The commission

Does the commission actually exist these days?

That's where you get into debates of what constitutes the Commission. If one considers it to be what it once was - the 5 NY families, Buffalo, and Chicago (later including Philadelphia and Detroit as well), the answer would be no.

Since the 1980's the Commission was essentially a NY enterprise. The last known meeting was the one Massino chaired in 2000. But he actually didn't consider that a Commission meeting because it didn't include all the official bosses. Gigante, Gotti, Amuso, and Persico were all in prison.

It's possible the leaders have met since then but we won't know until somebody flips and confirms it.

I don't think that the 5 families bosses, take the risk to come together and be intercepted or worse arrested by the feds. Not to mention that after Massino a boss of the powerful 5 families has flipped, there isn't trust in similar meetings.
I think maybe in the Genovese, Gambino and Lucchese there is some form of meetings between the bosses but not for sure with unstable Colombos and Bonannos.

When was it at it's peak?

Also how much sway did it have over far away families, like LA and NO etc.?

Or was it just whichever Family did business with NY?

Before Apalachin the Commission had its peak.
The East Coast families out NY was rappresented by the 5 families,while the West Coast families where rappresentated by the Outfit.
Carlos Marcello until his death prohibited to the other families to made businness in luisiana,LA,san francisco and san jose was to little to do bussiness with new york and however the families prefer to made money near home.

So I can assume Chicago Outfit isn't on the Commission anymore .

From the 60s the Commission was only a ny thing.

Massino testified the last time there was a meeting big Paul was alive I think Massimo said he was underboss so probably 84 85.

Furio where are u getting this from? I don't doubt its a NY thing since say the mid-late 80s.. But u had the las vegas interests of mob families across the country still intertwined until Strawman case in 84-86... There had to have been some sort of commission with midwest fams bein able to meet w East coast/ Ny fam... Ur gonna have to post a source for a statement like that.. And please for the love of christ Wikipedia isnt a valid credible source

The best breakdown of the Commission can be found in Capeci's book below

Idiots guide to the mafia

I read it in the Raab's 5 families. Its logic that the east coast families had ties with the other families but the 5 Fams rappresent the small families and what say ny it the last word. The la stella restaurant meeting in 1966 was the last time that the families out NY was in the same place with the 5 families.

http://www.americanmafia.com/Allan_May_9-27-99.html

 The thirteen men arrested were, from New York; Carlo Gambino, head of the crime family that bears his name; Thomas Eboli and Mike Miranda, co-acting bosses (along with Jerry Catena) of the Genovese Family; Joseph Colombo, newly appointed boss of the crime family that carried his name; Aniello Delacroce, underboss of the Gambino Family; Joseph N. Gallo, the Gambino Family’s future consigliere; Dominick Alongi, Eboli’s driver; and Anthony Cirillo, a Genovese soldier. From Florida, Santo Trafficante, Jr. The other four men were from New Orleans. Family boss Carlos Marcello; his brother Joseph Marcello, Jr.; Anthony Carolla, the son of former New Orleans boss Sam “Silver Dollar” Carolla; and Frank Gagliano, the son of another deported mobster and the cousin of Eboli’s driver, Alongi. In addition, the owners of the restaurant, Joseph and Jack Taliercio, were arrested

Speaking of; does anyone have an idea of interaction of Chicago guys with NY guys? Prison and street both

After the murder of frankie yale and the prohibition end the Outfit had ties but prefered to do business on the midwest or the West coast. With the las vegas skimming were ny families dont had more interests is the only recent ties. For sure mobster in prison like andriacchi was in the same supermax prison with Basciano stay together and speak but nothing more.

They make guys in the middle of the night (or heck, maybe even the middle of the day), you don't think the 5 bosses could arrange something to get together and discuss things? Not maybe a full fledged "commission" type thing but I'd find it hard to believe they haven't sat down and discussed important items of business.

Being in construction, trash (excuse me waste management, lol) cement, food service, linen, etc...paths must cross.

Azguy for sure there "informal meetings" but the thread is on the commission.

Furio its really not logic..I know since pry the 80s its been only NY and I read Raabs book multiple times find me where he said their have only been NY families involved in the commission since the 60s..your example of La Stella restaurant im well aware of, but I recall reading wiretaps of Fat Tony talking about the commission handling Cleveland mob business i the 80s and being involved with Roy Williams and Jackie Pressers appointment in the 70s and 80s..theres your evidence right there, so with all due respect buddy I dont think youre correct....Now since say 1986 say until now i agree its very clearly a NY, North east thing...and I would argue that its basically just NY, Decavs, and Philly...I dont recally seeing anything about Patriarca fam in relation to commission business

During the Cleveland mob war Nardi and Greene traveler to NY to spoke with fat tony salerno but him he say that licavoli was the boss not nardi,fat tony ordered ferrito to kill nardi. Before go to ny,Cleveland mob used to go to Chicago for setlte dispute. But once the Outfit asked the 25 % of the rackets to sette the dispute,so went to NY.

By the way, at the time of the Licavoli vs Greene war, what was Fat Tony's rank in the Genovese family? I think back then Lombardo was the real power, Tieri the official boss, why did they ask Fat Tony and not one of those 2?

According to Cafaro, Tieri was never official boss. At that time I think Lombardo was still official boss and Tieri acting boss if I remember right. Salerno may have been underboss or consigliere.

As far as the outfit is concerned. Magnafichi told a story on foscos website about gigante flying to chicago to meet about the castalano killing gigante was told to get his house in order, meaning ny city. Lots of people think it a bs story, but who knows.

The genovese was always secretive,so when nardi and Greene talked with fat tony, they thinked that he was the boss. However fat tony was the front boss,nobody know early who is the real boss.

I thought Tieri was the front boss at the moment, until his death.

Theres evidence of Chicago interacting with NY post the 60's. Numerous sources attest to a Commission meeting of sorts with Accardo & NY when Atlantic City got the law passed for legalized gambling and casinos. He brought the proposition of the NY families having free reign in AC, completely without Outfit involvement, if NY left Las Vegas to Chicago and their associated mid-west families.

As Capeci says in the above link I posted, the Outfit's representatives started skipping more and more Commission meetings in the 1960s. He said the result was effectively a two-headed Commission with Chicago resolving disputes between families west of them. He did say New York and Chicago continued to maintain regular contact, due mainly to their interests in the Teamsters, Laborers, and Hotel Employees International Unions.

By late 1985 I doubt the Outfit would have been inclined to get on the phone and tell Gigante, of all people, to get his house in order. Though, on a side note, we know from Al D'Arco's testimony that the Genovese had a member designated as "il messaggero" - a messenger between the Genovese and Chicago families.

In more recent times Bonanno soldier Vincent Amarante was running a strip club in Chicago before it was busted in 2000. The general consensus seemed to be that it was with the Outfit's OK. Another Bonanno soldier, Vinny Faraci, was involved in the Outfit-run Crazy Horse Too strip club in Las Vegas before it was raided in 2003.

Another example, of course was when Scarfo looked to capitalize on legalized gambling in Atlantic City. When casinos appeared to be a reality they wanted to combine smaller locals to create HEREU Local 54. To do so required the approval of Ed Hanley, president of the International. Hanley was controlled by Chicago. Scarfo didn't have connections to the Outfit but the Genovese did. So he reached out to the Genovese, who reached out to Chicago.