I had some liberal in my face rattling off "what about Trump's deals with the mafia, what about this, what about that?" the other daay, and thought I'd see what I could find.


Here's what David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer-winning journalist, and clearly not a Trump fan, had to say on the subject, in this May 22, 2016 article from Politico (which is to say, one of the bedrock centers of the Trump-hating liberal media):

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910


What I get out of it is, despite insinuation, Trump had a legal professional relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn, who despite being an S O B of a lawyer, was an accomplished lawyer who had defended Mafia figures. Trump made legal transactions with persons and companies that, while legal entities, had either criminal records, or owned criminal enterprises in addition to their legal businesses Trump transacted construction and labor deals with.

Likewise, Trump is alleged to have dealt with organized crime figures with his casino in New Jersey. But despite all associations revealed and known for decades, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (or DGE) issued him a license. And despite complaints raised and investigated about Trump, the New Jesey DGE never revoked his casino gaming license.
Trump's hiring of former criminals and testifying for them as a character witness when they were accused of crimes is testimony that he had a pleasant professional working relationship with them (such as pilot of the helicopter service for his VIP's), and that they had not done anything unethical during their business together.

If I sell someone my car, or sell them a home or condominium, or rent them an apartment, I don't know their complete history, they're just someone I transact a legal purchase or business with. I don't know if they have a criminal record or some outside illegal business. I suspect it was the same for Trump. Only in the case of renting an apartment would one do a more thorough background check, because that is property you still own and don't want damaged or used to run an illegal enterprise.

It's possible that Trump knew about the criminal activity of many he did business with. But it is not proven. It is just insinuated, as possible or even likely. And as this is Politico, and includes ads for other articles and sites rabidly hostile to Trump alongside the article, I take that with a good grain of salt.