JFK The Enduring Secret

Episode 288 is the long awaited  first episode of our mini-series on the Tippit murder.  David Belin, the celebrated Warren Commission attorney called  it the "Rosetta Stone" of the JFK assassination. It may very well be... just that! In today's opening episode we go right to the scene of the crime and begin to educate ourselves on exactly what happened at 10th and Patton. This is the first of a group of episodes in the mini-series that provides a deep dive into those events at the crime scene itself. There is so much more to come. In this mini-series, we exa...

Join me on one of our most exciting wanders yet! As we approach 300 episodes,  I feel compelled to bring this story now to our loyal listeners. You have waited long enough to hear me tell this one.  David Belin, the celebrated Warren Commission attorney called the J.D. Tippit murder the "Rosetta Stone" of the JFK assassination. It may very well be... just that! In this mini-series, which starts this weekend, we examine the evidence, and delve into the bewildering array of contradictory eyewitness testimonies, from those who struggled to identify Oswald, to others like Aquilla Clemens, wh...

As  promised, the video interview is live on our YouTube Channel!

As researchers peer deeper and deeper into the JFK Records Act, startling and suspicious questions arise as to how the nation's national archives (NARA) handled record administration.  Record administration that was handed over to NARA  after the JFK record collection was turned over to them upon sunsetting of the ARRB.  Even more startling, are the facts surrounding how certain CIA records in a sequestered collection might have been "managed" prior to the effective date of the JFK Records Act, and done so in a way that deftly avoided the disclosure requirements under the Act.  This preamble  episode (from me) is an...

This is our first episode covering Lyndon Johnson and how he accumulated his wealth, becoming the richest president in history up to his time.  In today's episode (which is one of 2 episodes covering this topic ), we begin by telling the story of KTBC Austin, the radio station snatched from the hands of Dr. Ulmer and JM West. And how  KTBC served as the foundation for acquisition of the only  TV station in Austin. Johnson was able to skillfully accomplish this through his  political influence that even by 1939,  extended deep into the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The events which came toget...

This is our second episode covering Lyndon Johnson himself and selected parts of his own background. In today's episode (which is  part 2 of a two-part mini-series covering this event), we conclude the telling of the story of the stolen Democratic primary run off race in 1948 that occurred in Texas. The Box 13 scandal is a classic and blatant voter fraud case that propelled Lyndon Johnson ultimately to the Senate. And it revealed, on a national basis, the unbridled ambition of this man who would take outrageous and illegal actions to secure victory in the senate runoff. It was not the f...

This is our first episode covering Lyndon Johnson himself and selected parts of his own background. In today's episode (which is one of 2 episodes covering this event), we begin by telling the story of the stolen Democratic primary run off race in 1948 that occurred in Texas. The Box 13 scandal is a classic and blatant voter fraud case that propelled Lyndon Johnson ultimately to the Senate. And it revealed, on a national basis, the unbridled ambition of this man who would take outrageous and illegal actions to secure victory in the senate runoff. It was not the first time that...

A status update on the JFK Records Act litigation between the Mary Ferrell Foundation and NARA.    Just a few days ago on August 6th, the  litigants filed a joint status report in the case involving the declassification of records related to historical assassinations.  The defendant's request for summary judgement was stayed as a result of President Trumps order regarding the release of records and this new  status report updates the public on the latest status of the suit. 

A random episode that pays tribute to author David Talbot and his must have book entitled Brothers and also captures  most perfectly Talbot's reminders regarding the  lesson of history that the Church Committee and its members brought to us many years before...

Hello listeners, I added a few interesting  facts  and made a few edits. So please do use this updated version of episode 282 and delete any prior downloads of this episode.  Thanks again! Jeff 

We are winding down our series on the Johnson inner circle. We have covered Billy Sol Estes, Bobby Baker, and Mac Wallace.  One topic I promised to come back to was the fingerprint found inside the Texas Schoolbook Depository. The fingerprint that allegedly matches Mac Wallace. Today we tackle that issue with an action packed episode. If it was Mac Wallace's fingerprint, surely that leads to deeper ties that Johnson likely had with the assassination itself. 

All of these  men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were...

This is Part 15 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. It's also the final episode of the Bobby Baker series and the final episode on Don Reynolds. It's a deeper dive into Reynolds and includes the insightful thoughts brought to us by his nephew Bob Nelson who wrote a book entitled LBJ's Mortal Wound: The Don Reynolds Story.  This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the a...

This is Part 14 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. We are nearing the end (finally) of the tale  of Bobby Baker and the story of the Carousel motel is most appropriate. It was his dream to build and operate  this coastal travel experience and yet it turned out to be a financial anchor that materially contributed to his personal and political  demise. He would commit fraud along the way to obtain financing for the hotel in a desperate moment after his partners passing and the devastating impact of a coastal storm. And he would misappropriate gov...

Get on over to Kennedys and King and read the two part article by Andrew Iler regarding his discovery at NARA and the controversy  over final determination orders.

This is Part 13 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. Today we continue  to tell the story of Don Reynolds, the Maryland insurance broker who who made Bobby Baker a nominal partner in his insurance agency and engaged in other business with Baker. Today, we tell the story of the performance bond related to the D.C. stadium build, with Baker's portion of the commissions  disguised and paid in the form of a loan to avoid questions surrounding his conflict of interest in the commission split. Baker  would receive $4,000 from Reynolds commissions which totaled   around $10,000.   Baker's decis...

This is Part 12 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. We began the story of Don Reynolds in Episode 11. Today we continue  to tell the story of Don Reynolds, t...

This is Part 11 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. Today we begin to tell the story of Don Reynolds, the Maryland insurance broker who who went into business...

This is Part 10 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. Today's episode continues the story of Bobby Baker's Bad Boy friend and business partner Ed Levinson. Today we hear...

 Back to the Bobby Baker series! This is Part 9 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. Today's episode tells the story of Bobby Baker's Bad Boy friend and business p...

Hello everyone! As  promised we have just published episode two and episode three of our three part interview series with Doug Horne and you can find all three episodes over at JFK The Enduring Secret YouTube channel  Doug Horne is an iconic figure in the area of JFK research and investigation. His courageous work while at the Assassination Records Review Board has proven to be one of the most important contributions to the understanding of JFK autopsy evidence. I first met Doug in November 2023, during the week of the 60th anniversary of the assassination. His presentations in Pittsburgh at Du...

Hello everyone, and boy do I have a treat for you on this Father’s Day. No, it’s not another audio podcast instead. It’s the first of three JFK The Enduring Secret episodes on our YouTube channel that feature a discussion with Doug Horne. Doug Horne is an iconic figure in the area of JFK research and investigation. His courageous work while at the Assassination Records Review Board has proven to be one of the most important contributions to the understanding of JFK autopsy evidence. I first met Doug in November 2023, during the week of the 60th annive...

This is  Part 8 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  Today's episode tells the story of the deal that Bobby Baker brokered to import meat form Haiti to Puerto Rico and...

This is  Part 7 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  Today's episode tells the story of the Quorum Club. Dubbed by Baker himself as one of his least notable accompli...

This is  Part 6 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  Today's episode covers Bobby Baker' affinity for the girls...and how it led to the Ellen Rometsch affair. She went to...

This is  Part 5 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  Today's episode covers Bobby Baker's  investment in the Mortgage Guaranty Investment Corp ("MGIC") or Magic as it was known. This Wisc...

This is  Part 4 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  Today's episode covers the civil lawsuit filed by Capitol Vending against Serv-U corporation. A lawsuit  whose allegations revealed a kickback...

This is  Part 3 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  Today's episode covers the civil lawsuit filed by Capitol Vending against Serv-U corporation. A lawsuit  whose allegations revealed a kickback...

This is  Part 2 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  

The Bobby Baker Scandal is an incredibly fascinating story and compliments what you have already heard about Billie S...

This is  Part 1 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering  Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  All of these  men  were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They  were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President.  The story is extraordinary.  

The Bobby Baker Scandal is an incredibly fascinating story and compliments what you have already heard about Billie S...

We temporarily leave the Billie Sol Estes Mini-Series and pivot now to a Mini-Series on Mac Wallace. Today's episode is the  third in our story about  Wallace as  we cover the  Douglas Kinser murder trial. Wallace was charged and convicted of the murder but received only  a five year sentence which was suspended. In Texas at the time, this was  a crime that for most people, would have put them in the electric chair. Defended by Lyndon Johnson's  own attorney John Cofer and provided bail by two of Johnson's closer associates, the implications are that Johnson was at the very le...

We temporarily leave the Billie Sol Estes Mini-Series and pivot now to a Mini-Series on Mac Wallace. Today's episode is the second in our coverage of Wallace and continues  to chronicle his life through  the late 1940's and through the murder of Douglas Kinser.  You now know most of the scandalous aspects of Estes and how Wallace might have fit in...and it wont be much longer, after the Wallace Mini-Series, that you will hear the story of  Bobby Baker. These men were all members of Johnson's Texas inner circle.  Oh, and there is more on the  Billie Sol Estes...

We temporarily leave the Billie Sol Estes Mini-Series and pivot now to a Mini-Series on Mac Wallace. Today's episode rewinds the tape and takes us all the way back to 1945 when Wallace was in college. After  12 episodes covering  the story of Billy Sol Estes, it's time to take a temporary pivot in order to learn more  abut Mac Wallace, at this point in the story. You now know most of the scandalous aspects of Estes and how Wallace might have fit in...and it wont be much longer, after the Wallace Mini-Series, that you will hear the story of  Bobb...

This is Part 12 in the series that covers the story of Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. Part 12 continues  the story of Billy Sol Estes and addresses the episode which occurred in 1984 when Estes balked after agreeing to tell all to the Department of Justice. Estes had just gotten out of prison for the second time and was pursuing a book deal through the Moody Foundation when he hooked up with prominent Washington attorney Douglas Caddy.  The book deal was lucrative and Estes may have needed the money.  But he als...

This is Part 11 in the series that covers the story of Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. Part 11 continues  the story of Billy Sol Estes and addresses the 1962 grand jury that addressed whether Henry Marshall's death was a suicide or a murder.  It is in this episode that we introduce the famed Texas lawman Clint Peoples.  People and his boss at the Texas Department of Public Safety were some of the few in law enforcement who saw the farce that was being put on by Sherriff Stegall and they stood up...

This is Part 10 in the series that covers the story of Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. Part 10 accelerates the story of Billy Sol Estes as his world begins to fall apart. His high profile play on cotton allotments now exposed and the fraud of his fictitious storage containers about to bust wide open, RFK seizes on the opportunity to pressure Estes into spilling the beans, about Lyndon Johnson. But Estes is is sworn to secrecy by Johnson himself, and ultimately threatened with his life, so he demures as others...