[Angelique]

It's fairly well known that Joe Kennedy made his fortune running booze during the Great Depression.

First, RLK, thank you for the referral to the book. I really do not know what running booze is, other than it is illegal, but my dem friend told me that Lieberman's dad did this. During the campaign, I think sanctimonious Joe painted quite a different picture.

[RLK]

Years ago when cosa nostra chirman of the commission Frank Costello was brought befor the Kefawver crime commission he asked if he sold illegal booze during prohibition. His answer was, "Everybody sold illegal booze during the 20s." Joe Kennedy was one of them. He also got exclusive license to import certain kinds of scotch later when it was legal usng his contacts. During the 20s there were three ethnic groups that were crime leaders. The first were Jews headed by Meyer Lansky and later Mickey Cohen. The Irish had their group known in some areas as the Westies who controlled their areas. The third was the Italians. Salvatore Luchiannia, better known as Lucky Luchiano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, anf Buggsy Siegal grew up together. Lucky negotiated a peace between the Irish and Italian, with Costello's help. The Irish were allowed to go their own way in their own territories. The Jews and Italians formed a commision to prevent rogues such as Capone, and to prevent widespread violence that had been bringing trouble for the mob. Such things as illegal gambling became a well a well organized business with people such as Costello as chairman of the board of directors. Kennedy want his own way among the Irish and engaged in political corruption. At some point he entered the fringes of politics under Roosevelt in attempt to gain respectability. The ultimate goal was to get one or more of his kids in as president, which he did starting with the groundwork in the late 30s and early 40s. He had somewher between $200,000,000 and $400,000,000 to push buttons with and was successful in so doing.