I doubt Pesci does Goodfellas if not for Scorsese. There was nobody like Scorsese involved with Gotti. That's why Pesci passed. He knew he was dealing with amateurs. I just don't buy that the integrity or honesty of any movie has to do with Pesci's decision not to be in it.

"...the successful annihilation of organized crime's subculture in America would rock the 'legitimate' world's foundation, which would ultimately force fundamental social changes and redistributions of wealth and power in this country. Meyer Lansky's dream was to bond the two worlds together so that one could not survive without the other." - Dan E. Moldea