JFK Files: Some Documents From Probe Of Kennedy's Death Still Sealed Five Decades Later/Operation Confidence
Five decades after President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot and long after official inquiries ended, thousands of pages of investigative documents remain withheld from public view. The contents of these files are partially known – and intriguing – and conspiracy buffs are not the only ones seeking to open them for a closer look.
Some serious researchers believe the off-limits files could shed valuable new light on nagging mysteries of the assassination – including what U.S. intelligence agencies knew about accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald before Nov. 22, 1963.
It turns out that several hundred of the still-classified pages concern a deceased CIA agent, George Joannides, whose activities just before the assassination and, fascinatingly, during a government investigation years later, have tantalized researchers for years.
"This is not about conspiracy, this is about transparency," said Jefferson Morley, a former Washington Post reporter and author embroiled in a decade-long lawsuit against the CIA, seeking release of the closed documents. "I think the CIA should obey the law. I don't think most people think that's a crazy idea."
Morley's effort has been joined by others, including G. Robert Blakey, chief counsel for a House investigation into the JFK assassination in the 1970s. But so far, the Joannides files and thousands more pages primarily from the CIA remain off-limits at a National Archives center in College Park, Md.
Others say the continued sealing of 50-year-old documents raises needless questions in the public's mind and encourages conspiracy theories.
"There is no question that in various ways the CIA obfuscated, but it may be they were covering up operations that were justifiable, benign CIA operations that had absolutely nothing to do with the Kennedy assassination," said Anthony Summers, a British author whose sequel to his JFK book "Not In Your Lifetime" will be released this year.
"But after 50 years, there is no reason that I can think of why such operations should still be concealed," Summers said. "By withholding Joannides material, the agency continues to encourage the public to believe they're covering up something more sinister."
To understand the attention to the Joannides files, it's necessary to go back to 1963 and to review what's known about Oswald that put him on the CIA's radar.
Consuella Mackey, Executive Director never had the pleasure of meeting President Kennedy, since she was a child at the time but in 1985 was honored to have met and established a friendship with his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver .
In 1987, Mrs. Shriver invited the team to perform at International Special Olympics held on the campus of the historical University Of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
The Totally Confident Disabled Drill Team received a standing ovation in front of an audience of 70,000 spectators including Oprah Winfrey and Senator Ted Kennedy
In 2003, Consuella Mackey had the pleasure of meeting and networking with Senator Kennedy when she represented Operation Confidence and the City of Los Angeles Department of Disability at the World Bank conference in Washington D.C. She also networked with Mr. James Wolfensohn, former President World Bank.
Some serious researchers believe the off-limits files could shed valuable new light on nagging mysteries of the assassination – including what U.S. intelligence agencies knew about accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald before Nov. 22, 1963.
It turns out that several hundred of the still-classified pages concern a deceased CIA agent, George Joannides, whose activities just before the assassination and, fascinatingly, during a government investigation years later, have tantalized researchers for years.
"This is not about conspiracy, this is about transparency," said Jefferson Morley, a former Washington Post reporter and author embroiled in a decade-long lawsuit against the CIA, seeking release of the closed documents. "I think the CIA should obey the law. I don't think most people think that's a crazy idea."
Morley's effort has been joined by others, including G. Robert Blakey, chief counsel for a House investigation into the JFK assassination in the 1970s. But so far, the Joannides files and thousands more pages primarily from the CIA remain off-limits at a National Archives center in College Park, Md.
Others say the continued sealing of 50-year-old documents raises needless questions in the public's mind and encourages conspiracy theories.
"There is no question that in various ways the CIA obfuscated, but it may be they were covering up operations that were justifiable, benign CIA operations that had absolutely nothing to do with the Kennedy assassination," said Anthony Summers, a British author whose sequel to his JFK book "Not In Your Lifetime" will be released this year.
"But after 50 years, there is no reason that I can think of why such operations should still be concealed," Summers said. "By withholding Joannides material, the agency continues to encourage the public to believe they're covering up something more sinister."
To understand the attention to the Joannides files, it's necessary to go back to 1963 and to review what's known about Oswald that put him on the CIA's radar.
Operation Confidence
Operation Confidence a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization was founded over 25 years ago to advocate for people with physical disabilities. Visit the website at www.operationconfidence.org Consuella Mackey, Executive Director never had the pleasure of meeting President Kennedy, since she was a child at the time but in 1985 was honored to have met and established a friendship with his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver .
In 1984, Operation Confidence received a letter of invitation from President Ronald Reagan inviting the Totally Confident Disabled Drill Team, a drill team with all its member's who use wheelchairs was created by Operation Confidence. The team was the first to ever perform in an able-bodied Olympic event, the 1984 Olympics. President Reagan provided a historical letter of support.
Because of the presidents invitation in 1985 the team was invited to perform at INSPIRE 85 an international event hosted by First Lady Nancy Reagan
and Senator Robert Dole on the Capital Mall in Washington D.C. It was after there performance that Mrs. Kennedy Shriver came backstage to congratulate Ms. Mackey and the team. a dream come true.
Consuella Mackey far left holding book
Mrs. Shriver and 2 members on the team, Anna and Reggie
After INSPIRE 85, Mrs. Shriver sent a letter encouraging to Operation Confidence to consider becoming a Goodwill Ambassadors for people with disabilities.
On August 20, 1986, Operation Confidence received a letter from Michael Olmstead, Entertainment Director of the San
Francisco 49ers asking the Totally Confident Disabled Drill Team to arrange a audition to be considered a performance during the half-time events. Mrs. Kennedy
Shriver was one of their strongest supports. Her historical letter below.
In 2003, Consuella Mackey had the pleasure of meeting and networking with Senator Kennedy when she represented Operation Confidence and the City of Los Angeles Department of Disability at the World Bank conference in Washington D.C. She also networked with Mr. James Wolfensohn, former President World Bank.
Senator Ted Kennedy and Consuella Mackey
Mr. James Wolfensohn and Consuella Mackey
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