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BustedJustice Department stops the Mafia againPresident Clinton is keeping one of his biggest campaign promises -- his programs for a war on crime have come to fruition as the federal government has cracked down on organized crime in the United States. The administration's latest accomplishment was its arrest last week of Jack William Tocco. The Clinton administration deserves praise for its relentless pursuit of criminals, and particularly for busting up organized crime.Tocco, believed by the government to be the head of the Detroit Mafia, was arrested without incident at his vacation home in West Palm Beach, Fla. Federal authorities also arrested Anthony Zerilli, the alleged under-boss for the Detroit family. In addition to Tocco, the administration has arrested Mafia chieftains in Boston, New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and Newark over the past few years. Organized crime specialists with the FBI claim to hold 10 percent of the Mafia leadership in jail. Moreover, the FBI has said that the remaining Mafia leadership is regrouping to consolidate their power. The Clinton administration has a solid record of being tough on organized crime. During the past three years, the Justice Department has either arrested or successfully prosecuted 42 top figures in the Mob. This figure does not, of course, include the numerous foot soldiers of the Mafia who have been taken in conjunction with operations directed against the leadership. While not every mob bust is as highly publicized as Tocco's or New York crime lord John Gotti's, the Clinton administration continued its assault on organized crime. The Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Janet Reno, developed a new strategy to stop organized crime. Although the department has not released many details, it has said that the strategy involves the lulling of criminals into complacency while working toward an arrest. Clinton's success on stopping crime does not end with his crackdown on Mafia bosses. He passed the Brady Bill in 1993, which required potential gun owners to have a background check before purchasing the gun. Furthermore, he has consistently supported a ban on assault rifles, which often are involved in gruesome crimes. Clinton has not been soft on criminal behavior . Opponents may rail that the president has not acted decisively, but their claims seem false in the wake of Tocco's arrest. Clinton has kept his promises to get tough on crime -- the Detroit arrests are a sterling example of his dedication to action. Although the Tocco arrests come at a time when Clinton is kicking off his re-election campaign, it is clear that the crackdown was not purely political. Clinton's actions are reflective of his administration's deep commitment to law enforcement. |