Rudy Giuliani and The Poetic Justice of The RICO Act
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Life is supremely ironic, isn’t it?
And if you’re Rudy Giuliani, it must be very hard being at the receiving end of an instrument which once worked brilliantly for you.
For those who do not know, the Racketeer Influenced and the Corrupt Organizations act, otherwise known as the RICO act found great expression in the 80ss when Giuliani went head to head with some of the most powerful mobsters in American history.
And brought them all to book.
It was what propelled him to national prominence and enabled him to launch a successful political career as mayor.
And it shouldn’t be forgotten that it was his use of the RICO act, which made a lifelong fugitive out of Marc Rich.
Marc Rich, for those who do not know, was responsible for the biggest commodity trading companies in the world in the 1980s and 1990s. Our protagonist did business with some of the worst regimes in the world and made a huge fortune as a result.
But Rich couldn’t return to the United States, even after the controversial pardon from the disreputable and dishonourable Bill Clinton in 2001.
And this extraordinary individual died in exile in 2013.
What about his pull in the aftermath of 9/11?
It is no exaggeration to state that his leadership at the time of this Black swan event drew admiration from friends and foes alike.
Head of states from around the world were queuing up to have their photographs taken with the man.
The late Atal-Behari Vajpayee of India, Tony Blair all wanted some of his star dust in those halcyon days.
Such was the extraordinary power which Rudi Giuliani had in times past.
But things have changed in the last few years.
The former mayor of New York city made the all important decision to cast his lot with the most controversial, feckless and divisive figure in recent American history.
And this decision has altered the course of his entire life.
