THOUGHTS ON ORGANIZED CRIME PROGRAM

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8
Release Decision: 
RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
5
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 10, 2009
Sequence Number: 
8
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
July 12, 1982
Content Type: 
MEMO
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PDF icon CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8.pdf260.54 KB
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Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83MOO914R002200240008-8 THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON FROM: TONY DOLAN NSC review completed. Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83MOO914R002200240008-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8 Gzm_sa'* a+,clatrl f7 c July 12, 1982 MEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM FRENCH SMITH, ATTORNEY GENERAL NSC review completed. TEX LEZAR ANTHONY R. DOLAN Thoughts On Organized Crime Program rJ Here is a suggested 11 point program on organized crime. 1) Ex]~ert.Meetings -- It might be useful for Justice Department officials to meet on a fairly regular basis with those outside of federal law enforcement who have dealt professionally with organized crime problems. These "reports from the front" oftentimes provide the kind of valuable information and insight- that fails to make it through to the top of the bureaucracy. I am thinking here of people like Bob Green, the senior editor of Newsday (who ran the Arizona project -- the probe of reporter Don Bolles' death), Tom Renner, Newsday's expert on the mob and the author of My Life in the Mafia, the Wall Street Journal's Jonathan Kwitney, author of a magnificent book on the mob in the marketplace, James Dubro, the producer and head researcher for the famous Canadian Broadcasting Company's documentary on organized crime. Other names are Nicholas Pellegi, Clark Mollenhoff, Charles Rogovin, etc. 2) Kefauver Type Commission -- A Presidential commission on organized crime could make a truly historic. contribution to crippling the syndicate in America.. There is nothing that organized crime fears more than the exposure of its deep roots and wide connections. Such a commission could not only suggest important legislative remedies, it would also remind the American people of the seriousness of this cancer in our society. It would have to attract a cross section of support -- for that reason, you would probably want to think about putting on people like Sam Nunn, Jack Kemp, Tom McBride (IG. at labor), Dick Kusserow (IG.. at HHS and formally head of eight organized crime squads in Chicago), Thomas Puccio, some local and state prosecutors and perhaps a police officer or two (Joseph Waumbaugh has expressed great interest in this matter). This national commission should be empowered for 5 years and have subpoena powers; it should deliberate and hold hearings for the first year ---general testimony, for example, from Judge Webster on the nature of organized crime today; it should then set up five regional commissions that hold hearings for another year or two and report their findings back to the major commission. Then the major commission should hold additional hearings and prepare a report to Congress and the President. Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8 Page Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8 This commission could look into the deep organized crime involvement in American business, unions, government waste and fraud, the legal profession, entertainment industry, narcotics, racing, pornography, gambling, etc. 3) Attorney General's Speech -- The Attorney General's reputation as an effective administrator and propitious reformer is now well established. This speech should be his declaration of war on the single greatest crime problem facing the American. people. This speech should note the historic nature of this problem, its theme should be quite clear: organized crime has thrived in America for nearly 100 years. The time has come for us to remove this blot from our past. 4) Presidential Speech on Organized Crime -- The President should point out in this major television address (we may want to have an audience for this as well -- how about all of the U.S. Attorneys?) that street crime is related to organized crime. That our crime problem in America stems from the growth of a "community of crime" -- and that organized crime is the cancerous center of this criminal activity. This community of career criminals -- the street mugger, the hold-up artist, the professional burglar, the local fence, the gambling czar, the mob boss, the corrupt policeman, the crooked lawyer, the compromised public official -- all help each other and they all need each other. The President can make reference to the Attorney General's meetings with experts on organized crime and his recent speech, then go on to announce the formation of the national commission. The President should also mention some of these steps presented below. 5) Fifty States Project -- The President must point out that organized crime will only ultimately be broken apart at the local level. This means that state and local communities must address this problem in an entirely different way. It means local police departments must toughen up their attack against those industries that provide much of the revenue: gambling, pornography, etc. It should point out the absolute importance of strong internal affairs departments in police departments and the necessity of special sections to investigate allegations of corruption in the legal system in the various states. The President might also suggest that local police departments establish organized crime squads instead of the old racket squads and that these squads obtain special training in Washington. All of these suggestions would be made in letters to the governors of the fifty states. 7) White House Conference on Organized Crime and Public Corruption -- The President would host this conference run by the Justice Department. It would discuss the Fifty State proposals. 8) Justice Department Training -- For prosecutors and possibly policemen who need to acquire the expertise to investigate Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8 Page Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8 sophisticated crime such as internal corruption complicated fraud matters and other organized crime cases. This would be a training academy much in the manner of the FBI academy. 9.) Yearly Report by the Attorney General.-- The Attorney General should ask for Congress for authorization to make a yearly report of the status and nature of organized crime in America. 10) Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee -- A committee run by. the. Attorney General to coordinate all the various law enforcement agencies of the federal government in a methodical and organized attack on the mob. 11) Federal Law Enforcement Appointments -- Future appointments to DEA, FBI, Strike Force,. Public Integrity sections should be made with an emphasis on the organized crime problem. Since its inception in the late 1800s, organized crime has grown at an appalling rate and today enjoys immense power in America. Justice Department efforts to combat it have -- at best -- had a marginal impact. Except on rare occasions, these efforts have been reminiscent of the half-hearted attempts of the British and French governments during "The Phony War" of 1940 -- though the problem is critical, the impulse is to conduct business as usual. What is needed now is a total war on the internal menace -- this means aggressive and responsible strategic planning as well as the mobilization of all our National resources in carrying out these plans. There are three reasons for doing this. First,. the American people want it done. They have a deep intuitive knowledge of the seriousness of this problem. We see it evidenced even in our popular culture, the cult for example of The Godfather or The Untouchables. An effective attack on organized crime would be responsive to this national invitation and help restore faith in our legal system. Second, the continuing prosperity of organized crime is a serious threat to our health and stability as a Nation. It is a cancer in the body politic that is growing and spreading. Third -- most important -- it is the right thing to do. We now have enormous power at our. disposal.-- the means to make - Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83MOO914R002200240008-8 Page Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83M00914R002200240008-8 this Administration the Administration that crippled the mob. We cannot lose this opportunity. In the. end, this is what it comes down to: organized criminals are human predators. What kind of people are we, what does.it say about us -- if we do not -- in the time remaining -- do all in our power to remove this blot from our history and end this blight on our country? Approved For Release 2009/08/10: CIA-RDP83MOO914R002200240008-8