Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)

Octafish

(55,745 posts)
Sat May 24, 2014, 10:37 AM May 2014

Know your BFEE: MAFIA helped Ronald Reagan move into White House [View all]





EXCLUSIVE: Revealed, how the MAFIA helped Ronald Reagan get to the White House. Shocking documentary reveals Mob connections that catapulted him to the presidency - and how a probe was thwarted at 'the highest levels'

President Reagan owed his acting and political career to Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman, chief of entertainment behemoth MCA, who was in bed with the Mob

An investigation into the relationship between MCA and the Mafia was halted and Federal prosecutors believe it was one of the 'political favors' that can be traced back to Reagan's White House

'Ronald Reagan is a complete slave of MCA who would do their bidding on anything,' one secret Justice Department document revealed

According to the producer of the documentary, Wages of Spin II: Bring Down The Wall, one MCA executive had ties to Mob boss John Gotti

'Reagan's whole career in politics was subsidized by MCA,' he asserts, and helped him financially because for a long time he was living above his means

The Mob was probably working Nancy Reagan too, according to the producer. 'She was a driving force behind Reagan'


By JERRY OPPENHEIMER
Daily Mail, PUBLISHED: 13:22 EST, 21 May 2014 | UPDATED: 03:42 EST, 22 May 2014

A shocking new documentary screened exclusively by MailOnline exposes the chilling conncections between the Mafia, one of Hollywood's most powerful entertainment companies and its head honcho Lew Wasserman and President Ronald Reagan and his Justice Department.

SNIP...

But there was a dark side to Wasserman - and to Reagan - all of which is revealed in a shocking new documentary, Wages of Spin II: Bring Down The Wall, that, according to the film's producer and those interviewed, links both of them in darkly shadowed ways to the Mafia, and the killing of a U.S. Department of Justice organized crime Strike Force investigation into Mob influence and infiltration at the highest levels of MCA.

SNIP...

Richard Stavin, a former veteran federal prosecutor who was assigned to the Justice Department's Organized Crime Strike Force in Los Angeles and was an integral member of the MCA-Mafia probe team, declared in the film for the first time:

'It's my belief that MCA and its' involvement with Mafia individuals, Mafia-dominated companies and our inability to pursue those was not happenstance. I believe it was an organized, orchestrated effort on the part of certain individuals within Washington, D.C. to keep a hands-off policy towards MCA.

'At the time, Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States and Edwin Meese was the Attorney General of the United States (Stavin's ultimate boss). A little known fact was MCA and Lew Wasserman supported Ronald Reagan when he wanted to become president of the Screen Actors Guild, which was the launch of Mr. Reagan's political career.

'I would like to think that the people in the highest levels of this government were not protective of MCA...But I'm not so sure about that.'


SNIP...

SAG's bylaws had always banned talent agencies like MCA from producing any form of entertainment, such as TV programs and movies. But during Reagan's fifth year as the guild's president a secret blanket waiver was negotiated with SAG, and it gave MCA and Wasserman the platinum opportunity to not only market talent as agents but also to move into TV and film making.

CONTINUED...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2635094/EXCLUSIVE-Revealed-MAFIA-helped-Ronald-Reagan-White-House-Shocking-documentary-reveals-Mob-connections-catapulted-presidency-probe-thwarted-highest-levels.html



Well. That's a "wow" as they used to say in Hollywood.



One very important name that was left out: Dan Moldea, an investigative reporter who actually uncovered and documented the story in the early 1980s and wrote about it in "Dark Victory: Reagan, MCA and the Mob."

That's the reality of it.
81 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Republicons really Bonzoifed Americans with this phony AceAcme May 2014 #1
Red Ink Ronnie was as phony as a three dollar bill. Octafish May 2014 #5
reagans biggest crime against democracy and america was killing of the fairness doctrine certainot May 2014 #30
All true. But the media hammered Carter unmercifully. The media manufactured public opinion. Enthusiast May 2014 #31
well looky there it's george h.w. a$$hole leftyohiolib May 2014 #2
The guy certainly knows an opportunity when he sees one. Octafish May 2014 #8
raygun was dumb enough to be one - leftyohiolib May 2014 #9
I remember when Barbara Bush was interviewed on inauguration day 1989. Zen Democrat May 2014 #11
He looks so smug after getting away with Iran-Contra, an operation he probably designed. Enthusiast May 2014 #32
I love that pic......just for Raygun's expression! LongTomH May 2014 #74
One DUer posted, way back when I first saw it, that he looks like he's already got Alzheimer's. Octafish May 2014 #81
The Mafia was under a lot of pressure as organized crime. So what did they do? sometime in the 70s jwirr May 2014 #3
Absolutely. A Huffington Post expert agrees and explains... Octafish May 2014 #14
Thank you. jwirr May 2014 #20
You post some of the most interesting reads Octafish. Thanks! nt adirondacker May 2014 #56
That's what happened to Vegas. Back when it was for adults, it was clearly mob-controlled. valerief May 2014 #28
If you wonder why our government is unresponsive to us there is your answer right there. Enthusiast May 2014 #33
As he was before W, Raygun caused more harm to this country than all others combined randys1 May 2014 #4
Reagan helped create the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Octafish May 2014 #23
I keep this in my permanent files packman May 2014 #62
You ever get the idea that the public thinks... RobertEarl May 2014 #6
Professional Strength Propaganda Octafish May 2014 #26
I will blame the hippies for raygun RobertEarl May 2014 #29
Some days, the realization would dawn upon me anew: "My god, Ronald Reagan is president!" NBachers May 2014 #7
The Gippet and the Incredible Hoax of Voodoo Economics Octafish May 2014 #36
I lived in Berklely when James Rector was killed, and Alan Blanchard's eyes were shot out NBachers May 2014 #43
Thank you, NBachers. Octafish May 2014 #49
I have a hardbound copy of "Dark Victory: Ronald Reagan, MCA, and the Mob" Zen Democrat May 2014 #10
I long ago lent my copy to a friend who read it and lent it to somebody else -- a favor on my dime. Octafish May 2014 #50
I'm no fan of Ronald Reagan but seriously Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 2014 #12
Dan Moldea wrote about it in 1986. Octafish May 2014 #15
I'm defending Reagan? Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 2014 #17
Sorry if I reacted in a less than kind manner. Octafish May 2014 #18
K&R for Truth classof56 May 2014 #13
It's like dragging our consciousness through a sewer. Octafish May 2014 #52
But Has the Mob Been Thrown Out of the Corridors of Power? Demeter May 2014 #16
Exactly, Demeter. No one has thrown them out... Octafish May 2014 #66
And what about JFK? Was it a twofer? Or a welshed deal? Demeter May 2014 #67
Two-Fer MIC Op. Get the president out of the way of their wars... Octafish May 2014 #68
This was one of the themes in James Douglas' book...... LongTomH May 2014 #76
Two Goodfellas And A Truck. /nt pintobean May 2014 #19
Looks like they're at a strip mine. Octafish May 2014 #37
My friend Dan Moldea is an American hero of journalism. grasswire May 2014 #21
although looking back on that episode now... grasswire May 2014 #22
Absolutely! ballyhoo May 2014 #24
Dan E. Moldea says... Octafish May 2014 #39
meese is still a top guy at the heritage foundation and where the GOP is a certainot May 2014 #25
The Heritage Foundation is the place where most asjr May 2014 #34
''No one reads anymore.'' -- Allen Dulles, on the Warren Report Octafish May 2014 #54
thanks. and imagine that - he's still going! certainot May 2014 #55
Then why did the Reagan Administration let Rudolph Giuliani go after The Mob no_hypocrisy May 2014 #27
The same reason Giuliani was friends with Homelandreichsmarschall-designee Bernie Kerik? Octafish May 2014 #35
You did not answer the question. former9thward May 2014 #42
What "Conspiracy Theory" would that be? Octafish May 2014 #46
The poster asked you if the Mafia put in Reagan then why did he allow Giuliani to go after them. former9thward May 2014 #48
Great. Ask the poster who posited that, then. Octafish May 2014 #51
Still, it reminds me of Joe Kennedy using The Mob to get Jack elected. no_hypocrisy May 2014 #44
Kennedy Justice went after the Mafia. Octafish May 2014 #47
The Mafia helped, but the cronies at the Bohemian Grove brokered the deal Brother Buzz May 2014 #38
Glad you mentioned that. Octafish May 2014 #40
Don't kid yourself. The 'camps' with the genuine power haven't changed Brother Buzz May 2014 #41
The more truth that comes out about these bass turds RoccoR5955 May 2014 #45
Like cockroaches scattering when the kitchen light turns on...So, where's the Press? Octafish May 2014 #65
kick, and thanks for another great thread from Octafish. navarth May 2014 #53
Chronicle of a Mean Mogul: Lew Wasserman, Deal-Maker Octafish May 2014 #69
the mafia has always been involved in politics. tomp May 2014 #57
Sidney Korshak: The Man Who Kept The Secrets Octafish May 2014 #70
Excellent post, thank you. truebluegreen May 2014 #58
I believe it's early in the madministration, as that may be James Brady in the background... Octafish May 2014 #71
I think you are spot-on w/the identifications truebluegreen May 2014 #73
octafish you rock! wildbilln864 May 2014 #59
From the late Steve Kangas -- THE REAGAN YEARS: A Statistical Overview of the 1980s Octafish May 2014 #72
and Richard Mellon Scaife wonders why we "dislike" him.. nt grasswire May 2014 #77
Wow! well, there's some news BlancheSplanchnik May 2014 #60
Bummed me up, too, BlancheSplanchnik. Octafish May 2014 #64
Back to the Bay of Pigs .. MinM May 2014 #61
Which is the crux of the biscuit. Octafish May 2014 #63
George Carlin was right - it's a big club and we're not in it. Initech May 2014 #75
Not Just the Psychotic Corporation, Government Acts Like Organized Crime. Octafish May 2014 #78
My late grandmother understood this, along with most of the elders in my family who remembered...... LongTomH May 2014 #79
That picture makes me shudder nt Lee-Lee May 2014 #80
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Know your BFEE: MAFIA hel...