Perfect Villains, Imperfect Heroes: Robert F. Kennedy's War Against Organized Crime (Capital Classics) [Paperback]

Ronald Goldfarb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 2002 | Series: Capital Classics

When the newly elected president John F. Kennedy appointed his younger brother attorney general, there was a firestorm of criticism. Not only was the nepotism blatant, but Robert Kennedy had never tried a case in court and was considered ruthless, highly politicized and intemperate. Nevertheless, he went on to become one of the most active and effective attorneys general in American history. This book examines his four-year tenure and the concerted war on crime he launched during that time. Written by one of the bright young lawyers he recruited to work as part of the special rackets prosecution team, Perfect Villains, Imperfect Heroes is an insider's view of one of the Kennedy administration's most exciting and largely untold stories. In this account of the historic battle between law breakers and law enforcers, Goldfarb shows that these cases had a profound impact on public consciousness that the mob's leaders, even if they did not directly cause the murder of John F. Kennedy, might well have been tried and convicted of conspiring to do so, since they had both the means and motive, took steps toward that end, and left an abundance of incriminating evidence.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1961, when Robert Kennedy became attorney general, Goldfarb (The Contempt Power), then a liberal young New York City lawyer, agreed reluctantly to serve in the Justice Department's Organized Crime and Racketeering section. Soon he was swept up in his boss's campaign against the rackets, the first time any administration had launched all-out war against the mob, the officials it corrupted and the unions it poisoned. While RFK's successful battle against Teamster chief Jimmy Hoffa was his most publicized case, the author shows that he instituted hundreds of other cases and inspired his subordinates with his combination of pragmatism and idealism and with the way he exercised power with confidence and empathy. In Goldfarb's estimation, RFK was a notable being. Arresting is the author's tendency to accept the thesis that the Mafia engineered the assassination of John Kennedy, who was doing deals with the syndicate to eliminate Castro even as his brother's Justice Department was aggressively attempting to prosecute the mob. This insider's view of RFK's campaign against organized crime shows us the workaday world of the Attorney General and his single-mindedness in combating "the roots of evil." Without romanticizing RFK, Goldfarb presents us with a genuine visionary.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Goldfarb, a former Justice Department lawyer, provides an insightful account of Robert F. Kennedy's tenure as U.S. attorney general and his crusade against organized crime. While Goldfarb focuses on his own courtroom experiences, he also shows how Kennedy's open style of leadership inspired Justice Department staff to excel at their jobs. The department's overall effectiveness increased dramatically under Kennedy's direction. By bringing the fight against organized crime to Washington, indictments and convictions each rose from zero to over 600 in Kennedy's first two years on the job. Goldfarb and other department lawyers exposed corrupt public officials, union leaders like Jimmy Hoffa, illegal union activities, mob infiltration of Las Vegas, and much more. Often using obscure statutes to snag racketeers, Kennedy's team also drafted new laws with stiffer penalties. Judging by a number of factors outlined here, Goldfarb sees a connection between organized crime and the Kennedy assassinations. Although the detailed courtroom memoir will mainly interest lawyers, it fills a major gap in the history of the Kennedy era. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.?Gary D. Barber, SUNY at Fredonia Lib.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Capital Books (November 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931868069
• ISBN-13: 978-1931868068
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,958,100 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful History!, November 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Perfect Villains, Imperfect Heroes: Robert F. Kennedy's War Against Organized Crime (Capital Classics) (Paperback)

Ron Goldfarb's "Perfect Villains, Imperfect Heroes" is an insightful analysis of the RFK led Attorney General office investigation of the mob. Part memoir and part history, you feel like you are part of the action when you read this interesting book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, February 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Perfect Villians, Imperfect Heroes: Robert Kennedy's War Against Organized Crime (Hardcover)

Overall, too much emphasis on Goldfarb, and not enough on Kennedy. The description of his work in Newport is somewhat dull. However, his thoughts at the end about the JFK assassination connection with organized crime are interesting.