Greenpoint, October, 2015

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Bottom Feeders or Dumpster Divers?

Where's the lettuce?
In light of the Malcolm Smith (Dan Halloran, Jay Savino, Noramie Jasmin...) money for mayoralty scam, the Times did a nice piece asking why it is always a steakhouse where the envelopes of cash are exchanged. Sparks Steakhouse, on E. 46th St., has been a favored venue. For Smith and Co., and, in 1985, indelibly, for mobster Paul Castellano who was gunned down on the sidewalk in front.

Not in Rhode Island. Just Google "Ed DiPrete" and "Walt's," and you will come across the charming story of that then sitting governor crawling into the dumpster behind the flagship store for Walt's Roast Beef (celebrating 50 years!) in Cranston to recover the envelope with a $10,000 bribe, which had inadvertently been tossed along with sandwich wrappers, napkins, and such.

Free Buddy!
At least Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci preferred the higher class Italian joints on Federal Hill to hold court. Of course, most of his money was handed over to Frank Corrente, his bagman and chief of administration, within City Hall itself.

(It being Rhode Island, a state about the size of your average oil spill, I had occasion to meet them both. Buddy was infinitely more charming than Ed "Gerber Baby" DiPrete.)

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