Secret traffic in an illegal 'cancer drug'
Among Gallagher's considerable attributes, so far as Zicarelli was concerned, was his seat on the prestigious House Foreign Affairs Committee. For all his small-town nickname, Joe Bayonne had important foreign affairs of his own – among others, with the Dominican Republic, to which he sold arms during the terrorist regime of Rafael Trujillo.
In the scramble that followed Trujillo's assassination, however, Zicarelli was reaching for a new grip. When Joaquin Balaguer – once Trujillo's puppet president – was elected head of state in 1966, Zicarelli saw his chance to get control of the republic's faltering airline, Compahia Dominicana de Aviation. Even as a legitimate business its prospects were good, once the tourists started returning. But as a licensed international carrier which Cosa Nostra could put to use in all the shady trades in which it specializes, it could be a flying bullion lode.
|
The gangster's attorney, Stephen Hoffman, who had served as registered agent for Balaguer during the latter's exile in the U.S., was on hand for Balaguer's inauguration on July 1, 1966. Gallagher also was there, in the official delegation from Washington. Early the following year, on a visit that some federal authorities are convinced was directly connected with Zicarelli's bid for the airline, Hoffman flew down again. So did Congressman Gallagher - on the same plane, in fact. They met and talked.
President Balaguer later confided to a friend that Gallagher, during his visit, had professed himself interested in sugar investments "and any other kind of business deal he can put together." Indeed, the congressman told embassy officials on arriving that the nature of his trip was "personal." Yet Gallagher told LIFE that the trip had the official sanction of the Foreign Affairs Committee and various government departments fie had consulted. The committee, he said, had picked up the tab for the trip.
Even so, the U.S. embassy in Santo Domingo was embarrassed by the circumstances of Gallagher's visit and the fact that it coincided with that of Hoffman,
whose Balaguer-Zicarelli affiliations were well known. Embassy officers cabled Washington that the congressman had assured them he was "trying to keep Hoffman at arm's length." (Later Gallagher told LIFE he had never discussed Hoffman's presence with anyone at the embassy.) Ambassador John H. Crimmins told the State Department he regretted Gallagher's involvement in the island republic, and said it appeared the congressman was "naive."
Despite the efforts of his envoys, Zicarelli never did pull off the airline deal. But the activity in Santo Domingo does follow a pattern that repeats itself where Zicarelli and the congressman are concerned: when and where the gangster needs influential help, along comes Congressman Gallagher. Another example: Laetrile.
|
Lawyer Steve Hoffman, who has represented gangster Joe Zicarelli in a variety of capacities, walks near his apartment in an uptown Manhattan neighborhood.
|
Great New Bike Lock!
$25 – Lock Included – Free Shipping in the USA
Payment by PayPal – E-mail bikelock@geltbyassociation.com
Drunken Jamie, Jersey City's Own Howard Stern Character
Bret Schundler's Big Win
|
City Hall Web Wall
|
|
|
New Jersey Fact:
"New Jersey is a small state on the eastern seaboard halfway between Honest John Lindsay and the Liberty Bell. It is best known for its turnpike, Atlantic City, Imamu Baraka, Newark Airport and the Morro Castle disaster. Most of its leaders are in jail for stealing money...."
Over thirty years ago, this was how a New York Times writer described New Jersey. The only things that have changed are that now Bloomberg has Lindsay's old job and Amiri Baraka figured out somewhere along the line that it's not too swift for an atheist to use a religious title.
| |
|
Page continues BELOW this image!
For All Sorts of Unique New York City Information, Visit GET NY!
Brooklyn Politics: Due to the tireless efforts of Brooklyn District Attorney Charles "Joe" Hynes,
the people of New York City remain safe from that gang of marauding political reprobates – Sandra Roper, John O'Hara, and Judge John Phillips.
Hudson County, New Jersey is a place of many firsts - including genocide and slavery.
Political corruption is a tradition here.
First issue in a series by Anthony Olszewski – Click HERE to find out more.
|
|
