America’s former mayor

To the editor:

When we look at Rudy Giuliani today, we see a pathetic shell of a former leader for fearless and creative crime fighting. He was not only a great New York City crime fighter, but by his example, a leader who, through his first police commissioner, Bill Bratton and Bratton’s brilliant staff (Jack Maple, John Timoney and others), showed the entire nation how to fight street crime.  Rudy chose Bratton, who focused on career criminals, knowing that a small percentage of predicate felons commit most of the serious crimes. Bratton also held police supervisors responsible for reducing crime in their respective areas (Through Compstat interrogations of police commanders).  

Giuliani didn’t stop there. He also led the effective effort to declare war on other forms of crime, including white-collar crime, Wall Street insider trading and organized crime. Through the creative use of the RICO statute (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), he led the fight to destroy the power of all five Mafia families, something few thought was possible. Of course, it was not only Rudy who led the fight against the Mafia; Andrew Maloney was the federal prosecutor who finally nailed the “Teflon Don,” John Gotti — for good.  

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Rudy Giuliani was the most effective crime-fighter in modern U.S. history. Of course, he couldn’t have been successful without Bratton and his team, as well as the hardworking federal prosecutors in the Southern District. 

When I hear the talking heads proclaim that Rudy Giuliani was always the pathetic creep with no respect for our justice system, I know they are wrong. He changed when his greed for power obliterated his respect for the law and desire to serve the public.

Michael J. Gorman

Gorman is a retired NYPD lieutenant.