Ness turned down a good opportunity to go undercover when bribed.
When the man came to bribe Ness and his team to back off, instead of Ness flat out refusing the money, it would have been a good idea, if he accepted the bribe, but just pretended to.
Then he could get more bribes in the future and build contacts to get evidence on the mob, bribing federal agents.
It would be an undercover operation opportunity, and he totally turned it down. This was his in.
What do you think?