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Breaking the Devil's Pact

The Battle To Free the Teamsters from the Mob
by Kerry T. Cooperman
Jacobs, James B. & Kerry T. Cooperman. Breaking the Devil's Pact: The Battle To Free the Teamsters from the Mob. New York Univ. 2011. c.300p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780814743089. $29.95. LAW
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In 1988, U.S. attorney Rudolph Giuliani initiated the RICO prosecution in United States v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters with a complaint detailing the "compelling story of systemic union corruption and organized-crime racketeering over several decades." Jacobs (Warren E. Burger Professor of Law and director, Ctr. for Research in Crime and Justice, New York Univ.; Mobsters, Unions, and Feds) and Cooperman (former fellow, Ctr. for Research in Crime and Justice) provide a historical analysis of the case—outlining the close relationship between the Mafia and Teamsters leaders and how the Teamsters, then the nation's most powerful union, pushed back through political means. Chapters describe and analyze, e.g., government strategy, key participants, settlement terms, developments under various Teamster leaders, and reflections on the case.
VERDICT While there are many books about the Teamsters, this is the definitive legal and political account of this piece of their history and makes for detail-heavy but worthwhile reading. Highly recommended for scholars, lawyers, and college students with a strong interest in labor and/or organized crime history.
Reviewed by Mary Jane Brustman, SUNY at Albany Libs. , Dec 01, 2011
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