J Edgar Hoover and the American Mafia

[The Dharma Bum]

By all accounts J Edgar Hoover denied or downplayed the existence of organized crime in the US There are several theories, the most obvious being that the mob had hard evidence of Hoover's sexual peccadillos and was blackmailing him.

There is also the theory that Hoover was corrupted and taking money from the mob. One story attempts to lead the listener to believe the mob supplied tips on rigged horse races to Hoover through Walter Winchell. So was he ignoring the mafia so he could a few bets? Maybe, who knows?

That leads us to another theory. Did Hoover, like most Americans at the time, use illicit goods and services and look at organized crime as a local issue, and necessary social outlet? A lot of people at the time had this sort of attitude toward the black market.

My personal theory is that Hoover knew that the big money that mob had access to would corrupt FBI agents and his ultimate goal was idealistic, to build a incorruptible federal law enforcement and investigative agency to deal with the enemies of the USA. I think he probably looked at the mob as a minor local matter that would possibly tarnish the reputation of what he wanted to be known as an incorruptible cadre of communist hunters, to be seen as the heroic defenders of the state. This explains such seemingly anomalous policy decisions such the decision to an in depth probe into the sex life of Dr. Martin Luther King.

It seems that his interest was in protecting the status quo, which King threatened with equal rights for minorities, rather than eliminating organized crime and corruption, which he claimed didn't exist several times.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover

Definitely one of the most fascinating, and unknowable, figures in history.

[The Dharma Bum]

[Mogli]

"the most obvious being that the mob had hard evidence of Hoover's sexual peccadillos and was blackmailing him."

This is an old strategy and they use it all the time. Have you looked into Bohemian Grove at all? All the rich and powerful go there. They do mock sacrifices of babies. It's super creepy. I believe that's where they get footage of some of the powerful to silence them. You know, videos, photos, in compromising positions. It's true. How do you think they bribed justice Roberts over Obamacare? Blackmail.

[The Dharma Bum]

I think the claims surrounding Bohemian Grove are sensationalistic and disinformational in character. However I don't doubt that all sorts of dirty tricks are employed routinely in the service of maintaining an exploitative economic system.