Russell Bufalino Tells Jimmy Hoffa What It Is

Martin Scorcese’s The Irishman was based on the memoirs of mob hitman Frank Sheeran. Charles Brandt’s I Heard You Paint Houses–The Biggest Hit in Mob History outlines how Sheeran hit his friend Jimmy Hoffa on the orders of Russell Bufalino, the boss of Philadelphia’s crime family. Hoffa had insisted on running for re-election as the leader of the Teamsters after he was released from prison. They tried to warn him. ‘Talk to you friend,’ Bufalino instructed Sheeran. “Tell him what it is.” “In our way of speaking,’ Sheeran explained, “Even though it doesn’t sound like much, that was as good as a death threat.” One theme of the book was Hoffa’s hatred of attorney general Bobby Kennedy, who’d cracked down on the crime syndicates which had facilitated his brother’s wins in the states of Illinois and Virginia. Sheeran outlined the mob’s involvement in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and dropped a bomb in Chapter 26, when he described one of Bufalino and Hoffa’s final meetings:

“”What are you running for?’ Russell said. ‘You don’t need the money.’

‘It’s not about the money,’ Jimmy said. ‘I’m not letting Fitz have the union.’

Russell didn’t say anything for a minute. He jus ate in silence. People didn’t say no to Russell and he usually never had to ask twice.

Jimmy said, ‘I’m going to take care of the people who’ve been fucking me.’

Russell turned to Jimmy and was now facing Jimmy and me both.

‘There are people higher up than me that feel you are demonstrating a failure to show appreciation,’ and then he said so softly that I had to read his lips, ‘for Dallas.'”

Charles Brandt, I Heard You Paint Houses, The Biggest Hit in Mob History, Steerforth Press, 2004.

Anti-lockdown Protest Signs, London, June 26, 2021

This post is most definitely not an endorsement.

Gmphotostore.com

Le Chemin de Fer de Baikal

Robert Maxwell, MP

The sociopathic media baron Robert Maxwell– now best known for his theft of the Mirror Group’s pension fund and siring the dread Ghislaine–served two terms as a Labour MP for Buckingham. In his first term he was appointed the chairman of the House of Commons Catering Committee. He got into it with William van Straubenzee over cold lamb cutlets and James Dance over the wine and cigarettes available in the Members’ Dining Rooms:

Mr. Maxwell: I have been asked to reply.

Stocks of wine have recently been run down, because in the present financial situation the Refreshment Department cannot continue to allow a great deal of its cash to be tied up in such large stocks. This run-down was preparatory to putting the supply of wine on an entirely new basis, which will relieve the Department of the need to tie up capital in stocks of wine, and will also improve the choice. The change will take effect in the very near future.

I am aware of no restriction on the selection of tobacco.

Mr. Dance: Is the hon. Member aware that for roughly the best part of a week, ending last Tuesday, no carafe white wine was available either in the Members’ or in the Strangers’ Dining Rooms, and that there was virtually no choice of tobacco or cigarettes? In fact, last Monday at one time we ran completely out. Does he think that it is a good advertisement for Britain that the Palace of Westminster should have such very poor stocks? Is he further aware that it is soul destroying—

Mr. Speaker: Order. We cannot have long questions like this. Mr. Maxwell.

Mr. Maxwell: I am not aware that there has been any restriction on the selection of wines. There has for a period of two or three days been no service of a particular carafe wine due to shortage of staff, but this has now been remedied.

Sir Knox Cunningham: Now that the financial situation is improving, can the hon. Gentleman say when the promised increase in salaries and wages will be paid? *

Mr. Maxwell: I can say that an increase has been promised, and I hope the increase will be paid as from October of this year.

Mr. Dance: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, I seek your guidance. There may be some misunderstanding that in my supplementary question I was insinuating that this might be soul-destroying for hon. Members of this House. I did not mean that. I meant for members of our trusted staff.

*Sir Knox had no idea who he was dealing with.

Hansard, June 19, 1967, vol 748 cc1115-7.
Photo: Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANeFo), 1945-1989,Nummer toegang 2.24.01.05 Bestanddeelnummer 934-4359.

The Opening of Collins Bridge, Miami, Fla.

Collins Bridge crossed the Biscayne Bay and connected Miami Beach to the mainland and was once the longest wooden bridge in the world. It opened on June 12, 1913.

This image, a photonegative of a postcard (“Opening of Collins Bridge, over 3 miles long, Miami, Fla.”), was taken from the Florida Photographic Collection, where it is image N028477.