I don't happen to think that Gotti did a particularly fantastic job as a boss and he definitely left the family worse off than when he got there so I'm no Gotti sympathizer but this is not correct.
Following the Castellano hit, with both the boss and underboss dead, two meetings were held and chaired but Joe Gallo, who as consigliore held the highest ranking position in the Gambino's at the time...so I guess the balance of power.
All capos attended these meetings. The first was to alert the captains to situation and tell them they were making enquires. The second about a week later, was to vote in a new boss. DeCicco nominated Gotti and he was unanimously voted in by all capos. He immediately appointed DeCicco underboss and announced he was retaining Gall as his consig.
Although the circumstances were probably very ominous with everybody in attendance knowing it was Gotti and co. who were behind the move, protocol was followed and that was the time for any capos who thought otherwise to nominate an alternative as boss. Envoys were then sent to the other family's to notify them of the change in administration. That's as legitimate as it gets.
I believe it was Gravano who said the only captain not there that night was Nino Gaggi.
Please forgive my choice of words. When I say that Gotti was not the legitimate Boss of the Gambinos, I meant exactly that, based on the idea that he didn't have Commission approval to ascend to take control of a Borgata. I didn't mean to imply that he was horrible at being a Boss.
Yes, he was voted in by a majority of Caporegimes, but that is only the smaller part of what makes a Boss legit. The Commission needed to approve Big Paul's removal, which it didn't.
"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."
