Fox News' MacCallum on alleged plot against Giuliani: "Does it make him, you know, even more, sort of, invincible?"
On the October 25 edition of Fox News' The Live Desk, host Martha MacCallum reported on recent allegations that during the 1980s, "John Gotti, the late head of the Gambino crime family, along with four other powerful mafia family bosses, at one time thought about and talked about ... whacking" Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, who then was a U.S. attorney. Following the report, MacCallum asked attorney Arthur Aidala: "But in terms of Rudy Giuliani and his presidential aspirations, does this help him, this story? Does it make him, you know, even more, sort of, invincible?"
The New York Times reported on October 26 that the alleged plot against Giuliani "was revealed on Wednesday in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn during the murder trial of R. Lindley DeVecchio, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation supervisor. State prosecutors have accused him of revealing confidential information to his prized informer, helping to set up four killings." According to the Times:
Amid Mr. DeVecchio's voluminous investigative records, prosecutors found a typewritten note referring to a tip from his informer, Gregory Scarpa Sr. The note said that the family bosses were split 3 to 2 against the proposition of killing Mr. Giuliani, with the Gambino boss John J. Gotti and the Colombo boss Carmine Persico on the losing end.
The Times also reported that "the plot, as described, drew some skepticism from experts on the Mafia, including former law enforcement officials," adding: "For one thing, assassinating a prosecutor would go against decades of tradition. American Mafia leaders have generally treated their organizations as businesses primarily concerned with making money. Killing law enforcement officials, in this view, would only draw unwanted scrutiny."
From the October 25 edition of Fox News' The Live Desk:
MacCALLUM: Rudy Giuliani, as we mentioned on the way to the break, says he's a big fan of the mafia thriller movies The Godfather and probably The Godfather [Part] II as well, but according to a bombshell record that was just made public -- this is fascinating -- new court testimony reveals that John Gotti, the late head of the Gambino crime family, along with four other powerful mafia family bosses, at one time thought about and talked about -- there's a look at those mafia bosses -- about whacking Rudy. Fox's Eric Shawn has been following this story for many, many years, and he joins us with this story. Hey, Eric.
SHAWN: Hey, Martha. "Well, it is the one vote I want" -- that the reaction today of Rudy Giuliani to the news that the mafia considered rubbing him out, but decided to spare him. The claim has surfaced in that mafia-related trial that's now ongoing in New York. The claim that in the 1980s, when Mr. Giuliani was the U.S. attorney for the New York area and was prosecuting mob bosses -- the mafia commission, the ruling body of the mob -- that they voted whether or not to kill him. The result: 3-2 against rubbing Rudy out.
Giuliani's office at the time tried all five bosses of the mafia families that ruled organized crime in our country. It was known as the commission trial. As it turns out, they were all convicted and sentenced to 100 years in prison. One boss, though, who was not part of that trial was John Gotti, who went on to become the head of the Gambino crime family. The prosecutor's memo from 1987 says that informants claim that the bosses split on putting that hit on Giuliani, with "yes" votes coming from John Gotti and the head of the Colombo crime family, Carmine "The Snake" Persico, all voting to whack Rudy. There were allegations, though, that later Persico tried to put his own contract out on Giuliani. Persico, by the way, is still in prison. Mr. Gotti has since died.
As for Giuliani, he jokes that early in his career the mob put out a contract on his life for $800,000, but the price went down over the years.
GIULIANI [video clip]: Right near the end of the time I was a United States attorney, another organized crime figure that got angry, took it personally that we put him in jail for 100 years, put out a contract on me, to kill me, again. This time for $400,000. I was going in the wrong direction.
SHAWN: That reference, obviously, to Carmine "The Snake" Persico. The one mobster that I talked with -- this guy -- actually liked Giuliani! In 1999, I met with Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. Gravano had been Gotti's underboss, and Sammy "The Bull" told me that, yes, he supported Giuliani in his race in Senate against Hillary Clinton. Gravano said -- I remember the quote very well -- "Hey, the guy cleaned up New York City! Take a look!" So, believe it or not, Gravano actually supported Rudy. We don't know if he still is a Rudy supporter, because Mr. Gravano, a few months later, was arrested for drug dealing, and now, Martha, is in prison for the rest of his life.
MacCALLUM: About what he thinks about anything these days. Eric, thank you so much. Let me go straight to Arthur Aidala on this. I know you've been, you know, watching some of this trial that we're talking about here unfold. But in terms of Rudy Giuliani and his presidential aspirations, does this help him, this story? Does it make him, you know, even more, sort of, invincible?
AIDALA: Well, I definitely -- I think it highlights at a national level how involved he was in taking out organized crime. And he was, I mean the bottom line is that I've been at that trial, I was there today. It's a trial against an FBI agent who was cooperating with organized crime in tipping their hand. Does it help Rudy? That's -- we're focusing on what he did that period in his life? Yeah.
It's fascinating to compare Michael Brick's original Times article to the way MacCallum presented it. The entire premise of Brick's article was to question the veracity of the witness's claims--just look at the headline ("’80s Plot to Hit Giuliani? Mob Experts Doubt It")--while MacCallum passes those claims along as fact in order to bolster Guiliani's tough-guy credentials.
The very first thing out of her mouth in this clip reveals how quick she is to embellish:
"Rudy Giuliani, as we mentioned on the way to the break, says he's a big fan of the mafia thriller movies The Godfather and probably The Godfather [Part] II as well[...]"
It's a very minor point, but she's not even through her first sentence before she's seasoning the story with her own little made up facts. And "probably The Godfather II as well"? Yeah, probably, but why does she need to put words in his mouth? If he said he's a big fan of The Godfather, then just leave it at that.
Obviously it's nitpicky, but it's indicative of her entire approach to this story.
Rudy is an idiot. Invincable? Well, they can talk about Hillary's laugh (if they want), but we'll talk about his cell phone.
"Oh hello, dear. I'm talking to the NRA; would you like to say something to them?"
Gee. Now there's a ringing endorsement. "The Snake" likes Rudy. Stellar! I guess they probably do have some character traits in common.
But, really the crime families must not have viewed Rudy as that much of a threat. I mean they decided to keep him around; he must have been more use to them alive than dead. It's a business after all.
There you go Fox News, it's all in how you decide to build the narrative.
And as Clams points out above, it is only an alleged plot. So why make a big deal out of it if not to bolster that tough guy facade of America's drag queen, I mean America's adulterer, I mean America's incestual spouse...oh, you know what I mean!
What about all the plots against Bill Clinton when he was President, why does FOX News not discuss them? Phillipines?
"But in terms of Rudy Giuliani and his presidential aspirations, does this help him, this story? Does it make him, you know, even more, sort of, invincible?"
Hell No! Martha, it just makes him lucky, kind of like winning the lottery. What did Rudy do to stop Gotti from 'whacking' him? Nothing! Could Fox want to make Rudy appear tough cause he's appeared in a dress, comfortably I might add, so often?
And one has to wonder whether this non-story will get more airtime than the fact that Giuliani the candidate has contradicted his own testimony to the 9/11 Committee. From MSNBC :
... Rudy Giuliani's description of himself as the only candidate who foresaw the danger posed by al Qaeda before 9/11 has now been refuted by a leaked document.
... Giuliani acknowledged that even though he had received information on threats between 1998 and 2001, "At the time I had no idea it was al Qaeda."
It's a short article, but much more pertinent than bluff and bluster from a minor organized crime figure.
"But in terms of Rudy Giuliani and his presidential aspirations, does this help him, this story? Does it make him, you know, even more, sort of, invincible?"
An alleged 20-25 year old plot - consisting solely of at what mob bosses "one time thought about and talked about," is now suddenly all over FOX News? If it had gone even one step beyond idle conversation don't you think they'd have PROSECUTED them way back then? Boy they are really getting desperate for anything at all that they can find to try and sex up their weak slate of candidates.
Surely, we never expect that Brit or anyone else on that panel to say one thing about Giuliani's relationship to Kerik, or his heart to heart errrr mouth to mouth kiss with The Donald while dressed in drag with make up etc. Nor would they ever mention that a judge had to force him to remove the bad influence of his gal friend (#3 I think she was) or who knows how many, because having his girlfriend hang out in the Mayors home was such a poor influence on his kids. Of course we have yet to see just how heavily Kerik was involved with the mafia and even after it came to light, Giuliani kept his relationship with him through their company doing work in Iraq and none to honest in that project either. No, never expect any fair and balanced report on any Republican from Brit, that is for sure. He has sold his journalist's soul to the Republicans.
Perhaps I missed something here. 3 out of 5 NY crime-bosses thought Guiliani was just SOFT enough on crime to be kept better ALIVE. How does "no attempts on his life" spin Guiliani into Abe Lincoln?
Tutti, Frutti, Loony Rudy is unfit to hold the highest office in the land. This adulterer will only carry his baggage-and future girlfriends-to the White House.
Fox News Senile President and Bossman Roger Ailes and Tutti, Frutti, Loony Rudy have a business and personal relationship that dates back 20 years. Ailes-who should be forced to retire from News Corporation immediately, is backing Tutti, Frutti, Loony Rudy for his bid to the White House.
Failure in Life Sean is also backing Tutti, Frutti, Loony Rudy, but won't admit it in public. Besides, these two rightwing loons have a lot in common in regards to their personal lives and rocky marriages.
Fox News Channel is nothing more but a public relations firm for Tutti, Frutti, Loony Rudy. I encourage other candidates and concerned voters to out this fraudulent news organization publicly and file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission in Washington, DC. Visit www.fec.gov.
Another disturbing element to this posturing by Fox: the mafia is sort of portrayed as such tough guys instead of common thugs and criminals. The kind of super macho crap these faux patriots so admire...
Also: people who lie and steal are not admirable in any way no matter how rich they are. (At least the mafia is known to be a criminal enterprise)
Ok..help me out….where is the “Conservative Misinformation” here? What is the MM beef here? Are they now against any story that does not trash a conservative? Any story that makes and GOP candidate look good, or does not attack them is now worthy of a MM headline???? Must have been a very very slow news day.
It's pretty simple: MacCallum distorted a New York Times story in order to make Guiliani look good. What part of that is confusing you?
Where is the distortion??...is it that some “mafia experts” say it “may not have happened”. You have got to be kidding me??? The details of the plot came from actual people in the mob, but a few experts “question” it. So I guess the new standard is any time anyone questions a story, it can not be aired. Wait a minute, aren’t the libs still claiming that Dan Rather should not have been fired for his “made up” story. I mean, after all, plenty of people question those documents, so he should have been fired after all???
Point of View: This piece obviously demonstrates the lengths to which FOX News will go to bolster Giuliani's candidacy. They are taking a story that may not even be true(that the mob thought about assassinating Giuliani) and they are assuming that the story is true and then suggesting to their listeners that this story helps to make Giuliani "invincable." When you consider the following facts:1) The story may not be true; 2) the story is 25 years old and whether or not Giuliani was or was not a good prosecutor 25 years ago really has very little to do with his ability to be an effective President; and 3) No poll whatsoever supports calling Giuliani "invincible" then it is clear that FOX may be promoting his candidacy, which fact is further evidenced by Hannity speaking at Giuliani fundraisers. It seems to me that if an organization that bills itself as "a fair and balanced news organization" is actively supporting one Republican over other Republicans and over all Democrats, that is worth taking note of. Would you agree?
I would agree in part, but is seems that the entire story is overblown to me. 1. There seems to be little evidenc that the story is false. He was a prosecutor who went after the mob. It makes sence. 2. I disagree about his role as a D.A. The way he handled himself....good or bad is relevant in his bid for the highest office in the world. The past off ALL the candiates is very relevant to me. 3. I think what is the most overblown here is the "invincible" tag. To me it just showed that he is in fact tough, so tough the mob wanted him dead. The larger fact however remains. For a lot of conseratives....myself included, Rudy is nottttt conserative enough. He is to moderate for me. A lot of my liberal friends have made the same claim about Hillary....that she is to moderate for them. If the goal of Fox news is really getting a conserative elected, they could do a lot better than Rudy. Rudy has a lot of problems with the conserative base. It just seems to me that this story is a whole lot to do about nothing. Kind of like the Hillary cat story. I could care less what she did with her cat. This kind of attention on such a minor issue shows that we are all in troube this election, and what both sides are missing is true candiates that represent the liberal and conserative bases.
You must not have read the original Times article. MacCullam took a report that was accompanied by more than a little bit of skepticism, and she simply threw out all the skepticism and reported the "bombshell" as fact. That's a distortion, and it was clearly done to fit the pre-established portrayal of Guiliani as a tough guy who's tough on crime.
MacCALLUM: "...according to a bombshell record that was just made public -- this is fascinating -- new court testimony reveals that John Gotti, the late head of the Gambino crime family, along with four other powerful mafia family bosses, at one time thought about and talked about... about whacking Rudy."
Bombshell? Fascinating? That over two decades ago some mob bosses "talked" about wacking a prosecutor (but didn't really care enough to actually try)?
No, that's not over sensationalizing is it?