mchang93 I think you hit this very important chapter in mafia history.that was GAMBINO'S greatest feat, convincing the other families that BONNANO was the orchestrator of the murder plot.After APALACHIN ,Genovese and Bonnano were set to roll . or so they thought.

In the Mike Wallace interview from early 80's, his exact words when Mike called him out on this exact issue where something like, "If Carmine Galante deala drugs, he do it withouta my knowledge, Yes"

read in a few books that giancana did call Anastasia down on scalise, my understanding is from what I read, that scalise was bringing heroin through Chicago, scalise did get hit, heard two versions of why, 1--- he was selling membership in lcn,
2- he was selling heroin. I think its a fact that there was a major disagreement.
as far as joe bonnano goes, he was a rat, in one book he laid out the structure of the commission, which gulianni used to convict bosses. and that's a fact.

@ mchang93


You summed up what I have thought for a long time as well. I'm always baffled as to why people ignore that alliance of marriages, and why they consider Bonnano a lightweight...

Yep. No coincidence that Tommy brown and CG arranged a marriage no more then few years after Bonnano and Profaci had. Bonnano was boss unchallenged for 30+ years he was no jack ass as is popular belief. Everyone has to remember we usually only hear one part of story in history and that's 99.9% of the time the winners side of things.

Yep. No coincidence that Tommy brown and CG arranged a marriage no more then few years after Bonnano and Profaci had. Bonnano was boss unchallenged for 30+ years he was no jack ass as is popular belief. Everyone has to remember we usually only hear one part of story in history and that's 99.9% of the time the winners side of things.

Also if Joe B was such an ass clown as most seem to think then why was he consulted before Galante was hit? He was no push over people feared him for years after he lost "power" and I am sure for good reason.

My guess is that since Galante was Bonanno's former underboss and protege, the other bosses (especially Funzi Tieri and Big Paul Castellano) sought Joe Bananas opinion on this matter.

The bosses (Castellano, Persico, Tony Ducks Corallo, Jerry Catena, Santo Trafficante, Funzi Tieri) held a Commission meeting, and all (except for Carmine Persico, who opposed the hit on Galante as he was good friends with him) voted to have Galante killed off. To do this, they got the approval of Rusty Rastelli, and may have asked Joe Bananas about the planned hit on Galante.

They may have sent emissaries (possibly Neil Dellacroce, among others), and Bonanno gave them the nod to have Galante killed off. It's also possible that the emissaries sent a veiled threat to Bonanno to stay in Arizona or face a similar fate like Galante. I'm sure Bonanno got the warning, and did nothing to prevent Galante from getting killed.

http://www.cosanostranews.com/2014/01/funzi-tieri-got-nod-from-bananas.html

Joe Bonanno was definitely a huge power and smart guy in his time. He was named boss at 25 and held that title for 30 years. I know this was during the glory days as far as law enforcement pressure was concerned but that is still an amazing accomplishment.

Having said that, I don't buy the idea that he was consulted about the Carmine Galante hit before it happened and gave his approval. By 1979 Bonanno had no real power. I'm sure there were still some loyalists, but whoever was on his side was no match for one NY family let alone the whole Commission.

Agreed.

John Gotti Jr.'s book and Joe Bonanno's book are the two most self serving books I've ever read.

If he was selling heroin, he wasn't the only boss, or second in command to be doing so. So I find it somewhat unlikely that they'd kill him for that.

It may be the worse mob book ever wrote. Just a steamy dump. It came out after godfather 2 movie rite board? Actualy it didnt come out till like 1980 something. I rember that paul castemalno book where there a wire in his house 82 hes talking about the book like its so bullshit. Wasnt it paul n joe gallo the consig. You know the bosses should have killed him for it cause rudy g said it was evidence after the commssion trial. Crazy. What a bad book any how full of 1 sided history. But j
He lived to 2004 i think crazy.

Joe massino you renamed that family after yourself the balls in ya court. Rewrite history. Fuck even sal vitale but please not a raplh natale book. I seen at barnes n noble didnt even skim it for more than 2 min. Had a starbucks coffee had to run.

one thing stands out to me after reading all these posts, in realation to joe bonanno, i really think he did put out those contracts that columbo burned him on, i don't think magliocco had the cajones to attempt that dangerous plot. still a mystery to me how joe bonanno talked his way out of it, the post about giancana getting in albert anastasia's face at a commission meeting, is told in many books, "five families" "the don" [about giancana] the situation that existed was that scalise was running heroin through chicago, and giancana was furious, i think he did get in anastasia's face, but, it would seem like a dangerous move, and it's said in many articles that there was some selling of memberships, and it's said both anastasia, and scalise were heavily involved, in the book about appalachia, it was discussed. also in the book "havana nocturne" it's mentioned. and as to bonanno not mentioning galente, he must think he can pull the wool over everyone's eyes.... galente was one of the biggest heroin dealers in the U.S. and bonanno set it all up in sicily.

Shitt Ralphie when you're right, you're right... but u gotta add Ralph Natales book into this list too holy shit dude he makes himself seem like Lucky Luciano of the Delaware Valley

But Bonnanos pathetic attempts to dodge being a murdering, drug pushing gangsters and instead come up with that bogus horseshit about being a father to the family, upholding some honor and claiming he didnt know his UB Galante was one of the biggest Heroin imprters ever and the 56 Palermo meeting wasn't about setting up a drug pipeline is insulting to the viewer.. makes me sick... least guys like Anastasia. lucky, even gotti acknowledged what they were .. i can respect that.. but Bonnanos lower than them and deserves no respect and should absolutely be labeled a rat

THE COURT FINDS THE DEFENDENT JOSEPH BONANNO GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!!

The book was published in 1983, written in the years leading up to that time (late 1970's/early 80's). I'm guessing a lot of what he wrote had to be filtered to of course try to wash his hands of the heroin epidemic he and Galante helped facilitate, but also to probably avoid any type of subpoena or possible charges relating to Galante (pre/post mortem). There was no benefit to him telling his story with Galante as a character, even though it's a huge, gaping hole. I think mentioning such a current player like Galante, the way he was taken out, and the investigation following, Bonanno was probably advised just to leave him out of the story by his legal representatives, just guessing though.

I have to say, even though there are huge lies and omissions in Bonanno's book, I did find the parts about the Castellamarese War and mob politics of the glory days interesting.

Bonnano and his Son have always been a joke..I'm surprised the Family is still around especially with his name..What a waste ..