Good topic Zavattoni

After Moretti was killed in 1951 Costello moved Vito back up to underboss so I think they had at least some type of working relationship that they both accepted. I'm sure they didn't like each other but for the good of everyone they both made it work. Costello was facing a lot of heat after the Kefauver hearings and testimony and was subsequently jailed after that. When he got out he got hit with tax evasion charges and sentenced to prison. I think he got out on appeal and then found guilty again so during this time he was in the spotlight and in and out of jail. Vito had to be running things in the street and I'm sure loving it that all of the spotlight and heat was on Costello and he was free to run things like he wanted.

With his legal problems I don't think Costello was in a position to do anything against Vito and they both knew it. Like others have said Costello was never really in tune with what was going on in the streets and really had no use for the mob politics. I don't think he was a power hungry guy and becoming boss really fell in his lap. I don't think being boss is something that he would have tried to keep at all costs.

I think if Costello was truly worried about Genovese he would never have moved him back to underboss. Like I said although they couldn't stand each other they did what they had to do to make things work.
Costello had to know though that with the power Genovese was accumulating while he was locked up that there is no way he was going to relinquish that. It was Vito's now. If he wanted to keep the power moving Genovese to underboss was not a smart move.

I think Costello knew all along that his days at the top were coming to an end and I think he was content to hand things over to Genovese eventually anyway. I think Vito sensed this as well but simply got impatient and said I'm not waiting on you anymore and I'm taking what's already mine for good.