October 30, 2013 – Today the AARC announces the JFK Assassination Archive, a personal research station on a USB hard disk. Produced in a joint venture with History Matters and the Mary Ferrell Foundation, this disk contains over 1 million pages of JFK records along with unparalleled research tools to access them. For full details including screenshots, and to order, visit the JFK Assassination Archive home page on the Mary Ferrell website.
June 12, 2012 – Today the National Archives has reversed a 2010 commitment for declassification and decided instead to withhold records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Attached is a press release from the Assassination Archives and Research Center and a copy of the letter from Gary Stern, General Counsel of the National Archives announcing this decision. There is contact information on the press release for further information.
Attachments: (1) AARC Press Release of Jun 12, 2012; (2) AARC’s letter to NARA of Jan 20, 2012; and (3) NARA’s Response to AARC of Jun 12, 2012.
June 4, 2012 – Jefferson Morley’s quest for records on George Joannides, the CIA case officer who managed the DRE at the time Lee Harvey Oswald was in contact with it, survived a second trip to the Court of Appeals. But the victory was a narrow one, ruling that on remand to the District Court the CIA will have to once again review 294 documents withheld in their entireties to determine whether other exemption claims cover all the now non-exempt “Exemption 2” materials, or whether all or some of the Exemption 2 materials are segregable and can be released, perhaps with some Exemption 1 (national security) materials as well. The judgment is posted together with a memorandum which explains the Court’s ruling and an indication of what lies ahead in District Court.
The following briefs are attached: (1) Judgment of Apr 27, 2012; (2) The one-page released document; and (3) A memo explaining the court’s ruling and what lies ahead.
April 11, 2012 – This is the second trip to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in the Morley case. This is journalist Jefferson Morley’s effort to obtain records pertaining to George Joannides, the CIA case officer for the DRE (Directorio Revoluciionario Estudantil), the Cuban exile organization which had contacts with Lee Harvey Oswald in the months prior to President Kennedy’s assassination. The prior appeal was landmark decision which ruled that the CIA had to search its normally exempt operational files for responsive records. As a result of this victory, it was revealed that Joannides was working undercover when he was made the CIA’s liaison to the House Select Committee on assassinations. In that capacity, Joannides never revealed to the HSCA that he had been DRE’s case officer when Oswald was in contact with it. Instead, he deflected the HSCA’s requests both for documents about DRE and for the identity of DRE’s case officer.
On remand to the District Court, operational files were searched and additional information released. However, the CIA still withholds 295 documents in their entireties and has not located the monthly progress reports detailing the funding of the DRE during the 17-month period when Joannides was its case officer.
The following briefs are attached: (1) Brief for Appellant Morley; (2) Brief for Appellee Central Intelligence Agency; and (3) Reply Brief for Appellant Morley. The case is schedule for oral argument before the Court of Appeals on April 16, 2012, 10 minutes of argument for each side.
Jan 22, 2012 – The AARC, in a letter dated January 20, 2012, requested that the National Archives and the CIA release some 50,000 pages relating to the JFK assassination that remain withheld in full from the public, as well as an undisclosed number of partially deleted records. The letter maintains that release of such records well before the 50th anniversary of the assassination on November 22, 2013, is essential to having a full and robust national discussion of this event and its significance. The working group that produced the AARC’s letter consisted of three AARC Board Members and two leading attorneys who have a profound interest in the subject. The letter was also signed by Professor G. Robert Blakey, the former Chief Counsel of the House Select Committee on Assassinations.
In short, the AARC has advised NARA and the CIA that fifty years of secrecy is enough.
The working group is currently discussing how best to develop a plan of action to get NARA and CIA to expedite disclosure of the withheld records. Stay tuned.
An accompanying press release describes the letter.
Oct 18, 2008 – Courtesy of Roger Feinman is this transcript of a CBS interview with Dallas’ Sergeant Hill regarding Oswald’s arrest, the search of the Book Depository, and the Tippit murder scene. See part 1 and part 2.
Jul 24, 2008 – A New York Times article discusses the FOIA lawsuit of Angela Clemente, client of AARC President James Lesar, over FBI records on “hit man” and “‘top echelon’ informant” Gregory Scarpa Sr. The files relate to his possible spying on New Orleans crime boss Carlos Marcello.
Jun 19, 2008 – AARC President Jim Lesar sent this letter to Henry Waxman, head of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on June 6. The letter requests hearings be held to review compliance with the 1992 JFK Records Collection Act.
Dec 7, 2007 – The U.S. Court of Appeals reversed Judge Richard Leon’s decision to deny release of records related to George Joannides’ service in 1963, and ordered the CIA to search its operational files for Joannides material and explain the absence of monthly reports on the DRE during his tenure.
Jan 7, 2007 – At the funeral services for President Gerald Ford, Bush Sr. stated: “After a deluded gunman assassinated President Kennedy, our nation turned to Gerald Ford and a select handful of others to make sense of that madness. And the conspiracy theorists can say what they will, but the Warren Commission report will always have the final, definitive say on this tragic matter. Why? Because Jerry Ford put his name on it, and Jerry Ford’s word was always good.”
What is Bush Sr.’s relationship to the assassination story? For more info:
FBI–Bush Called About JFK Killing
Affidavit of George William Bush
Joseph McBride article: George Bush, CIA Operative
Memo: Messrs. George Bush and Thomas J. Devine
Oct 2 , 2006 – Judge Richard Leon has dismissed the lawsuit Morley vs. CIA, which sued to obtain release of records of officer George Joannides.
May 12 , 2006 – The AARC is making its paper copies of CIA records available to the Mary Ferrell Foundation for scanning and subsequent online access at www.maryferrell.org. Many of these documents are already viewable and searchable on that site, and over 300,000 of pages of CIA documents will eventually go online. These records will also be made available on a series of AARC CD-ROMs.
Apr 6, 2006 – A cross-motion for summary judgment in the case of Morley vs. CIA has been filed. Morley, with AARC President Jim Lesar as his attorney, is suing the CIA for release of records related to George Joannides. Joannides was CIA liaison to the HSCA, and as Morley discovered also had an undisclosed role as officer in charge of the Cuban exile group known as the DRE.
Mar 3, 2006 – A 13-DVD set is now available, capturing all presentations from the AARC’s 2004 conference entitled: “The Warren Report and its Legacy.” See our online catalog for more information.
Nov 30, 2005 – The AARC’s DC-based conference, “Cracking the JFK Case,” drew a good audience and an excellent set of speakers. For reactions to the conference, see George Lardner’s Washington Post article, and also Lisa Pease’s review on Consortium News.
Nov 15, 2005 – “Cracking the JFK Case” conference starts this coming Friday, Nov 18. See the new Map and Restaurant List for the Bethesda area.
Oct 29, 2005 – Updated announcement and conference program to the Nov 18-20 conference in DC entitled “Cracking the JFK Case.” The speaker lineup includes Former Senator Gary Hart, HSCA Chief Counsel Robert Blakey, Peter Dale Scott, John Newman, James Bamford, Joan Mellen, Anthony Summers, David Talbot, Gerald McKnight, Gary Aguilar, Josiah Thompson, David Wrone, Don Thomas, and others..
Oct 24, 2005 – “Cracking the JFK Case” final (we think) conference update.
Oct 21, 2005 – “Cracking the JFK Case” conference update. Several prominent new speakers added, including Robert Blakey, John Newman, Peter Dale Scott, Josiah Thompson, and others. See our schedule update.
Aug 18, 2005 – “Cracking the JFK Case”, a conference sponsored by the AARC and co-sponsored by the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law, will be held November 18-20, 2005 in Washington DC. The conference will feature many speakers including authors of upcoming books which add dramatic new information to the still-unfolding story of the 1963 murder of President Kennedy. See the attached announcement for more details.
May 27, 2005 – On May 23, 2005 Rep. Cynthia McKinney introduced the Dr. Martin Luther King Records Act of 2005, HR 2554, modeled after the 1992 JFK Records Act. The text of the bill is on the government Thomas website (type in Martin Luther King into the Search box and look for HR2554 in the results). The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Government Reform; contact members of that body with your support.
May 8, 2005 – On Sept. 21, 2004, Richard French of the Regional News Network interviewed AARC President Jim Lesar and Washington Post Online writer Jefferson Morley. This video interview, near the 40th anniversary of the Warren Report includes discussion of that body’s work and shortcomings. The online video is viewable in low-detail format for 56K modems, and also in high-detail format for DSL and cable connections.
April 26, 2005 – Richard Popkin, author of the 1966 book “The Second Oswald,” died on April 14. Dr. Popkin, a retired professor of philosophy, had previously donated his papers on the case to the AARC. See the Los Angeles Times obituary for more on his life and death.
January 16, 2005 – The attached letter from AARC President Jim Lesar requests researchers to consider notifying the CIA of documents which are still classified. The agency is conducting its every-ten-years review and has soliticed comment.
July 21, 2004 – “The Warren Report and its Legacy”, a conference sponsored by the AARC and co-sponsored by the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law and the Committee for an Open Archive, will be held September 17-19, 2004 in Washington DC.
July 9, 2004 – The Assassination Transcripts of the Church Committee CD-ROM presents over 125 transcripts in electronic form, accompanied by reports and documents on CIA plots to assassinate foreign leaders. Over 10,000 pages in all. See the catalog for more information.
November 30, 2002 – The Garrison Transcripts CD-ROM contains over 9000 pages of transcripts and documents relating to New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison’s investigation into the assassination of President Kennedy and the trial of Clay Shaw. See the catalog for more information.
June 16, 2002 – The Russ Holmes Work File collection is now available on a single DVD-ROM. See the catalog for more information.
April 27, 2002 – The Russ Holmes Work File 8-CD set contains over 45,000 pages of recently-declassified records on the JFK assassination, from a vast CIA archive which is now public. See the catalog for more information.
March 23, 2002 – The first AARC CD-ROM features all 14 published reports of the Church Committee, plus more—see the catalog.
January 24, 2002 – All 26 volumes of the Warren Commission, plus Report, are now online.
January 4, 2002 – 5 of the 11 Warren Commission exhibits volumes (WH16, 17, 18, 19, and 22) are now available online.
November 11, 2001 – New Warren Commission Documents and internal memos have been added to the site, as well as selected FBI and CIA memos and cables.
November 2, 2001 – The AARC website now available for research! This website has been created to pursue, in the electronic realm, the AARC’s mission of preserving and disseminating information political assassinations. The major feature of this web site is the AARC Public Library, which features over 35,000 pages of reports, transcripts, and other documents. The Public Library will be constantly updated with additional materials—watch this space. CD-ROMs of document collections are also now available—see the Catalog for more information.