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Originally Posted by old Tom
was hoover involved with Al Capone?
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Sort of. The FBI wasn't charged with enforcement of the Volstead Act. Further, Hoover denied the existence of organized crime for most of his tenure. Any police official who gained any measure of recognition was seen by Edgar as a threat to his position as THE preeminent cop. That's in large measure why Melvin Purvis (who actually hunted and shot Dillinger) was forced out of the FBI.
Hoover was big on using statistics to trumpet bureau success. Mobster activities didn't lend themselves to good numbers. This was due in part to the lack of comprehensive federal criminal code.