Kennedy, Robert F. (1925–1968)

DURING PRESIDENT John F. Kennedy's (JFK) administration from 1961 to 1963 the fight against crime, especially organized crime and its associated white-collar crime, was waged by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), the president's brother. The Kennedy brothers waged a crusade against organized crime once they realized the extent of the power it wielded. The result was the Organized Crime Bill of 1962.

Although the president's father, Joseph P. Kennedy, reputedly had mob connections in his business dealings and the president shared a mistress with a well-known mobster, and enjoyed social relations with some mob-related people, RFK had long been a foe of the rampant corruption in unions, bribery of law officials, and the ever increasing hold of organized crime on the United States. He thought that crime was paralyzing the country and that government subsequently played a secondary role in the affairs on the nation.

RFK, trained as a lawyer, began his formative experiences as assistant chief counsel of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations headed by Joseph McCarthy. However, he eventually disagreed with the investigative methods of the committee and resigned. From 1955 to 1957, RFK served as chief counsel under Senator John McClellan's Rackets Committee and became its driving force. His tenacious and relentless pursuit of Teamster David Beck and Jimmy Hoffa earned him nationwide notice. Racketeering in the labor unions, especially the fiscal corruption of the AFLCIO and the Teamsters was exposed.

White-collar crime, prostitution, loan sharking and gambling were rampant and dominated many aspects of U.S. society. In 1960, RFK publicized the problems of the expansive reach of organized crime in the United States with a book, The Enemy [Page 479]Within. The president agreed with his decision to fight organized crime using all of the government's capabilities.

As an activist attorney general, RFK fought legislatively against the organized crime figures who had helped his brother win the election in 1960. His clandestine adventures with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics convinced him that organized crime existed despite the strong denials of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director J. Edgar Hoover. For decades, the influence of the mob intimidated or fixed juries, killed witnesses, and paid off judicial officials, including judges and police officers. Moreover, they extracted billions of dollars from the American economy without paying taxes.

RFK believed that the legal violations committed by the criminal elements would eventually disrupt the country, so he expanded the Criminal Division of the Justice Department by increasing the numbers of lawyers from 17 to 50. Grand juries meant that days in court for Justice lawyers jumped from 61 to 1,364. Secured indictments also rose, from 0 to 683 (it was 0 because the FBI had not recognized organized crime, thus no one had ever been charged). Convictions also rose from 0 to 619. This was all due to the Organized Crime Bill. To counter the anarchic crime and corruption, RFK made the unprecedented move requiring the various judicial federal government agencies to cooperate, thereby facilitating various criminal investigations. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), for example, was brought into partnership with the FBI resulting in numerous convictions of criminals.

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