James R. Hoffa did NOT extort money. What he did was this; being on the Pension Fund Board, he, along with the others, agreed to make LEGAL loans to build hotels in Las Vegas. The Teamsters charged interest on these loans, PERFECTLY LEGAL, and in essence he and the board made money for the members pension fund. What probably happened is that he was paid a fee on top of the interest paid and made some $$ for himself. This was NEVER proven. When Mr. Hoffa was sentenced to prison, this whole country was on the verge of being shut down. EVERY Teamster member accross this country was ready to stop all trucking, walk off thier jobs, and literally cripple this country! Mr. James R. Hoffa sent a taped message to EVERY Local in the Teamsters Union telling them of his appreciation of thier support, but that they should NOT do anything illegal by wildcat striking, etc. on his part. The whole thing in a nutshell was this; The Kennedys did not like the fact that James Hoffa was more powerful and more liked then they were. Hoffa at one point was more Powerful then the President of the U.S.A.! The Kenneedys despised this power and set out on a witch hunt for Hoffa and the Teamsters! Makes me laugh that they wanted to tie Hoffa to organized crime in the worst way. Hell, John F. Kennedy would have never been President of the U.S.A. were it not for his father begging for and getting the support of the same mobsters and unions that Robert would later on try to tie Hoffa with! Joseph Kennedy made the Kennedy fortune through Bootlegging, running and doing business with mobsters! What hypocrites! Hoffa did some illegal things, but I'll tell you this, HE NEVER screwed the working man! Always made money for the unions, and got record wage increases for his members! As for his pardon by Nixon, well Frankie Fitzsimmons, who Hoffa appointed to act as Teamster President, was actually more "leniant" with the "boys". Because of this the "Boys" did NOT want Hoffa back in office. So Fitzsimmons made a deal with Nixon, to pardon Hoffa on the grounds that he would NEVER return as President of the teamsters! This part of the deal was done without Hoffa knowledge. When Hoffa finally was pardoned and found out about this part of the deal, he was appealing in courts, etc., and was on the verge of having that part of the deal declared illegal. In other words it lookd as though Hoffa would win his appeals, and be right back in as President. This probably upset Fitz and his "Associates" and eventually, Hoffa mysteriously " Dissappeared!

Don Cardi