▁the ▁cousin ▁of ▁N ortheast ▁Pennsylvania ▁mob ▁b oss ▁Russell ▁B uf al ino . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁B uf al ino ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Pitt ston , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁one ▁of ▁nine ▁children ▁in ▁a ▁coal ▁min ing ▁family . ▁He ▁studied ▁for ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁priest hood ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁before ▁switching ▁to ▁law . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Dick inson ▁School ▁of ▁Law ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁as ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁Judge ▁Adv oc ate ▁General ▁Corps . ▁After ▁he ▁returned ▁from ▁the ▁Army ▁he ▁began ▁pract icing ▁law ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁Career ▁B uf al ino ▁represented ▁union ▁leader ▁Jimmy ▁Hoff a ▁for ▁nearly ▁ 2 5 ▁years . ▁He ▁helped ▁the ▁union ▁and ▁Hoff a ▁fight ▁ra ck ete ering ▁charges . ▁B uf al ino ▁represented ▁the ▁union ▁in ▁seven ▁tri als ▁winning ▁five . ▁Hoff a ▁was ▁eventually ▁ja iled ▁for ▁j ury ▁tam per ing . ▁ ▁B uf al ino ▁was ▁a ▁Team ster ▁official ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁serving ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁Local ▁ 9 8 5 ▁in ▁the ▁Detroit - area . ▁A ▁Senate ▁investigation ▁port rayed ▁Local ▁ 9 8 5 ▁as ▁" a ▁collection ▁ag ency ▁for ▁gang ster - domin ated ▁operators ". ▁B uf al ino ▁was ▁repeatedly ▁accused ▁of ▁M af ia ▁connections . ▁He ▁su ed ▁Senator ▁John ▁L . ▁McC le ll an , ▁an ▁Ark ansas ▁Dem