Rating: 
Summary: Corruption: The Irish Mob and the FBI
Review: Wow!
What a great book. Granted, I may be a little biased due to the fact that I live in the Boston area and have family am constantly in Somerville, MA (Whiteys base with Marshall Motors)
The story of how Whitey and John Connolly worked together and the how the "Southie Code" of silence was broken was explained in great detail was wonderfully put together. Its amazing how Whitey worked his webs of influence throughout the Boston area in the 1970's and 80's and had the whole underworld at his feet...and his disposal. I fully recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an excellent story of the Irish mafia...I recommend this book especially to those who are from or currently live in the Metro/Greater Boston area. We hear and see so much about the Italian mafia, its nice to have a book with a different twist to change show that organized crime is everywhere.
Well written, very enjoyable book. I couldnt put it down. I can just picture Whitey walking amongst the neighborhoods that I see every day. Worth picking up.
Rating:
Summary: Running in circles
Review: The same government we are now entrusting broad wiretapping, electronic surveillance, roving warrants and the like to is the same one we criticize so sternly in this case. Once we further empower such forces, can we ever go back the freedom we have enjoyed?Does the government itself construct events to further its own quest for greater control and power? I know someone who has provided extensive information in this case to the authorities and all that has happened is that person has been targeted by the authorities. This shows that confidentiality cannot be maintained by government or law enforcement personnel nor so called "confidential" tip sources as tv law enforcement shows. Will Dan Burton and others objectively and fully investigate how leads in this case have been handled? And who can stand up to the harassment which is brought to bear on any who try to discern the truth in this case?
Rating: 
Summary: Bulgertown
Review: If you want to know what it was like growing up as a child sacrificed to preserve the peace between sides in the Mclean-Mclaughlin Wars, consider the case of " Len".... Len was taken out of the home before age 1 and spent years in the hospital as a bedridden toddler with no family or other visitors, a crippled child and obviously considered a liability to anyone who cared. Len was released to his mother whom he did not recognize as such and no father was known or present. At 'home', Len was sexually and physically abused, tortured, had the home essentially burn down, and witnessed his mother attempt suicide or her husband attempt to murder her several times. Sometimes Len had to go to a local fire station, still a crippled boy, to get help for his mother overdosed on drugs and booze. Len was taken into state care where he was further beaten, ridiculed,humiliated, bounced around,and repeatedly separated from newly made friends. Education was choppy but adequate and some 'caring' individuals came into his life on public or nonprofit payrolls. Many of these individuals later were found to have connections to this case and to change their attitude towards Len to a hostile tone.Eventually Len ran away from a hard labor camp breaking granite boulders simply because he had no home.At this time, it was a state sponsored program at the height of Bulger and Flemmi's power. As Bill Weld left the Justice Dept to become Governor of Massachusetts, Len was hit and run and left. He was later approached by alleged government officials attached to a Woburn company and intimidated while his home was broken into successive times and 'strange' phone calls became a regular occurrence no matter how much he change the number.Before Bulger vanished Len had asked who his father is and this seemed to bring the wrath not only of close friends who became increasingly incensed by this case, but the government too. Len was repeatedly audited by the IRS, levied, had trouble with bank accounts,and found that previous coworkers were blackballing him on references. At each change in the Bulger case, something happened to Len. When it was published in the papers that H Paul Rico and others were being sued by victim's families,Len got threatening calls. When Eric Schneiderhan was indicted, Len was followed then hit from behind in his car by a man asking a lot of questions. A former guardian for Len in state care with ties to Spec Agent Connelly and Governor Cellucci and George Bush, Sr. appeared to make sure Len was fully unemployable in Massachusetts and New Hampshire through his considerable clout in employment agencies and HR departments throughout the region. Len contacted state and federal law enforcement and everyone ignored him. Correspondence on a federal level was leaked back to the state and things got even worse for Len.No one, not a Raytheon, nor a Barnes and Noble, an AT&T or a Borders books had an opening for Len. Len submitted thousands upon thousands of resumes, attending coaching sessions, networking groups, and consulted with multiple pastors at area churches and no one will hire Len.Some acquaintances suggested that NSA, the Army, CIA, FBI or any combination or others of these had effectively blanketed the area with negatives about Len to destroy any chances for work in the area.
Rating:
Summary: IRISH MOB
Review: When most think of the mafia or organized crime they think La Cosa Nostra.The Italian mafia families.But there are other mobs working with or trying to take over the traditional role of Cosa Nostra.One being the Irish mobs.And one of the big players from Boston James "Whitey" Bulger, Jr.In this book you will see that not even the "good guys" are always good.And what the meaning of true friendship is.
Rating:
Summary: Context is everything
Review: Does the Bulger case have linkage to events described in Jonathan Harr's "A Civil Action"? What would the government do if Whitey Bulger or any of the other informants had children? Consider this: In 1995 Whitey Bulger disappeared AND Harr's book was released. Harr's book describes companies involved in litigation over a water pollution tragedy in Woburn. One of these companies was WR Grace. Grace has a history of Republican sponsorship, with the Grace Commission under Reagan. Walt Disney supported Richard Nixon. Disney received early funding from Giannini corp. which had ties to Middlesex county. Disneyworld also had NSA contracts to dispose of NSA classified paper trash. Current President Bush is the son of Bush sr. with ties to both Reagan and Nixon. Grace invested in insurance per corporate report and had a major shareholder in the world's largest private pension fund. Grace had an enormous environmental insurance policy. Under Nixon EPA was established. Governor Cellucci (R) , now Ambassador Cellucci, has longtime support for President Bush and Cellucci has been listed as an associate of Teamsters Local 25 George Cashman, heavily involved in movie action and a Woburn resident. Former Governor Bill Weld, a Republican backed by insurance interests and with ties to the Kennedys and Bill Clinton paved the way for Paul Cellucci. The Bushes hail from Texas and Maine. On the Board of Grace were : Peter Lynch(Fidelity Investments), Zbignew Brezinski (NSA), Al Fiers (CIA). Joe Malone (R)did not support Whitey, was destroyed in the last gubernatorial election, and was backed by Fidelity and clothier tycoon Sam Cammarata. Cellucci was backed by Fleet Bank. Disney produced the movie, Robert Redford- a vigorous environmentalist- directed the film. John Travolta ,of Maine, starred in the film having gotten his beginnings in the pop tv series "Welcome Back Kotter"- whose pilot was approved by Michael Eisner. Michael Eisner is head of Disney. Tip O'Neill (D) ,deceased former Speaker of the House, was an advocate for Wr Grace in Cambridge,Mass and of Mayor Daley of Chicago.William Bulger, Whitey's brother, was one of the most powerful men in Massachusetts but Whitey was protective in not tarnishing his brother's reputation. Whitey has been painted as anti-Kennedy but not confirmed. Knocko McCormack, former Senator John McCormack's (R) brother, is remembered fondly by both William Bulger and Tip O'Neill. Whitey has been said to have received support under Governor Mike Dukakis, and from Governor Cellucci (R),Tom Reilly(D), Scott Harshbarger (D), with Tom Birmingham (D) a family friend. Senator McCormack is said to have spoken well of Whitey and felt he was not given a fair shake. FBI agents in the Bulger case have numerous links to Middlesex County. Limone,Salemme and others also have ties to Middlesex County. Judge Wolf and current FBI Director Mueller both worked under Bill Weld (R). Barry Mawn from Woburn was brought in as SAC in the FBI office in Boston, later transferring to NY, where James Kallstrom from Massachusetts stepped down. Woburn was represented by F. Bradford Morse, a favored target of the John Birch Society, also in Massachusetts. The Woburn water case signs began in the 1960s as did the Mclean-Mclaughlin wars. Police and fire records have been destroyed for Woburn for that time and the city budget was closed to auditors. In Woburn were two groups: 1) NASA, and 2) Boston Navy Yard. The heads of each lobby group both lived in Woburn. Tip O'Neill supported the navy yard. Middlesex county was home to 10% of the 3000 navy yard employees and NASA would bring in 2-3000 new jobs with a $50-60 million new site. JFK actively supported space, and NASA specifically, while in Washington D.C. the states of Michigan,Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut vigorously fought for the NASA site in their states.LBJ later got the site in Texas.
Rating:
Summary: Setting up the FBI?
Review: I know of a man who bounced around in different homes that might have something to do with the Bulger case. The kid was overseen by a former government official about the time that Bulger became an informant. Prior to this time the kid was placed in many abusive homes, one of which may have been linked to a well known escort service owner in Massachusetts. As a matter of fact, many of the people associated with this child have indirect ties to major brothels and escort operators in the area. Did organized crime, particularly those associated with the sex for money sort, effectively control Bulger by holding his son and use his son to have Bulger set up the FBI?
Rating:
Summary: The saga continues.....
Review: This book is a great introduction to a complex case still far from over. The families of victims and of men alleged to have been setup by the FBI are having their day in court but the case of Bill (identity protected) has been largely ignored. Bill was abandoned as a baby and left with foster parents. Bill was bounced around place to place and was handicapped. A number of placements were abusive physically,emotionally, and there may have been some sexual abuse. As Bill was shuffled here and there he was told his new friends died or moved. Attempts to establish long term relationships were thwarted by managed care. Growing up Bill was told he and his family were no good and there was much intimidation going
Rating:
Summary: Hands tied
Review: I know of someone from the region of agents in this case that it is alleged has been impostered by another man of the same name with a military record. Is it possible using selective service numbers and a social security number assigned by a former pentagon official with ties to the defense security service or defense investigative service a second identity was formed for the man and under this second identity all sorts of bridges were burned for the man looking for work and such over a 20 year period,with it being known by high level Justice Department officials all along? Could Flemmi or Bulger or any of the others have known of the imposter with a history of AWOL in the military? The two men both lived in the general area of Agent Morris and the real one is said to have worked for one of the companies involved in the Woburn water case written about by Jonathan Harr.
Rating:
Summary: All things considered
Review: On page 53 of Susan Kelly's "The Boston Stranglers" (1995), Dr. Ames Robey,forensic psychiatrsit is quoted as saying that George Nassar, an extremely violent man and whom many suspected as the real Boston Strangler, was a suspect in 17-30 murders involving the gangland violence known as the Mclean-Mclaughlin wars, as depicted in Willie Fopiano's "The Godson". This number of murders coincides with the number of murders of which Flemmi and Bulger are alleged to have been involved but this has not been rigorously followed up while Flemmi stands charged with 17 murders and Whitey the balance. Why hasn't this been followed up?
Rating:
Summary: Shocking, curious,bewildering
Review: Susan Kelly wrote a book, "The Boston Stranglers", about the infamous 1960s murders of women in the Boston and Metro areas. On p.53, Dr.Ames Robey,whom served on Atty General Brooke's Strangler committee, is quoted as saying that a highly dangerous man known as George Nassar was a suspect in 17-30 murders in the gangland violence of the 60s in which Flemmi and Bulger are said to have been involved. Why hasn't this been followed up more?
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