How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The elite corps of the department was the vice squad; it was Nucky's right arm for protecting Atlantic City's rackets and collecting the payoffs. (5.60)
Okay, so the Atlantic City vice squad doesn't take down illegal operations—it protects them. By now, Nucky has created a finely-tuned machine capable of squeezing every dollar possible from the city's criminal underbelly. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done.
Quote #8
Nucky ran the type of town other mobsters envied; his was a wide-open operation, with the rackets immune from the police and courts because Nucky controlled them. (5.78)
For a brief period, Nucky runs the perfect criminal enterprise. He doesn't have to worry about the police—he runs the department. He doesn't have to worry about politicians either, since he owns them, too. He doesn't even have to worry about the public because they're all cheering on his success. If criminals were Jedi, Nucky would be the chosen one.
Quote #9
When the vice industry refused to support him, he increased the raids and cast himself as a crusader cleaning up the town. (7.35)
Taggart thinks that he has it all figured out. If he can throw his weight around, placing pressure on Atlantic City's vice lords, then he can have his cake and eat it, too. But things don't work like that in this town; these criminals aren't going down without a fight.