by B. » Sat May 09, 2020 4:40 pm
Scarpa also reported that Joe Colombo was "campaigning" for the boss position behind the scenes, which was against the rules. Not dissimilar to what John Gotti did, though the circumstances were different. I believe this secret sort of "campaigning" was probably rampant in every boss election despite having a rule against it.
When Magaddino was recorded talking to two Bonanno leaders in 1964, he explained how the family must choose their own acting boss and then vote them in as official boss, and after the family has chosen their candidate it is approved by the Commission. The Bonanno leaders were confused, though, and thought the Commission installed Joe Colombo as acting boss. Magaddino explained that when a family is having trouble, the Commission might appoint an acting boss who then becomes voted in by the family and confirmed as the official boss, and he uses Carlo Gambino as an example, saying that Gambino was appointed acting boss by the Commission because he was already the consigliere and would keep the family together. Joe Colombo seems to have followed a similar route.
^ You can see where someone could interpret the promotion of Gambino and Colombo as the Commission forcing their hand, which they very well might have, but at least in those days the groups still went through the motions of election protocol.
Colombo's predecessor Joe Magliocco was more or less accused of campaigning and setting up a bullshit election to get himself in as boss. As we know, he didn't have actual support from LoCicero, the Gallo faction, and the Carini faction, all of which were actively trying to undermine Magliocco's leadership during his entire run as defacto boss, and Magliocco was never confirmed as official boss by the Commission. Magliocco also avoided meeting with the Commission for an extended point of time after his alleged "election" and this added to his illegitimacy.
Scarpa also reported that Joe Colombo was "campaigning" for the boss position behind the scenes, which was against the rules. Not dissimilar to what John Gotti did, though the circumstances were different. I believe this secret sort of "campaigning" was probably rampant in every boss election despite having a rule against it.
When Magaddino was recorded talking to two Bonanno leaders in 1964, he explained how the family must choose their own acting boss and then vote them in as official boss, and after the family has chosen their candidate it is approved by the Commission. The Bonanno leaders were confused, though, and thought the Commission installed Joe Colombo as acting boss. Magaddino explained that when a family is having trouble, the Commission might appoint an acting boss who then becomes voted in by the family and confirmed as the official boss, and he uses Carlo Gambino as an example, saying that Gambino was appointed acting boss by the Commission because he was already the consigliere and would keep the family together. Joe Colombo seems to have followed a similar route.
^ You can see where someone could interpret the promotion of Gambino and Colombo as the Commission forcing their hand, which they very well might have, but at least in those days the groups still went through the motions of election protocol.
Colombo's predecessor Joe Magliocco was more or less accused of campaigning and setting up a bullshit election to get himself in as boss. As we know, he didn't have actual support from LoCicero, the Gallo faction, and the Carini faction, all of which were actively trying to undermine Magliocco's leadership during his entire run as defacto boss, and Magliocco was never confirmed as official boss by the Commission. Magliocco also avoided meeting with the Commission for an extended point of time after his alleged "election" and this added to his illegitimacy.