abstract
| - Scotto grew up in the Red Hook Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn and studied pre-law and political science at Brooklyn College for two years. In 1957, Scotto married Marion Anastasio, whose father was capo Anthony Anastasio of what was the Anastasia crime family. Marion's uncle was boss Albert Anastasia. As an officer of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) Local 1814 in Red Hook, Anastasio used his position to control the Brooklyn waterfront. Scotto eventually joined Anastasio at the union local and became an ILA officer. In 1957, Anastasia was murdered and underboss Carlo Gambino took over what became the Gambino crime family. Enjoying an excellent relationship with Gambino, Scotto was soon inducted into the family. In 1963, Anastasio died and Scotto succeeded him as head of ILA Local 1814. Called a "new breed labor leader" by the press, Scotto quickly rose into high level business and political circles. Scotto promised a new era of labor harmony on the waterfront: "Who knows what you can achieve when there are reasonable men on both sides of the table?" Scotto eventually became the ILA general organizer, one of the three highest positions in the 100,000 member labor union. In 1969, government witness Joseph Valachi identified Scotto in U.S. Senate hearings as a member of the Gambino family. Scotto dismissed Valachi's claims, saying it was part of a U.S. Justice Department vendetta against him.
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