I'd read and heard in interviews that part of Angelo Bruno's power came from his friendship/association with Carlo Gambino. The theory being the Genovese Family waited til Carlo Gambino's death to extend their influence in Philadelphia by giving their tacit approval to kill Bruno, I was wondering why Paul Castellano didn't offer Bruno that same friendship as CG1 did?

Because for all the talk about Gotti breaking every rule in the book by killing Paul (and don't get me wrong, he did), Paul WAS a greedy bastard.

So the short answer to your question is, because Big Paul cared about Big Paul.

Same answer i was going to say. He was focusing on himself and his family.....Shit he probably gained from Bruno being whacked anyway.

I doubt that Gambino really cared about anyone but himself too. Mob alliances are usually formed to make money and to watch each others backs. Yes Castellano was more greedy than Gambino, but why would he willingly lose a possible ally when Atlantic City was just about to blossom? Perhaps the Genovese sensed that he was weaker than Gambino and they did what they wanted. Then again, maybe that's why the Genovese double-crossed the conspirators, so that Castellano would not find out.

Well wasn't Bruno opposed to the casinos? I wonder if knowing there were more amenable people in Philly at the time they, figured that with Gambino dead maybe Castellano would be more open to a profitable regime change?

Maybe Castellano knew about the hit on Bruno, maybe he did not know about it. I am inclined to believe that it was all the Genovese doing, namely Frank "Funzi" Tieri. Bruno and Castellano had a strong friendship do to Bruno and Gambino having that before Carlo died. Tieri always wanted Northern New Jersey and tricked Antonio "Tony Bananas" Caponigro by using Tony's own greed as well as making him believe that the hit on Bruno had the commission approval. Ironic as Bruno won in Caponigro's favor during a sitdown between Caponigro and Tieri over the profitable bookmaking operations in Northern New Jersey, and Tieri just waited his time. Frank knew that Tony was too greedy and too power hungry. when the time was right, and the Genovese crime family would not get rights to the casino's in Atlantic City, he set up Caponigro. Two birds, one stone.

That's about as good a summary as I have read GV and I agree with everything you said . The only thing I would add is I believe Bruno forbid drugs within his own family but allowed the zips and others to deal in philly for a cut of the proceeds . I believe some were unhappy that he never shared this cut with any other members. It's possible greed got the best of Bruno like it got Paul C a few years later .

It's stories like this that really show how good of a boss the chin was . Talk about learning from others mistakes . It would of been very interesting to see what would have happened if he survived his prison stint .

That was a rumor that he was opposed to getting involved in the casinos, but it was bullshit. The mob back then was all about using unions to extort businesses and get contracts for their businesses. Why would Bruno not allow it?

More likely he was killed because of his own greed and the greed of family members over drugs. He didn't let his own guys deal, but was getting street taxes from others outside the family who were dealing. The same thing happened with Castellano, allowing certain crews to deal and taking money from them, while being outraged over the Bergin Crew dealing.

Mock outrage at best. Paul was just looking for an excuse .

everybody sensed he was weaker than gambino

i'm quite certain that mafia members felt he was given his power without earning it

Why would he protect him he always had his hand out.Plus who knows what Paul really thought of Carlo in the first place it was Paul's family that took Carlo in when he first came off the boat. Plus Atlantic City,drugs and the Newark book. There was more then one double cross they took over anything and everything they could belonging to Philly. Bruno get a lot of praise for being such a great boss but in reality was he really? His guys were starving under him. The gambino's walked all over the guy selling dope and coke out every bar and pizza place in S. Jersey + Central

I read Bruno and Gambino had huge real estate deals down florida. guess Bruno was a vote for Gambino like patriarca was for Genovese. ray was the only boss around in 1980 that was there for 20+ yrs he must had had alarm. really think the Genovese pulled the wool over everyones eyes that why there still the strongest today. maybe if gotti lasted a few more yrs but someone would have whacked him ithink. you got to really wonder how close joe massino was to getting clipped. I read barney b told massino his brother and gotti were gonna get him.

Very True.

Everyone going into those shops late night was just for charity you know to donate the leftover bread or to buy $1 a slice pizza about to get thrown out

I don't know if it's Massino or Barney lying, but I don't believe that one. Why would Gotti kill Massino? He was trying to get the Bonannos back on the Commission because Massino was his buddy and he would be able to count on his vote. I think Barney was lying to Massino to turn him against Gotti. Maybe he was trying to get Massino to kill Gotti. The Genovese are well known for their duplicity and treachery.

Do they call him Barney because he looks like Barney Rubble?

Gotti wanted to kill him so he could "take over" and run the Bonannos thru Sal Vitale. That maneuver has been done several times. Old Machivellian trick

I thought Massino made Sal underboss in name only, giving him no real power? If this is so, then why would Gotti think the Bonannos would accept him as boss?

No idea, just what I've read always said he wanted Vitale to play puppet. Also that's why there called soldiers, they do what there told. And with Massino dead you think it matters what power he did of didn't give him? And not that I would know first hand, however the word "think" and Gotti are rarely used in the same sentence. He was at the top of the hill at that time as though it seemed. NYC was Gotti crazy at that time.

Well to be fair the biggest gripe against gotti was that he was a complete utter moron. Big paul despie his flaws was smarter and had enough sense to keep in the shadows. I think Big paul was only allied with bruno to make money but like someone else mentioned he probably benefited from bruno being whacked anyway

Well this is what I don't get, Bruno was allied to Gambino, who, in turn, had his proxy vote at Commission meetings. Now why would Castellano look the other way when Bruno was killed, especially when this would shift the balance of power in Philly towards the Genovese via their ties to Testa/Scarfo.

Also, doesn't the Bruno/Caponigro situation remind anyone of the Castellano/Gotti-Ruggerio one? I was thinking that perhaps Caponigro killed Bruno because Bruno may have been planning to kill him over his drug dealing.

If you remember, the Genovese guys never gave the order! They merely implied "do what you gotta do". With that said I'm sure Funzi didn't call Castellano and say "hey just a heads up your guy is going to get clipped", remember like all these guys they had something to gain. I'm sure both sides gained with Bruno gone.

To be honest, I never bought the "killing for dealing drugs" stories in the mafia. Didn't all bosses profit from drugs at least indirectly, by accepting some per cent of drug money among other sources of income? Maybe they sometimes sacrificed low level associates to look it like they were against drugs, but to kill somebody like Caponigro just because he brings in "dirty money" and for that reason alone doesn't seem realistic to me. Bruno doesn't seem such a "moralist" guy to me.

Isn't it the same? This is just their way of talking. I mean, maybe legally it isn't a murder order, but I doubt they often use the word "kill" explicitly, since there is always a danger to be taped.

That's what I don't get. How would Castellano gain from getting his guy, Bruno, killed when it would cost him another vote on Commission matters?

True, but Gigante did put a lot a pressure on Castellano to kill Gotti and Ruggerio. And Gotti, at the time, was a captain, and not a low level guy. Plus he real close to Dellacroce as well.

I'm sure he didn't care much about the vote, he was at the top then. Those votes were for climbing the ladder and he was already at the top with plenty willing to kiss his ass. I'm sure he picked up different rackets. "Crumbs"

Maybe. But Gambino was an even stronger boss and he didn't turn his nose at Bruno's vote.

That's probably why he died in his bed watching the Yankees instead of on the street with a bunch oh holes in him. Guys forget where they came from and how they got there.

Because in the grand scheme of things Bruno was losing grip on his family from everyone whispering in each others ear. Crazy Phil said in his book that the Docile Don was a partner with John Martarano or took his drugs proceeds. Johns biggest money maker was the meth. The gambino's were literally 10 minutes over the bridge with pure heroin. Plus he held out on A.C. Resorts shares,after publicly stating or testifying he didn't want anything to do with A.C. I'm surprised he wasn't killed right after Carlo died. Like I said early everyone was starving under this guy.
The Chicken Man wanted to create a 2nd family that could sell drugs. If they had merged with the Riccobene's things might be a lot different today,