Fitz’s Ascendancy

Fitz rises from Hoffa’s selected successor to the leader who consolidates control, blocks Hoffa’s return, and becomes a target of Hoffa’s anger.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Chosen Successor

A Coin-Toss Consequence The vacancy After Owen Bert Brennan died, James R. Hoffa had to choose a new International vice president. He selected Fitz over the loyal Bobby Holmes, reportedly after a coin toss. The succession seed The choice placed Fitz in a position from which he could later succeed Hoffa. Sheeran believed the alternative would have been more loyal, but the decision was made and its effects unfolded over years.

Acting Leadership

Running the Union Hoffa imprisoned When James R. Hoffa entered prison, Fitz assumed day-to-day leadership. Hoffa initially expected his associate to protect the organization and help secure his release. Separate interests As time passed, Fitz developed his own base of support and treated the presidency as more than a temporary role. Hoffa’s growing suspicion turned their old alliance into a contest for control.

The Restricted Release

A Presidency Secured The pardon condition Fitz supported the political steps that accompanied James R. Hoffa’s release from prison. The commutation barred Hoffa from union management until 1980. A new balance The restriction gave Fitz room to remain in control while Hoffa was outside prison. Hoffa and his supporters later regarded the condition as a betrayal engineered through political maneuvering.

Open Conflict

The Former Partner Hoffa’s challenge James R. Hoffa launched a legal challenge and announced plans to run against Fitz. He accused Fitz of weakness and of tolerating criminal influence. Fitz under threat The contest exposed Fitz’s vulnerabilities and made the possibility of Hoffa’s return frightening to those invested in the status quo. Sheeran’s account places Fitz among the people Hoffa threatened to punish.

A Presidency Without Closure

Power After Hoffa The disappearance Hoffa vanished before the 1976 contest. The unresolved case left Fitz’s role in the succession shadowed by accusations and suspicion. The moral ambiguity The book recounts claims about intimidation around union leadership but does not establish that Fitz ordered the killing. His rise and Hoffa’s disappearance remain connected by political consequence, not a proven direct command.

1961

1967–1971

December 1971

1973–1975

July 1975 and after