Well, what other source can I pull out of my sleeve? I wish there was a tape recording of Carlo Gambino talking about it. I wish there was an informant, someone who was actually there, who could tell us all about it. But there are no recordings and there are no informants, no matter how hard I wish. We have Bonanno with inside knowledge about the meeting. Who else (or what else) do we have apart from LE speculations and rumors? ?
Well, instead of just believing everything Joe/Bill Bonanno tell you in self-serving memoirs, you can use facts and logic, too.
You mentioned Ormento. Who´s to say what his boss Tommy Lucchese thought about Ormento dealing? Can you honestly say that Lucchese perfectly knew about Ormento dealing?
Yes, I can: By 1952, John Ormento had THREE federal narcotics convictions. Are you telling be that Tommy Lucchese was unaware that his high-level capo was a three-time convicted narcotics trafficker?
The Lucchese Family was running the biggest heroin wholesale distribution center in America based out of 107th Street and clandestine labs around New York City.
Are you saying Tommy Lucchese has no clue what his capos were doing, and where all this money is coming from? Give me a break.
The Oct 1956 meeting was not a national meeting but a Commission meeting. So obviously a face to face pass on of orders to all the bosses was impossible. Instead this was achieved (or it was tried to be achieved) a year later at Apalachin.
Even Joe Bonanno doesn't say that they postponed a drug ban in 1956 in order to meet "face to face" in 1957. I don't know where you're getting this now?
This is really weak logic, too. Why didn't the Commission at least issue a national edict in 1956? Why didn't the New York bosses present agree to ban drugs among the New York Families at the 1956 Commission meeting?
Generally speaking Alex, don´t you think the bosses would rather have their soldiers, captains (whatever) NOT dealing in drugs than have them dealing?
No, I do not think that the bosses wanted to give up narcotics given the enormous profit$ they were making. From the 1930s through the early 1970s, Cosa Nostra was importing roughly 80% of the high-grade heroin into this country. It was always about the money.
