Confirmation of Chicago Consiglio 1969

[Coloboy]

Interesting find here Tony. While there could be confusion regarding the national commission vs. the chicago ruling council here, it could also be argued that Chicago had some degree of control over the families outside of the east coast, including New Orleans. Perhaps they had some degree of authority in a matter like this without having to consult the national commission.

[B.]

Joe Bonanno said one of the issues between Aiello and Masseria is that Aiello wanted to represent the western half of the US. If that's accurate, it's possible Aiello and his allies not only hated Masseria but also saw the idea of one national capo based on the East Coast as an inconvenient arrangement in terms of national representation. Chicago didn't magically get a Commission seat in 1931 and keep it while other Families came and went -- it was the major political base outside of New York much earlier.

Just like the Commission wasn't as revolutionary as people once assumed and evolved from highly formal Gran Consiglio / Assemblea Generale bodies, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an earlier form of representation for smaller Families. We do know those early meetings had a ton of representatives in attendance but there may have been powerful Families who represented smaller Families when needed. For example we can't be sure that Gran Consiglio members weren't assigned to specific Families as national mediators and it's a guess either way but we do know there were defacto relationships like this long before the Commission. Nicola Gentile served in this capacity for sure within his sub-network.

You also have to look at Nicolo Schiro who was never the capo dei capi but had significant influence in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philly, Buffalo, New England, and Detroit, with men from his own network if not Family becoming bosses there while Schiro was in power. He was politically distinct from the capo D'Aquila too and at odds with him at various times.

The thing is, these relationships are meant to be representational. We have sources in the Midwest who say that even though Chicago was their Commission avugad they didn't abuse their power over smaller Families but rather helped them mediate disputes and represented their interests nationally when needed.

There was underhanded stuff but I think it was Maniaci who said the Midwestern Families had to willingly invite Chicago's direct influence like Balistrieri did. Chicago figures had opinions on the Rockford boss election for example but they didn't influence it and Rockford deliberately elected someone who wasn't linked to Chicago. Then you have the situation Calabrese talked about where Rockford and Chicago had a dispute over two Rockford associates who had been working with Chicago but rather than overpowering Rockford, which Chicago easily could have done, Carlisi acknowledged Rockford's claim and let the associates return to Rockford.

I'm sure the Chicago leadership discussed some of these things among themselves, maybe even as the consiglio or what Lonardo called the "Chicago Commission". That Giancana / Accardo tape is just a casual conversation not Giancana seeking formal counsel (though Accardo did sit on the consiglio) but when he complained about the Philly dispute he had to attend Accardo did give Giancana advice on how to approach his Commission role before launching into the tirade about Joe Bonanno's conduct in Arizona.

[B.]

There's also the meeting Bomp talked about where he went with Jack Dragna and Joe Ardizzone to Chicago where Al Capone mediated the LA conflict surrounding Ardizzone's violent conduct. Bomp thought it was in 1928 or 1929 but he said this is where Ardizzone's murder was approved and that it was subsequently carried out.

The year would have to be 1931 after Capone was confirmed as Chicago boss. The first attempt on Ardizzone was in March of that year but I don't know if that attempt was related to the LA conflict or after outside mediation. Obviously as Bomp indicates Ardizzone's murder a bit later definitely had national approval.

Bomp didn't say it was a Commission meeting, just mentioned the meeting being in Chicago and chaired by Capone. 1928 Cleveland attendee John Mirabella was there but I don't know where he was living at the time, though it could indicate other national representatives were there given Mirabella acted in that capacity earlier.

What's interesting is the Lucchese Family represented LA on the Commission and you'd think they would be involved in the LA dispute and they probably were but Bomp only mentions Chicago. Hard to piece together the exact timeline based on Bomp's account but it does show Chicago mediating on behalf of LA.

[PolackTony]

Another thing to note is that Maniaci stated that when Milwaukee clipped Jack Enea in 1954, it was done with “authority given by Chicago”. This would further suggest that Chicago functioned as a de facto “Commission” for the Families that it represented if it was sufficient to get Chicago’s approval to execute a member.

Also from Maniaci:

[nizarsoccer]

I was trying to find the original document's reference to the Consiglio on MF. If it's not from there, where is it from and is it publicly accessible?

[cavita]

Another thing to note is that Maniaci stated that when Milwaukee clipped Jack Enea in 1954, it was done with “authority given by Chicago”. This would further suggest that Chicago functioned as a de facto “Commission” for the Families that it represented if it was sufficient to get Chicago’s approval to execute a member.

Also from Maniaci:

Since I have it handy, here is the one FBI file I have mentioning Marinelli killed Enea but have not seen that anywhere else.

[B.]

Chicago would have been involved on some level in the conspiracy to kill Enea given the Enea-DiTrapani-LaGalbo faction was petitioning Chicago for support in usupring Alioto and helped mediate the aftermath.

Nizar -- Gentile used the Italian word "consiglio" to refer to it and Bompensiero used a dialect version to describe the Chicago consiglio. Most sources use the translated "council" or other localized terms but the wealth of evidence shows it to be the same body distinct from the administration.

[PolackTony]

Chicago would have been involved on some level in the conspiracy to kill Enea given the Enea-DiTrapani-LaGalbo faction was petitioning Chicago for support in usupring Alioto and helped mediate the aftermath.

Nizar -- Gentile used the Italian word "consiglio" to refer to it and Bompensiero used a dialect version to describe the Chicago consiglio. Most sources use the translated "council" or other localized terms but the wealth of evidence shows it to be the same body distinct from the administration.

Yeah, the FBI transcribed it as “consignu” in the ‘69 file from Bomp, which to me is clearly the Sicilianu “consigghiu”.

[nizarsoccer]

Chicago would have been involved on some level in the conspiracy to kill Enea given the Enea-DiTrapani-LaGalbo faction was petitioning Chicago for support in usupring Alioto and helped mediate the aftermath.

Nizar -- Gentile used the Italian word "consiglio" to refer to it and Bompensiero used a dialect version to describe the Chicago consiglio. Most sources use the translated "council" or other localized terms but the wealth of evidence shows it to be the same body distinct from the administration.

Oh I got that (fascinating work) - my question was more inquiring where you found this document in the first since I looked through Mary and couldn't find it. A private collection or Bomp's file?