#sam Giancana

[blondeheroine]

Marilyn Monroe was rumored - by sources I have listed - to have been sexually assaulted while drunk, by gangster Sam Giancana and his hoods while she was a guest in Frank Sinatra's chalet at the Cal-Neva just one week before her murder/death. She was barely saved from an overdose that night. Was it a virtual rehearsal for 8/4/62? Here's how the enforcers could have pulled off a surprise attack: TUNNELS. Old mob bootlegging tunnels were dug decades earlier under the Cal-Neva, and Sinatra's chalet closet had an opening to them. In modern times, the well-lit tunnels have been shown as part of a tour, seen here. #casino #LakeTahoe #Reno #SamGiancana

[kennedycore]

Ok I’m watching the kennedys, as you know, and I want to know your opinions on it if you ever watched it!

I also want to know why caroline had it canceled ?

aaaaaa i love reading your posts when you're watching the show!!! i'm happy to know you're continuing it lol

i watched it around 4 years ago ago so my memory of the show is pretty hazy (i've been itching to rewatch...)...

i think there's such a scarcity of kennedy media that i get happy regardless when there's a show/movie/documentary coming out about the kennedys.

i LOVE barry pepper as bobby, kristen hager as joan (in the sequel series), and kristin booth as ethel. they did such an incredible job!

i thought greg kinnear as jfk was okay and i didnt like katie holmes as jackie because i kept being distracted by the fact that she was katie holmes lmao

i like the pacing of the show but the production quality is a little iffy at times and some of the acting is sooo bad (the actor for j. edgar hoover stands out to me in particular).

like many people, i wasn't a fan of them treating kennedy family "myths" as fact and i wish there was more kick, joe jr., teddy, etc. the show mainly focuses on jack, bobby, ethel, jackie, rose and joe sr.

caroline got it cancelled because she didn't like a lot of the inaccuracies the show presented, which is the reason why a lot of critics didn't like the show as well. i'm sure she also wasn't a fan of the show presenting her father hoeing around with actresses and mobster's girlfriends lmao

some of the inaccuracies that were presented for example:

the family myth of joe offering jackie a million dollars to not divorce jack. when jackie heard about that rumor she called up joe sr and said "why only 1 million, why not 10?" lmao so it definitely wasn't true

jackie being on the verge of a drug addiction and constantly about to break down. jackie would take a lot of vacations away from the white house to recharge and she was nowhere near a drug addiction. she was chain smoking profusely though lol

bobby going soft on mobsters (including sam giancana) when in reality bobby famously struck down on a lot of organized crime syndicates during the 50s.

jack being reluctant to help james meredith, the first black student to attend the university of mississipi during segregation, when in reality he threatened to utilize the national guard if he wasn't allowed to attend that university.

the show just felt really sensationalist and i'm fine with historical inaccuracies for the sake of entertainment, but the acting and production quality was just... bad so it definitely didn't help.

[h-l-v-kennedy-blog]

Unthinkable (how hard it is to call someone?)

Robert Kennedy x Ava Worthing (OC)

Synopsis: A phone number, from a girl he likes, but Bobby can't make the call. However, fate has a way of bringing people together, like at a wedding.

Trigger Warnings: obsessive thoughts and/or overthinking, otherwise none as far as I know

Word count: 1,279

Notes: here it is, the second part, enjoy!

Winter, 1958 - Spring, 1959 

After that night in November, a thank you-card did turn up at Bobby’s apartment in Georgetown. With a telephone number. But he was hesitant. What was she aiming for with the number? Did she...was she... 

A million thoughts rolled around in Bobby’s head, even when he was in Teamster hearings, having back-and-forth's with Sam Giancana, Jimmy Hoffa or David Beck.  

Afterhours, he questioned the meaning of those 10 digits. 8913588122. Written in a sleek and refined cursive, that the pad of his pointer finger had traced over too many times.  

So, he didn’t call. For months. He told himself it was because he needed to focus on the Senate investigations and planning for Jack’s campaign in ‘60. That he didn’t have time to explore what it would be like to talk to someone with who it was easy. It had been easy with Ethel...but she wasn’t Ethel. Ava was blonde, shorter than him, but the similarities ended quite quickly. She was twelve years younger than him, still in college, and the sister of his friend. There were too many variables. His parents' approval, her growing bored of him. Not including the fact, he felt he didn’t deserve it (a possible relationship with a woman? He wasn’t quite sure what ‘it’ was, either), or that he was scared out of his mind. He was detail-oriented, and he had the capacity to overthink. 

How could one singular interaction (and a hand-written thank-you card) throw his whole world off balance? Bobby had no idea. But he knew he was going to see her again, call or no call. Alec was getting married in June and undoubtably Ava would be present at her brother’s wedding. Would she even remember their conversation in that staff kitchen, had she thought about him, had she waited for him to call her? The slightly obsessive nature of his thoughts annoyed him. 

-- 

June 8th, 1959, Newport, RI. 

Under a large white tent in the back garden of the Worthing summer home in Newport, was where the wedding reception for Alec Worthing and the new Mrs. Alec Worthing (former-Vogue model, Lydia Kay). Bobby was one of Alec’s ushers. But after giving his best wishes to the very happy (and slightly frisky couple), Bobby’s pale blue eyes searched for another carrying the Worthing last name. First name beginning with the first letter of the alphabet. Ava. Ava, Ava, Ava...every time he repeated her name in his head it sounded fresh. Like the air after a rainstorm or newly mowed grass. Ava. A palindrome.  

He saw her, talking with some girls her age, fellow bridesmaids he guessed, by the way they were dressed. Her bridesmaid dress was a deep emerald green, with a full skirt and an off- the shoulder neckline. The slight bareness of her shoulders extenuated the curve of her neck. And her face, looking better in the sunlight than under artificial staff kitchen lights. Her hair was curved at the ends, shining like gold. Bobby swallowed as he tried to tear his eyes from her. 

Then they’re eyes met. For a single moment he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes. Bobby couldn’t stand it, his eyes falling to the floor. He didn’t know how long he stared at a single blade of green grass. 

Her voice made him jump. “You didn’t call.” 

“I...I...um...” He stuttered, still not meeting her gaze. How could he stare down Jimmy Hoffa, but not a girl who he hadn’t called. He was a grown man, for God’s sake. 

“I thought I was being quite plain. And Alec told me that you liked people being direct with you.” 

Bobby’s Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he slowly met her grey eyes. His throat felt dry. 

Ava was still talking. “...maybe I just misread our interaction. My hand was hurting quite bit, but I thought you liked talking with me. Though maybe you just were pitying me.” 

Bobby found his voice again. “I... I do. Like you.” Damn, why was he reduced to a nervous schoolboy with her confronting words. He was 33 years old, a counsel for a Senate committee who spent his days in hearings with men more dangerous than this college graduate. And yet, he did feel guilty. “And I wasn’t pitying you. I genuinely enjoyed talking with you.”  

“So, what was stopping you from calling me these past seven months?” 

“I...” He didn’t want to answer. The truth would make him look pathetic and weak-willed. And a Kennedy was never either of those.  

“I know you’ve got the Teamster hearings, but you don’t have even the guts for one phone call to tell me you’re not interested? To tell me not to bother, that I was either too young or too forward. Rejection would have been easier than complete radio silence.” She sighed, running a quick hand through the ends of her hair, slightly mussing her hair up. “That’s all I wanted to say to you. Now that I’ve got it off my chest you can enjoy the party, and I won’t wait around for any sub-par explanations from you.”  

Turning on her heel to return to her friends, Bobby said. “I was scared.” His voice was small and meek, and Ava almost couldn’t hear it in the buzz of the reception. “The last time I liked a woman, she left me.”  

Ava froze. “Oh...” 

“Yes, so, um, I was stupidly scared that it would happen again, and I was foolish enough to think so after one conversation that history would repeat itself and I didn’t want to risk making a complete laughingstock of myself. So, I-” He spoke at a rapid and almost desperate pace, as if worried his time would run out to say what he meant. 

“So, you didn’t call.” She finished for him.  

“I didn’t call.” He nodded. “And I’ve regretted it, because I can’t get you out of my head. Or your number.” He chuckled sheepishly, hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I memorized it actually.” 

“For the phone call you weren’t going to make?” She said, a small...something pulling on her lips. 

He nodded, noticing her growing amused expression, mirroring it. “Yeah. Doesn’t make much sense, does it?” 

“No, but I’m not blameless. I should’ve made a more direct move-” 

“No, no, this is not your fault. You made a very *direct* move, and I was just...an idiot.” He looked down at the ground and then back up at her face. “Can you forgive me for that?” 

She waved him off. “Nothing to forgive, you told me your side of things and I understand better now.” She turned her head as she heard her sister-in-law call for her. “I should go, the bride’s demands must be met.” 

A look of disappointment faintly crossed his expression, showing best in his eyes with a silent “Must you?” passing to her.  

“Save me a dance?” She asked.  

“I’m not much of a dancer.” 

“Doesn’t matter. No one here is. Except maybe my parents or Lydia...” She shook her head. “I’m rambling, anyway, if you don’t want to-” 

“No, I do. I just don’t want to step on your toes.” 

“Don’t worry about that. Now, I’ll see you on the dance floor.” She said and went to help her new sister-in-law with whatever she needed. 

Bobby was struck in his spot, running over what just happened. She wasn’t mad at him, and he was going to dance with her later. How quickly the conversation had turned. 

Later...a picture of Bobby and Ava was taken while they danced inside the large white tent. The first picture of them together, but not the last. 

---

The full part is now up, hope it was worth the wait. Now, I've got to start plotting my Jackie fic, and I'll do a poll on a jfk fic that's been on my mind for the past few days.

Taglist: @jackiesgirl, @theverystrangegirl27, @fortheloveofjos, @kennediva, @stargiirl27, @melancholicstation , @bleatngheart , @rocker-chick-7 , @kimcrystal123

Dividers: @cafekitsune

[adri2-brgr]

Frank Sinatra - A Legend shrouded in Mystery : Music and Organized crime

Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed your holidays ! It's a new week so it's time for a new post ! Today I wanted to talk about one artist I really like, one that I don't think needs that long of an introduction...

... Frank Sinatra ! (Pretend that you didn't read the title so you can be surprised)

In case you don't know, Sinatra was a blues, swing and jazz singer and music producer from the middle of the 20th century. He was considered as ''one of the greats'' of his time, being met with incredible success during his carreer. However, such fame doesn't come without its fair share of rumors and controversies.

In the case of Sinatra, a lot of accusations fell on him regarding his ties to the mafia. Sinatra was known to frequent a lot of infamous mobsters, most notablly being described as a ''close friend'' of Sam Giancana, a well-known mobster from Chicago. Moreover as revealed by declassified FBI documents, in 1960 Sinatra introduced Giancana to JFK in order to cut a deal to bolster the votes of the would-be president. He was often seen taking pictures with mobsters. Furthermore, he was once seen carrying 50 dollar bills amounting to a total of 3.5 millions of dollars in a suitcase at the customs. Although he was suspected of being a carryier, but while the customs officiers wanted to inspect his suitcase they eventually gave up because of the crowd that the singer's presence attracted.

In here, for example, you can see him with some infamous figures of organized crime, like Paul Castellano, members of the Gambino crime family or Thomas Marson.

Despite that, Sinatra always denied these claims that he was involved with the mafia. He never ended up having to face legal action regarding his ties with organized crime, despite the FBI having monitored his every action for 40 years.

Today, the story of Sinatra's involvement with the mafia has become something of a myth surrounding this peculiar character. Untangling truth and romanticization can prove to be rather hard but one thing is certain, Sinatra and the gangsters of his time were definitely more than simple Strangers in the Night.

[officiallotusgold-blog]

The #NormaJean Case Files #MouseQuteers @enxantingXMEN #CHANEL

Yes, I found some more information about Marilyn Monroe. She was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California12. Monroe became one of the most iconic figures in Hollywood, known for her roles as a “blonde bombshell” in films during the 1950s and early 1960s12. She starred in several successful movies, including “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” “Some Like It Hot,” and "The Seven Year Itch"2.

Despite her fame, Monroe faced many personal and professional struggles. She was married three times, including to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller12. Tragically, she passed away on August 5, 1962, at the age of 36 due to a barbiturate overdose12.

Monroe remains a pop culture icon and is remembered for her beauty, talent, and the lasting impact she had on the film industry12.

Is there anything specific you’d like to know more about regarding Marilyn Monroe?1en.wikipedia.org2britannica.com3imdb.com4imdb.com5gettyimages.com

Sent by you:

yes i believe she was actually murdered and her death can be linked to the murderer of walt disney, do you have any suspects?

Sent by Copilot:

There are several conspiracy theories surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s death, many of which suggest foul play. Here are some of the most notable theories:

The Kennedy Connection: One of the most persistent theories is that Monroe was killed by Robert Kennedy to cover up their alleged affair or because she knew too much about the Kennedy family12.

CIA Involvement: Another theory suggests that the CIA killed Monroe to hurt the Kennedy family, possibly as retaliation for the Bay of Pigs invasion1.

Mafia Involvement: Some believe that Monroe was murdered by the Mafia, specifically by Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana, to send a message to the Kennedys12.

Medical Cover-Up: There are also theories that her doctors were involved in a cover-up, either intentionally or accidentally contributing to her death1.

As for Walt Disney, there are no credible theories or evidence linking his death to any foul play or to Marilyn Monroe’s death. Disney passed away in 1966 from lung cancer3.

These theories remain speculative, and Monroe’s death is officially ruled as a probable suicide due to an overdose of barbiturates2.

[azspot]

JFK probably didn’t have to pay people to keep the facts of his sex life under wraps—investigative standards of his day weren’t what they are now—but given the car-trunks full of cash that gained him victory in the 1960 West Virginia primary, we know he was hardly above under-the-radar payoffs. When he was president, one of his girlfriends was the girlfriend of the leading gangster Sam Giancana—not a “porn star,” just somebody with whom pillowtalk crossed a number of far more dangerous lines than Trump’s pre-presidential escapade with Stormy Daniels ever did. In 1932, FDR made deals with the New York and Chicago mobs to win the party nomination and handed out federal patronage) without compunction to criminal operators like the Kansas City boss Tom Pendergast, Harry Truman’s patron (Truman of course had family members in no-show jobs on his Senate office payroll).

Adam Schiff Forgets Hamilton

[gregor-samsung]

“ Non avevi contatti con i Kennedy. No. Io nei primi anni Sessanta ho lavorato con Bobby a Chicago. Brevemente. Lavoravamo con un tizio di nome Ed Hicks che cercava di ottenere libere elezioni per i tassisti di Chicago. Kennedy era sostanzialmente un moralista. In breve tempo si sarebbe fatto una lista di nemici stupefacente e si vantava di sapere chi fossero e cosa stessero tramando. Non lo sapeva, ovvio. Quando un paio di anni piú tardi suo fratello venne ammazzato si ritrovarono invischiati in una sequela di intrighi e complotti che non sarebbero mai stati chiariti. In testa all’elenco c’erano l’omicidio di Castro e, se questo non fosse andato a segno, l’effettiva invasione di Cuba. Alla fine non credo che sarebbe successo ma è una specie di spia dei guai in cui si trovavano. Mi sono sempre chiesto se non ci sia stato un momento in cui Kennedy rendendosi conto che stava per morire non abbia sorriso di sollievo. Dopo l’ictus del vecchio Joseph per qualche motivo i Kennedy hanno ritenuto opportuno dichiarare guerra alla mafia. Ignorando lo storico accordo che il vecchio aveva stretto con loro. Non ho idea di cos’avessero in testa.

Jack continua a scoparsi la fidanzata di Sam Giancana – una signora di nome Judith Campbell. Anche se in tutta onestà – espressione curiosa – penso che Jack l’abbia vista per primo. Se non lui uno dei suoi papponi. Un tale di nome Sinatra. Cosa vogliamo dire dei Kennedy? Piú unici che rari. Un mio amico una sera a Martha’s Vineyard è andato a una festa privata e quando è arrivato Ted Kennedy stava accogliendo gli invitati sulla porta. Indossava una tuta giallo canarino ed era ubriaco. Il mio amico ha detto: Complimenti per la mise, senatore. E Kennedy ha detto sí, ma io me la posso permettere. Il mio amico – che è un avvocato di Washington – mi ha detto che i Kennedy non li aveva mai capiti. Li trovava sconcertanti. Ma quando ha sentito quelle parole dice che gli son cadute le bende dagli occhi. Ha pensato che probabilmente erano incise nello stemma di famiglia. Comunque si dica in latino. Sia come sia, non ho mai capito perché da nessuna parte esiste un monumento intitolato a Mary Jo Kopechne. La ragazza che Ted ha lasciato annegare nell’abitacolo dopo che lui ha tirato la macchina giú da un ponte. Non fosse stato per il sacrificio di quella donna quello squilibrato sarebbe diventato presidente degli Stati Uniti. Per me a parte Bobby erano solo una banda di psicopatici. Presumo che in qualche modo Bobby sperasse di poter scagionare la famiglia. Anche se certamente sapeva che non sarebbe stato possibile. Nei forzieri che avevano finanziato tutta l’impresa non c’era un solo centesimo pulito. E poi sono morti tutti. Ammazzati, perlopiú. Non sarà Shakespeare. Ma un discreto Dostoevskij. “

Cormac McCarthy, Il passeggero, traduzione di Maurizia Balmelli, Einaudi (Collana Supercoralli), 2023; pp. 334-335.

[Edizione originale: The Passenger, Alfred A. Knopf Inc., New York City, U.S. 2022]

[lifewithaview]

Malcolm Barrett, Abigail Spencer, and Matt Lanter in Timeless (2016) Atomic City

S1E3

Agent Christopher wants team Wyatt to eliminate Rufus's coworker Anthony, whom Flynn abducted while stealing the time machine. They only can track them to 1962 (in or around) Las Vegas, when atomic tests were routine near the future Sin city. Only posing as staff on site at a mob casino, they work out Flynn targets John F. Kennedy and mob king Sam Giancana's mistress Judith Campbell, and after she betrays Wyatt and escapes, realize that Flynn blackmails her, using intimate photographs, to help steal a plutonium core. Her fling with the Air Force base general enables her to access a secure nuclear facility. Shocked, Rufus finds that Anthony is Flynn's willing collaborator, working to destroy Rittenhouse, not why. Anthony seemingly hands the core to Rufus, who prevents Wyatt from killing him, but it's a decoy while Flynn escapes with the real core. Wyatt sends a telegram to his wife in fifty years, attempting to save her life in 2012, in vain. Upon their return to the present, Wyatt covers up Rufus' protection of Anthony; Lucy tells her patient fiance Noah that she needs time, hence moves to her mother's to clear her head. In the Nevada desert, Flynn and Anthony dig up the plutonium core, which they buried to avoid risky time-travel with it.

*Though they had divorced by the time she met JFK, Judith Campbell, the historical figure played by Elena Satine, was married to actor William Campbell, a recognizable face to Star Trek (1966) fans as the Q-like being Trelane in "The Squire of Gothos (1967)" and Klingon captain Koloth in "The Trouble with Tribbles (1967)".

[areyouafraid]

i dont know a lot about frank sinatra but i keep thinking about the mafia rumors. my kneejerk reaction was like "oh just because hes italian you assholes" but apparently he was actually like known to hang out with prolific mob members. and he would go on the record like "i am not in the mafia and i am not affiliated with the mafia. my good friend sam giancana and i were just having a discussion"

[fidius]

Most vegetables will taste good and retain a pleasant texture if thinly sliced and tossed in a pan with some oil or butter for a couple of minutes (like a stir-fry but with just one ingredient). I cannot handle very-cooked mushy (and often slimy and/or stringy) greens at all, which is the only way I ever ate them growing up, so I used to think I just hated spinach and its pals. But no actually I love spinach, I just don't like it overcooked. Hot (very) oil - toss with spinach - cover and lower heat to almost off - wait 4-5 minutes - eat.

If you want to learn to enjoy the thicker greens, like chard or kale, they do better in things, preferably with a strong flavor. I have been making variants on this meal for (holy shit) almost twenty years now:

@me3dia I wonder whatever happened to the guy who wrote that.

i mean this in the gentlest way possible: you need to eat vegetables. you need to become comfortable with doing so. i do not care if you are a picky eater because of autism (hi, i used to be this person!), you need to find at least some vegetables you can eat. find a different way to prepare them. chances are you would like a vegetable you hate if you prepared it in a stew or roasted it with seasoning or included it as an ingredient in a recipe. just. please start eating better. potatoes and corn are not sufficient vegetables for a healthy diet.

[mx-defying]

Welcome to Miami!

Meet up with Diddy and Sam Giancana at the Fontainebleau.

Was it Usher who once said “fly like a butterfly 🦋 sting like a 🐝?”

This is a deep dive, but I 🐰 got the carrot 🥕!

[mainefemwresfan]

Sam Giancana's Bella vs Carlo Gambino's Bianca by teaguetyler

[themightyfoo]

The state line continued into a large gambling floor where the slots could quickly be wheeled across the state line, depending on which state the police were from.

Cal-Neva has a long, colorful mob history. The original 1926 building burned down in a mysterious 1937 fire that was thought to be arson, but no charges were ever brought. Construction vehicles arrived the morning after the fire and rebuilt the Lodge in just 30 days. Cal-Neva was one of the first legalized casinos in the United States.

Judy Garland gave her first public performance there at age 13. The 1960 Winter Olympics was held nearby.

Frank Sinatra bought Cal-Neva in 1960 (his silent partner was mob boss Sam Giancana) and it became a major jet set celebrity hub as well as a home away from home for the Rat Pack and the Kennedy clan. Dean Martin once got so plastered before a show a door was removed from its hinges to serve as a makeshift stretcher. Secret tunnels on the grounds connected certain private guest cabins and made it possible for JFK to have illicit rendezvous with a host of women - some adulterous, some prostitution. Marilyn Monroe spent her last weekend at Cal-Neva as a virtual prisoner - no one was permitted to see or speak with her. After she fought off an attemped rape by Giancana, later that night she had (or was administered) a near-fatal overdose. This was a few days before her final fatal OD. It has been insinuated that Monroe was murdered to conceal her relationship with Kennedy, but if anyone ordered Monroe killed it was probably Giancana. Several mob murders took place at Cal-Neva, although the bodies were always moved elsewhere prior to discovery.

This just scratches the surface of this reputedly haunted place. It is now owned by Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, the sixth wealthiest person in the world.

The pool at Cal-Neva Lodge, Lake Tahoe. Nevada’s largest resort casino in the 1930s. No gambling on the Cali side. 

[gregarnott]

Sam Giancana

[globaltelevisionofficial]

so i guess that rules out sam giancana and johnny roselli too… 😐 what about anyone who testified before the church commission…

A couple of them, sure.

[dankusner]

Ruby ’n’ Omertà

THE MOBSTER'S INSIDE LIFE

The Explosive, Inside Story of the Mobster Who Controlled America

By Sam and Chuck Giancana

Warner Books. 357 pp. $22.95

With its melange of Mafia history and conspiratorial politics, "Double Cross" has raced up the national bestseller lists, propelled in good part by the movie "JFK," which has helped catapult some half-dozen books purporting to solve the Kennedy assassination onto the lists in recent months.

"Double Cross" is merely the latest, but also the most insidious.

This book solves almost everything.

"Double Cross" tells the tale of onetime Chicago Mafia boss Sam Giancana, and is written by -- or allegedly written by -- his younger brother Chuck (actually his stepbrother, though the book de-emphasizes this) and Chuck's son, also named Sam, who hardly figures in the book.

I say "allegedly" because the book is such an inventive stew of nonsense that I sense the gleeful hand of a ghostwriter.

The code of omerta doesn't run deep in this family.

In 1984, Sam Giancana's daughter, Antoinette, with Thomas Renner, published "Mafia Princess," also a bestseller, about her dad's life.

All this should serve as a cautionary tale to current and retired Mafia bosses: Spread the wealth among your family unless you want them to take out contracts on you -- book contracts.

"Double Cross" essentially interweaves two narratives.

One is of Chuck's relation -- or non-relation -- to Sam.

Chuck evidently envied, admired, feared and resented him.

Dependent on him for approval and livelihood, Chuck lived much of his life in Sam's shadow, until Chuck finally changed his name to escape the notoriety it brought upon his family and struck out on his own.

Chuck's story is rather depressing.

But sad sack Chuck also claims that "the mobster who controlled America" used him as his confidant, and so now all the dirty secrets can be told (though not verified).

This is the tale of Sam Giancana's criminal empire, built up from his Chicago street gang, the 42s, and integrated into the Al Capone mob.

It's difficult enough for biographers to agree on their facts regarding past presidents.

But when it comes to professional psychopaths like mobsters the task is hopeless.

"Double Cross" takes facts such as the CIA's involvement with Giancana to assassinate Fidel Castro, and Giancana and Jack Kennedy's simultaneous affairs with Judy Campbell, then piles on half-truths, lies, warmed-over gossip and garbled fairy tales.

Well, then, according to the book, Chuck learned from his brother that Sam was one of the gunmen in the Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929 that established Capone as Chicago's undisputed crime boss; that Giancana knew that Huey Long was assassinated on orders from New York bosses whom he was cheating; that Giancana got the contract to kill Las Vegas casino operator Bugsy Siegel; that the Chicago mob "owned" Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and then Harry Truman, whose career they promoted; that the mob pulled strings to keep crime-buster Sen. Estes Kefauver off the Democratic presidential ticket; that athletes in Giancana's pocket included Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, all of whom used to party in New York mob boss Frank Costello's Washington Hotel suite; that Joe Kennedy was in Giancana's debt from bootlegging days; that Giancana got Costello to cancel a hit on Joe Kennedy and in return Joe swore that when his son Jack became president he would owe Sam a big one; that Costello fed J. Edgar Hoover tips on fixed horse races in return for laying off the mob; that Giancana engineered Vito Genovese's heroin bust, which effectively ended his criminal career; that Giancana partied at the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe with Jack Kennedy and assorted prostitutes; that Giancana had sexually compromising pictures, tape recordings and films of Kennedy, but Giancana's CIA friends persuaded him not to use them; that Frank Sinatra, who set up Judy Campbell with both Sam and Kennedy, was Giancana's conduit to the Kennedys; that Giancana got Jimmy Hoffa to skim millions from the Teamsters for Kennedy's campaign; that Chicago Mafia money bought West Virginia and Illinois for Kennedy, crucial for his election to the presidency; that Richard Nixon got Giancana's people highway contracts and helped his man in Texas, Jack Ruby (hullo Jack!), avoid testifying before Congress in 1947; that Sam worked with the CIA to try to assassinate Castro in Cuba, ; that Giancana secured for the CIA the financial services of Michele Sindona, consultant for both the Sicilian Mafia and the Vatican; that the CIA bugged comedian Dan Rowan's home for Giancana, who suspected him of an affair with Giancana's girlfriend, singer Phyllis McGuire; that after his election, Kennedy used Angie Dickinson and Marilyn Monroe to deliver messages to Giancana; but that when the Kennedy brothers double-crossed the Mafia and went after mob figures and Hoffa, then Giancana, who had promoted Monroe's career, had her murdered with a Nembutal suppository to create a scandal that would implicate Bobby Kennedy, then ending an affair with her; and that Giancana conspired with other top Mafia bosses, as well as Hoffa, Vice President Lyndon Johnson, Nixon, top CIA officials, top military officials, top Dallas police officials, top Texas oilmen etc. etc. to assassinate Kennedy, with Ruby serving as Giancana's point man in Dallas; that Giancana later arranged to have Bobby Kennedy assassinated too; that Giancana placed a contract on Hoffa before he himself was murdered in 1975, prior to his scheduled appearance before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; and so on into the long black night.

The only crime this book doesn't solve is the Lindbergh kidnapping. But maybe Giancana's great-great-grand-nephew and second cousin's niece will collaborate to solve that one.

The reviewer, who has written about the Mafia before, is the author of a short-story collection, "The Off-Season."