1950s. This clip of a senate inquiry is after Mr. William O’Dwyer served as 100th mayor of New York City, about the mob’s influence on NYC politics and his opinion of mafia boss Frank Costello.
“What is it with the condition in New York…that would even allow Costello to have a word or an influence, or to put a touch on a man…..what have we come to when a man like that can do that?”
The time-frame mostly concerns Mr. O’Dwyer’s service as District Attorney in Kings County, New York (Brooklyn) during the early 1940s.
William O’Dwyer was re-elected for second term as mayor of New York City in 1949, but resigned shortly thereafter when confronted with a police corruption scandal. He served as ambassador to Mexico under President Harry Truman, returning to New York City to answer questions about his association with the mob in 1951.
Mr. O’Dwyer was never convicted of any crime, served his country in WWII, and as District Attorney was majorly responsible for the conviction and dissolution of ‘Murder Inc, a nationwide mafia-run hitman service. He resigned as Ambassador in 1952 and passed away in 1964.