Thread by @MarkSZaidEsq

1/JFK ASSASSINATION THREAD:

Today is impt deadline for USGOVT in ensuring release of #JFKassassination records. Fed agencies had to identify to @USNatArchives specific basis for postponing release of records beyond Oct 26, 2021.

Here is some history on releasing all records.

2/In 1992, Congress passed President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Act, 44 U.S.C. § 2107 (Supp. V. 1994), which required all government agencies to search for records in their possession concerning assassination & place them in #NationalArchives.

3/A Review Board was established to identify & retrieve all "assassination records". I co-authored law review article in 1993 defining that term & identifying most important assassination records to obtain.

books.google.com/books?id=j6Z_L…

4/In 1994, I testified before the Review Board concerning how best to define term "assassination record":

mcadams.posc.mu.edu/arrb/index44.h…

5/The Board terminated in 1998 with its work not having been fully completed. Its Final Report set forth 10 recommendations which have never been subject of any meaningful oversight, analysis or implementation in two decades since they were issued.
archives.gov/files/research….

6/The JFK Act mandated that each “assassination record” be publicly disclosed in full & be available no later than date that is 25 years after date of enactment of the Act. That meant by Oct 2017, all records were to be released.

7/Any request for postponement of a record by an agency required “clear and convincing evidence” that one of five enumerated harms would occur if the assassination records were disclosed and that harm would outweigh the public interest in disclosure.

8/But President Trump postponed that obligation until Oct 26, 2021.

Memorandum of President of United States, “Certification for Certain Records Related to the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy” (April 26, 2018), 83 F.R. 19157 (May 2, 2018)
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR…

9/So, again, today was one of two upcoming magical deadlines for US agencies to comply with. Did they?

I'm looking at you in particular @CIA.

10/Next deadline is Sept 26, 2021, when, “the Archivist shall recommend to the President ... whether continued withholding from public disclosure of the identified records is warranted after October 26, 2021.”

END/ It has been almost 58 years since JFK was assassinated. Regardless of what theory ppl believe, we should all support declassification of as many records as possible.

@POTUS, you have authority to ensure max transparency occurs. We are looking to you for leadership.

On April 26, 2021, I sent a letter, along w/some very important signatories, to #PIDB abt #JFKAssassination records & it is now subject of an official blog post. You can read my letter here:

…ing-classification.blogs.archives.gov/2021/05/05/pid…

https://twitter.com/MarkSZaidEsq/status/1390074755466858499?s=20