14-06-2012, 06:25 AM
(This post was last modified: 14-06-2012, 07:13 AM by Adele Edisen.)
Jim Lesar, President
O /^ 1003 KStreet N.W., Suite 640
JlV. V_^ Washington, D.C. 20001
SMSSMATtON AMCMEVEB Tel (202) 393"'921
NB SBSBAMJB CEHTSM (301) 328-5920
jhlesar@gmail.com
Contact: Jim Lesar (301) 328-5920 or (240) 899-5075
Dan Alcorn (703) 442-0704
June 12, 2012
National Archives Decides to Withhold Records Related
to the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
Declines Request for 50th Anniversary Declassification Project
The National Archives today refused the request of a Washington non-profit public interest
group to declassify secret records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in
time tor the 50th anniversary of that tragic event in 2013 (see attached 6/12/12 letter of Gary
Stern, General Counsel of the National Archives). The Archives reversed a commitment by
Assistant Archivist Michael Kurtz made at an Archives public forum in 2010 at which time he
stated the remaimng secret Kennedy assassination records would be released by the end of 2013
The Archives today says that Kurtz "misspoke" when he made that commitment to the public.
Kurtz's promise to process the secret JFK related documents fulfilled President Obama's
expressed desire that his administration be the most open in history. Today's reversal of release
of these records defeats President Obama's pledge that his be the most open administration in
history.
The National Archives states that it does not know the extent of secret files in its collection
rel ated to the Kennedy assassination, but that CIA is withholding 1,171 classified documents
related to the assassination. The Archives acknowledges that in 2006 the CIA speeded up
releases of documents with releases dates through 2010, but that CIA declines to do so for the
remaining documents due to "logistical requirements" even though, according to the National
Archives, only 1,171 CIA documents of undetmined volume remain to be declassified.
The request for release of the secret documents was made by the Assassination Archives and
Research Center (AARC), a Washington, D.C. non-profit public interest group in a letter signed
by several of its board members and attorneys Mark Zaid, Charles Sanders, and Prof G Robert
Blakey, who served as the chief counsel of the House Select Committee on Assassinations. The
letter made the point that the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination in 2013 will result in
widespread discussion and news coverage, and that government documents related to the
assassination should be made public in order for a fully informed discussion.
Adele
O /^ 1003 KStreet N.W., Suite 640
JlV. V_^ Washington, D.C. 20001
SMSSMATtON AMCMEVEB Tel (202) 393"'921
NB SBSBAMJB CEHTSM (301) 328-5920
jhlesar@gmail.com
Contact: Jim Lesar (301) 328-5920 or (240) 899-5075
Dan Alcorn (703) 442-0704
June 12, 2012
National Archives Decides to Withhold Records Related
to the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
Declines Request for 50th Anniversary Declassification Project
The National Archives today refused the request of a Washington non-profit public interest
group to declassify secret records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in
time tor the 50th anniversary of that tragic event in 2013 (see attached 6/12/12 letter of Gary
Stern, General Counsel of the National Archives). The Archives reversed a commitment by
Assistant Archivist Michael Kurtz made at an Archives public forum in 2010 at which time he
stated the remaimng secret Kennedy assassination records would be released by the end of 2013
The Archives today says that Kurtz "misspoke" when he made that commitment to the public.
Kurtz's promise to process the secret JFK related documents fulfilled President Obama's
expressed desire that his administration be the most open in history. Today's reversal of release
of these records defeats President Obama's pledge that his be the most open administration in
history.
The National Archives states that it does not know the extent of secret files in its collection
rel ated to the Kennedy assassination, but that CIA is withholding 1,171 classified documents
related to the assassination. The Archives acknowledges that in 2006 the CIA speeded up
releases of documents with releases dates through 2010, but that CIA declines to do so for the
remaining documents due to "logistical requirements" even though, according to the National
Archives, only 1,171 CIA documents of undetmined volume remain to be declassified.
The request for release of the secret documents was made by the Assassination Archives and
Research Center (AARC), a Washington, D.C. non-profit public interest group in a letter signed
by several of its board members and attorneys Mark Zaid, Charles Sanders, and Prof G Robert
Blakey, who served as the chief counsel of the House Select Committee on Assassinations. The
letter made the point that the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination in 2013 will result in
widespread discussion and news coverage, and that government documents related to the
assassination should be made public in order for a fully informed discussion.
Adele