More on Larry Kolb, "Overworld," Muhammad Ali, and Al Sharpton

A few posts down, I discussed Larry Kolb's book Overworld, which details his history with Adnan Khashoggi, Muhammad Ali, and the CIA. Espionage runs in the family: Kolb's father Lewis Kolb was, we are told, a senior counterintelligence officer operating out of the Philippines.

Frankly, I had come to believe that the family name was something other than Kolb, since no-one by that name appears in any CIA history known to me, and Google does not link to any independent source confirming that there once was a spy named Lewis Kolb. But son Larry assures me that the man did exist, and he has provided evidence to that effect. I reproduce, with permission, a photograph of Lewis Kolb, as well as a relevant section from a WWII-era document. (Kolb retains copyright on these images, so don't reproduce them without permission.)

Well, now I feel silly for ever suspecting that Ed Lansdale's kid became part of Muhammad Ali's posse.

Another correction: In my original post, I said that L. Fletcher Prouty had identified Lansdale as one of the three "mystery tramps" photographed in Dealey Plaza on you-know-which date. In fact, Prouty identified as Lansdale another man who seemed to be signaling the tramps while passing. Daniel Ellsberg, who also knew Lansdale well, disputes this idea.

The book contains all sort of juicy information. One tidbit I wanted to pass along here concerns Al Sharpton, who -- according to Overworld -- was forever trying to ingratiate himself into Ali's entourage.

Reverend Al was just Reverend Al. Around so much of the time, and usually so quiet you barely even noticed when he was there and when he wasn't.

Then one afternoon I was in the Soup Burg on Madison Avenue at 73rd...reading the sports section of New York Newsday I'd found on my stool when I sat down. And when I finished with the sports and flipped the paper over tot he front page, there was a big black-and-white photograph of Reverend Al looking shifty and a huge headline: THE MINISTER AND THE FEDS.

Under that, I read: "For the last five years, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jr., one of the city's most vocal and visible black activists, has been secretly supplying federal law enforcement agencies with information on boxing promoter Don King, reputed organized crime leaders and black leaders and elected officials, according to sources. And in a two-hour, wide-ranging interview with New York Newsday, Sharpton, 33, said he carried concealed microphones in briefcases and accompanied undercover federal agents wearing body recorders to meetings with various subjects of federal investigations. He also allowed the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York to install a tapped telephone in his Brooklyn home."

Al Fuckin' Sharpton, I thought in surprise as I stared into his face. I should've known. Al Sharpton! Muhammad had always said the government had someone spying on him or, as he liked to put it, that there was a "nigger in the woodpile."

Not exactly the way I'd phrase it. But I do think this story belongs on the internet record somewhere, since Wikipedia's entry on Sharpton makes no mention of this Newsday interview. Kolb goes on to say that the feds had compromised Sharpton during a cocaine bust, which Sharpton claims was a set-up.

Kolb does not mention when he first disclosed his CIA connection to Ali -- a connection which puts Sharpton's "spying" into perspective. Ali must have learned about Kolb's history at some point. A later episode in the book pictures Ali and Kolb receiving a direct request from (then) Vice President George H.W. Bush to participate in efforts to free the hostages in Lebanon -- which Ali went on to do, at no small personal risk. Unfortunately, he was able to secure the release of but one hostage.

Interestingly, this passage of Kolb's book portrays the elder Bush as the real power within the Reagan administration, much as Cheney seems to be the real power in the current administration.