First of all, Jr gotti was apart of a council because they didn't trust him to make decisions on his own, Jr had no choice??? If the mafia would take jr back he would do it in a heartbeat, he is an opportunist...and granted merlino is not as powerful as other bosses but he have thier respect, there's a reason why the genovese haven't taken over phillip yet

"McGurn likes you, so I make you. So you are now one of us, if you fuck up, we take it out on McGurn. He is your sponsor. Fuck up, it's his ass. You work in his crew, he is your capo."