Apologies, but I ran into a series of computer problems which kept me busy for ten or twelve hours. (It all started when I tried to download a freeware font creation program...) Since I have not had time to catch up on the news today, let's take this opportunity to direct your attention to this rare interview (conducted by John Titus) with David Slawson, an attorney for the Warren Commission. He's 85 years old, very sharp-witted, and one of the few people left who can offer first-hand observations as to what went on.
Even if you have no particular interest in the assassination, you will find some fascinating nuggets in this interview. One of these days, I'll write at some length about that Mexico business, because I've found out some surprising new information on that score.
In the meantime, you'll be particularly intrigued by the finale of the Titus/Slawson interview, which I will take the liberty of reproducing here...
So what are we to make of all this? On one hand David Slawson is a very genuine, sweet old guy. But there is a huge disconnect with the facts about the Kennedy Assassination as we know it now. This isn’t 1964 anymore, there is just too much new information out there and more to come in 2017.Cute, huh?
One last item may explain this disconnect. After the conclusion of the Warren Commission a researcher had discovered a memo that states that someone was using Oswald’s name and identification while he was in Russia. Howard Willens took a poll of the investigators as to how many of them thought this aspect should be re-investigated. Slawson said he was the only one that said yes, we should look into it.
On a Sunday morning Slawson received a phone call at his house. It was none other than James Angleton, the creepy head of CIA counterintelligence. Angleton began with a pleasant greeting and asked Slawson to please say hello for him to the President of USC, where Slawson taught law. That man had been CIA station chief in India, and Angleton knew him. Then Angleton got to the point; He said “Are you still loyal to us”? I asked Slawson what he thought Angleton meant by “us”. Slawson said “The CIA. Am I still loyal to the CIA”.
He told Angleton – Yes. It scared Slawson’s wife to death. Slawson said he was too cocky to think they would try and kill him, but he knew that if he had crossed them they would destroy his reputation and career.
I should mention that, by this point, Angleton had taken over the role of CIA liaison to the Warren Commission, which is a classic fox-guarding-henhouse situation. Previously, that job was done by a guy named John Whitten -- not part of Angleton's stable -- who was canned because he actually tried to do an honest job. Disgruntled, Whitten left the CIA, moved to Austria, and became involved with the world of classical music.
(I promise not to run much JFK material, because I know that the people who come here are interested in current events. But every so often, a backward glance is helpful.)
4 comments:
Going back to this works for me, Thanks for the link.
I recall when Ross (the sucking sound) Perrot bailed out of running. There were rumors and I think statements by Ross saying he felt to threatened to run. this post of yours suddenly slammed that into my lobes. I've only followed you for a few years So you may have covered that. What was/is your take on that?
Please continue posting these JFK articles. They are so informative and I learn something new with each article. I look forward to 2017 and I hope this country will do the honorable thing and help us understand what happened to this "brief and promising moment in our lives when so much seemed possible. I was 14 at the time but I understood that a part of my innocence was lost.
Old stuff is news if we don't know it. I remember hearing Perot's claim that the FBI was harassing him (something to do with his daughter's wedding?) and recognizing that this was the "killer rabbit" moment for his political credibility. I too would appreciate some insight into that.
Upcoming in 2017 will be the 50th anniversary of MLK's Riverside speech attacking the three evils of poverty, militarism, and racism. And then in 2018 the anniversaries of the murders of MLK and RFK.
Post a Comment