Sam Giancana

The argument

Sam Giancana, a famous mafia boss in Chicago, had an extensive relationship with the Kennedy family. He was business partners with JFK's father, Joseph, and later helped the family gain political power. That combination is what places him in accounts of the assassination: a long personal connection supplies proximity to the Kennedys, and a political debt supplies the grounds on which a grievance against them could form. Joseph Kennedy had a close relationship with Sam Giancana during Prohibition because they were bootleggers together. The connection therefore predates the presidency by decades. On this account it was not a political arrangement struck during a campaign but an established working relationship between two men, which is what made it available to be drawn on later. Later in 1960, Joseph Kennedy asked Giancana for help in securing enough votes for JFK's presidential election. It is speculated that JFK won the state of Illinois, and therefore the election, because of Sam Giancana's influence in Chicago. The significance claimed here is not simply that assistance was given but that it was decisive. If the outcome in a single state determined the presidency, then whoever delivered that state could regard the administration as owing its existence to him, and could expect the relationship to be reciprocated once it took office. Despite helping him win the election, JFK still appointed Robert Kennedy to Attorney General knowing his plans to minimize organized crime. This is where the argument locates the motive. The appointment did not merely fail to repay what was owed; it placed the federal government's law-enforcement machinery in the hands of someone committed to acting against the very organisation that had supplied the help, converting an expected protector into the most dangerous opponent available. This did not please the mafia and could have been enough of a reason to assassinate Kennedy.

Premises

Counter-arguments

There is no proof that Sam Giancana or the mafia was involved with the JFK assassination. Many link Giancana to the investigation because of his anger toward Robert Kennedy's moves against the mob, but there has been no evidence or investigation into this theory. Giancana never testified on the Kennedy assassination, nor was he suspected of being involved. Therefore, there is no evidence that the mafia was behind JFK's assassination.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P4] There's no proof that this is the case.