mandell (Manning) are childhood buddies. Mandell is a schemer & Vena was most likely just humouring him. Either way, they didn't have Vena on tape, just Mandell's word.

Regarding Outfit leadership, outside of DiFronzo (if you'd like to believe it), Solly D & Toots Caruso are the only other two that we can say for sure are at the top of the food chain. Jimmy I & Cataudella are still pure speculation.

There is nothing that would lead anyone to believe that Al Vena & Chris Spina are in any type of authoritative positions in regards to the Outfit as a whole. They are members of the paltriest of the four crews.