* OK, I couldn’t resist this story for several reasons. First, I have a painting by Henry Hill and it’s pretty good. Second, I used a quote from Goodfellas in a recent Sun-Times column…
The leaders’ most important job is protecting their members from election challenges by the other political party. And that brings us to my favorite Outfit movie, Goodfellas.
“All they got from Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what the FBI can never understand - that what Paulie and the Organization offer is protection for the kinds of guys who can’t go to the cops. They’re like the police department for wiseguys.”
Henry Hill’s real-life description of how Outfit bosses operate pretty much gives you the key to understanding how things work in Springfield.
Now, I don’t consider legislative leaders to be gangsters. But even the leaders would have to admit that the organizational mindset is strikingly similar.
And just yesterday I was talking with a legislator about that “F___ you, pay me” scene in the movie and how that related to Illinois politics…
Now the guy’s got Paulie as a partner. Any problems, he goes to Paulie. Trouble with the bill? He can go to Paulie. Trouble with the cops, deliveries, Tommy? He can call Paulie. But now the guy’s gotta come up with Paulie’s money every week no matter what. Business bad? F___ you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? F___ you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning, huh? F___ you, pay me.”
Anyway, here’s the story…
The former mobster who inspired “Goodfellas” was arrested Sunday in Fairview Heights because he had “one too many” drinks in a hotel lobby, he said.
Henry P. Hill, 66, of Topanga, Calif., was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in the Drury Inn Hotel, 12 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights.
“I got a summons for being intoxicated; it wasn’t my first one,” Hill said. “I broke the law and I got arrested.
“I don’t drink every day,” he added. “Sometimes I have one too many. I know I shouldn’t drink this much, but they give you free drinks. I had a few and it got pretty foggy after that. The lady I was with doesn’t drink, so I had six drinks and I ended up at the county jail.”
Hill is in the area for an art show at a, um, gentleman’s club.
So, I thought you might get a kick out this. Anybody up for a trip to Fairview Heights tonight?