Posted on 01/17/2013 6:22:36 AM PST by Uncle Chip
Organized crime still wraps its tentacles around industries.
Made man - Union made
This bland looking seafood restaurant in south west Washington DC was a short walk from Capitol Hill. It was notable for a few things besides having provided Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin a monster sized lobster dinner. In the sixties it was the political power restaurant/lounge in an era before power bars came into being. Aside from having two piano bars and the largest lobster tank in DC it had a bronze ship's bell which was only rung for House or Senate quorum calls. Upon hearing the tolling of the bell, political aides would hustle the usually wobbly congers-critters into their respective chauffeured vehicles summoned by the maitre'd. Often, having fulfilled their civic duties, they returned to the real business of conferring with lobbyists.
Sometime in 1968 I happened to be at the bar and noticed two loud large fellows in sharkskin suits chatting with Art Buchwald. Seems one of them was a big fan of his. The fellows told Mr. Buchwald they were from Joisey in the waste disposal industry in town to see their congers-critter. Art nearly choked on his cigar laughing out loud. Big grins all around. Business as usual.
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