Of Rats and Men: Oscar Goodman's Life From Mob Mouthpiece to Mayor of Las Vegas
- Book Review,
by John L. Smith
From Booklist
Goodman spent 35 years defending some of the most notorious crime figures in the U.S., including Meyer Lansky, Frank Rosenthal, Anthony Spilotro, and others. That long and infamous career didn't keep him from being elected mayor of Las Vegas, a town trying to rehabilitate its image as a Mob haven. Smith recounts Goodman's rise from a modest childhood with immigrant parents in Philadelphia and a brief stint as a prosecutor in Las Vegas before he developed a fascination with the fast life and colorful characters of the crime world. Goodman's success in a string of attempted prosecutions from Philadelphia to Las Vegas made him "Public Enemy Number One among federal mob prosecutors," who wondered how close he was to the operations of the Mob. Unabashedly proud of his career and reputation as a Mob mouthpiece, Goodman appeared as himself in the Martin Scorsese film Casino. And in 1999, despite the baggage of his career and scathing newspaper editorials, Goodman entered politics and a new career as the self-proclaimed "happiest mayor in America." Cathy Buksar
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Chicago Sun-Times, October 2004
A first-rate profile of one of our most unusual public figures. (It) deserves attention far beyond those interested in gambling.
Book Description
Milwaukee Phil. The Wizard of Odds. The Brain. Nicky Crow. Tony Ripe. Cork. Uncle. King Rat. Tony Ducks. DeBe. Tuffy. Mad Sam. Vinny Nip. The Rifleman. Jimmy the Weasel. Billy Jack. The Midget. Crazy Phil. Joey the Clown. Toots. Vinnie Ocean. Charlie the Moose. Richie the Fixer. Big Chris. The Count. Little Pussy. Fat Vinnie. Chicken Man. Chicken Wing. The Ant. Jimmy Blue Eyes. The Mad Bomber. Minor characters from the "Sopranos"? Forgotten roles from the Godfather series? Hardly. More like Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman's former clientele and cohorts. Find out about these colorful figures and many more in John L. Smith's Of Rats and Men.
From the Inside Flap
For more than 35 years, Oscar Goodman was the country's pre-eminent defense attorney for alleged gangsters. His endless client list included Meyer Lansky, Nick Civella, Anthony Spilotro, Frank Rosenthal, Jimmy Chagra, Natale Richichi, Nicky Scarfo, and Vinny Ferrara, along with many others. Though no further connection between Goodman and the Mafia has ever been proved, the famous litigator has often been accused of being more than just a mouthpiece for organized crime. Was Oscar Goodman only what he claims, an attorney who defended his clients based on the simple principle that they, too, have constitutional rights? And if so, how did he manage to mingle with the mob for decades without becoming part of it? After scores of unlikely courtroom victories, Goodman pulled off an even more unlikely career change. Twice elected mayor of Las Vegas, he went from legal spokesman for the most notorious crime figures of our era to politcal spokeman for the most notorious city in the country. OF RATS AND MEN is the story of mafia informants, made men, over-zealous government agents, a courtroom wizard, and the "happiest mayor in America." It's the biography of Oscar Goodman.
About the Author
John L. Smith is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and author of several books, including Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn; Quicksilver: The Ted Binion Murder Case; The Animal in Hollywood; and No Limit: The Rise and Fall of Bob Stupak and Las Vegas' Stratosphere Tower. A columnist in Nevada, his work has been honored by the National Headliner Awards, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, and the Nevada Press Association. John L. Smith appears regularly on national television shows, was a featured source for the award-winning British documentary Mob Law: The True Story of Oscar Goodman, and gives nightly commentary on the Las Vegas NBC affiliate.
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