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Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 | 2 a.m.
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman’s memoir about his life as a mob lawyer, his three terms as the “happiest mayor in the universe” and his new career as the head of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s host committee hits bookstores June 4. Goodman gave members of the Destination Services Association a preview of his book, “Being Oscar,” on Tuesday at the recently relocated Planet Hollywood restaurant at the Forum Shops at Caesars. “I think the reason my book is going to be successful is because it’s Vegas,” Goodman told the group. “Anything with Vegas cannot miss. People ...
Nobody is fascinated with you Oscar. You are a blowhard that used the system to get your criminal friends off the hook. Exactly why the public hates lawyers and you want to glamorize that?
Will he go on a book tour? Can not wait to see him on the Huckabee show on FOX? (those glasses are thicker than your restaurant's steaks Oscar)
"Oscar Goodman details how he came to defend mobsters" it will be a one page memoir, it will state "I did it for the MONEY"
hahahahahah :D
I can not wait to read this book, thanks Oscar for everything that you have done for this town!
Err, aahh, hummm....? GoBruins, you must not have been in Las Vegas during the Tony Spilotro years. Or seen how unsafe the city was to visitors and local "legit" businessman.
Oscar Goodman defended and help protect a murder and his crew. Period!
I am not defending or criticizing Oscar Goodman when I say this: if you read the Constitution, we are all entitled to certain rights. If you were accused of a crime, especially a capital crime, you would want a lawyer to defend you and you would want a good one. It is not lauding mobsters or murderers to say that they are innocent until proved guilty. I'm sorry others here think so little of the Bill of Rights.
Mr. Green is correct. If you are in trouble you hire an attorney. The mob was smart, they hired the best just as you would if you faced jail time.
Oscar has done more for this town than most mayors ever did. He has his haters than again some that post here would hate on anyone due to their lack of ever doing anything with their own lives. Some complain daily about the folks they work for, the ones willing to put up with them and give them a job.
Hope his book is a huge successes for himself and for Las Vegas. The greatest city in the world!
As a Las Vegan, I have always said:
"In Oscar We Trust!
Ah, 1986 when I first moved to Las Vegas as a 26 yr old with long, flowing "Bon Jovi hair". Good times, I loved "Vegas" back then.
Don't view it as defending mobsters and criminals, view it as defending the Constitution.
It is true of most professions like law, doctors and accountancy, that people seek a recommendation from someone they know.
Goodman just benefited from doing good on a couple of cases and getting the recommends. Generally a criminal defense lawyer or public defender can't be too choosey on those they represent.
How many cases did he win that were not in front of his friend Harry Claiborne?
The problem with Oscar is not that he defended his clients in court but that he went out of his way to call many of them "good men" when the reality is guys like Spilotro were anything but. Oscar always played the "persecuted unjustly" excuse with these guys. History shows otherwise.
There are ways to defend a man in court...and out of court. He made his case too personal when it should have been professional.
He was also on record as not giving a damn where the funds came from to pay for his services. That wouldn't work today.
"...recently relocated Planet Hollywood restaurant at the Forum Shops at Caesars."
What? When did Planet Hollywood close it's Caesars' location and then move back?!
I am sure that Oscar will claim that he did downtown redevelopment all by himself, and not bother to actually name all the key city staff that really pulled it off for him behind the scenes. He showed up for groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings, and photo op tours in between. There should be scores of developers that lost everything in the Great Recession that will out him soon.
@Michael Green and Noindex:
Great posts.
When I worked at my Chicago law firm, in the past, the firm was known for defending "mob figures". Sometimes the firm represented clients in matters involving the mob. In the book "Casino", our firm was mentioned quite a bit because of a matter taking place in Vegas during the Vegas' hey days. It represented a non-mob entity. I also worked for one partner who, thanks to him, taught me about the law and the Consitution. And I learned and respected what the practice of law was about before it all became about the "bottom line". He represented quite a few Chicago mob guys and another head mob boss from another city. Of course, I had to deal with these clients all the time, via phone and visits to the office. And this will piss all of you who think representing the mob guys is disgusting, but I was treated with the utmost respect by all of them which doesn't diminish in any way what they did for a "living". But yeah, they were regular guys in their own way. And they were always up against the feds for one reason or another. And at times, the feds were not the "saints" that people thought they were. They would stop at nothing to get evidence against these guys even though there was NO evidence. I remember going with my boss to help him at trial in a neighboring State when his client was on trial. I was told by my boss to be careful when calling home, ie my parents, boyfriend, because the FBI bugged my hotel phone!! I was like "WHY??? I'm just a secretary!" Of course, because of a signed confidentiality agreement when I was hired, I never discussed any cases outside of the office with anyone. That whole trip was way interesting. A huge first-hand learning experience on how our system does work.
I laugh when people make a big deal about anyone defending the "mob"! These people look down at Oscar, or any other lawyer, but it IS about the Constitution and everyone IS entitled to legal representation under our Constitution, no matter what the crime is or who you are. Remember - the Consitution that protects the innocent...until proven guilty, or not guilty.
Having had a Dad that was here " back in the day" he spoke highly of the defense process. Though not personally involved with "dem guys" he says that before nevada gaming it was all good and casinos were Very profitable It appeared the "chicago skim" was too deep a cut so it became noticeable..hence someone else also wanted a bigger cut..Natural order of things the outfit is outed and Bang zoom Nevada gaming takes 100 percent control and fees accordingly for their services. They cut out the Chicago middle men and put some order to the gambling business, so in the end, their is some legal recourse to gaming irregularities but it took the pizazz out of the way casinos do business. Understandable,, the comps are now only marketing campaigns good indication is to look at the cost of a meal/ buffet..
they profit these days not break even to keep the gamblers in house. STILL LOVE THIS CITY, NEVER WILL LEAVE
yondro