highbrow venues that were thought off-limits to political bosses. In wielding his enormous political clout, he usually preferred extensive consultations and consensus-building to unilateral decision-making. His 16- to-18-hour workday began with pre-breakfast phone calls at home where, still dressed in pajamas and bathrobe, he received a stream of political associates. DeSapio would then visit his various offices for further meetings, and cram in a half-dozen public functions, including radio and television appearances and a late-night political dinner. DeSapio succeeded in shucking Tammany's notoriety and fashioning himself as a sophisticated, enlightened and modern political boss. He favored well-tailored dark suits and striped ties and always looked as if he had just stepped out of a barber's chair. The only incongruity was the dark glasses he was forced to always wear because of chronic iritis. Involvement with organized crime Throughout his political life, DeSapio was noted for alleged involvement with organized crime, even though he fought to distance the organization from the unsavory days of Boss Tweed, and allegations of corruption. In 1951, Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee concluded that DeSapio was assisting the activities of New York's most powerful mobster Frank Costello, and that Costello had become influential in decisions made by the Tammany Hall council. DeSapio admitted to having met Costello several times, but insisted that "politics was never discussed". These connections were examined by the Kefauver Commission. However, it later became apparent that he was also selling out to benefit local mobsters such as Costello. DeSapio was accused of staffing New York City's government with clubhouse hacks. He followed the Tammany custom of selling judicial nominations, although he did cut the fee that would-be judges were required to pay. He steered valuable city contracts for streetlights and parking meters to the Broadway Maintenance Corporation, a company that, according to the State Investigation Commission, cheated taxpayers out of millions of dollars. 1953 mayoral election In 1953, he earned new respect and public admiration when he turned against the other Democratic leaders in New York City and used the power of Tammany Hall to help ensure that the highly-unpopular incumbent mayor, Vincent R. Impellitteri, was defeated in the Democratic Party primary by Robert F. Wagner, Jr., an outspoken pro-reform Democrat, and then helped assure Wagner's victory in the general election. Following Wagner's success, DeSapio became a powerful and well-respected kingmaker in the New York political scene. 1958 U.S. Senate race In