JFK Act Oversight Lobby 2011 Summer Offensive

JFK ACT Oversight Hearings

Getting Congressional oversight hearings on the JFK Act is one thing that can and should be done, and will happen as soon as someone convinces Rep. Darrell Issa (R. Calf.), the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, to do his job and hold them.

It's possible JFK Act Oversight Hearings could be held as early as September, or next March, during Sunshine Week, if enough people request the hearings, a big if.

The Republicans controlled the House of Representatives for a decade and didn't conduct any oversight, and when the Democrats finally got in there, with a Democrat in the White House, they didn't want to "rock the boat." Now the Republicans are back, and the responsible committees are controlled by Republicans who have the ability to schedule hearings and begin investigations. Issa has shown however, in the targets of his investigations, that he being very partisan and going after Democrats, especially the Obama administration.

The issue of JFK Act Oversight Hearings is not even a bi-partisan issue, it's a NON-partisan issue that not only Democrats and Republicans agree should happen, but it is backed by both liberals and conservatives, Lone-Nuts and Conspiracy Theorists alike.

Getting new, sworn testimony on JFK assassination records issues would be huge, and if they try to answer just some of the outstanding questions related to the disposition of the records it is likely they will hold more than one hearing as the Oversight committee is the "investigative arm" of the House of Representatives.

Officially, "The Congressional Oversight and Reform Committee is the main investigative committee of the House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications."

I think we have an excellent chance of convincing Issa that it's vitally important to hold hearings on the JFK Act, and get the sworn testimony of the Secret Service official who destroyed records AFTER the JFK Act was established by law, and determine who in the Air Force ordered the Andrews log for 11/22/63 thrown in the trash, and what became of the negative of the photo of the swearing in aboard AF1 that disappeared from the vaults NARA?

If the Committee chair and Committee members want to learn the answers to these questions themselves, then we have a better chance of getting them to ask them.

Why is the CIA stonewalling Jeff Morely on the Joannides/DRE records? What happened to the Air Force One radio tapes? Who at the White House Communications Agency was responsible for their now missing records? Why are records that were open in full years ago now being withheld? Are the agencies and departments of government responding to Obama's Executive Orders on FOIA and Open Government? What about the MLK Records of the HSCA?

So many questions, with nobody to ask them and nobody to answer them.

What can you do?

Join us in the ancient methods of grassroots democracy, combined with the
latest digital networked communications.

The right to petition the government is one of the most basic democratic rights, and is one of the weapons we are using to try to get Congress to hold Oversight Hearings on the JFK Act, to get a Special Federal Grand Jury to investigate the assassination of President Kenendy and to obtain proper forensic autopsies of the victims, all things guaranteed in the Constitution and the way our government is supposed to work.

A petition is merely a request, and you have to request what you want and what should happen or nobody is going to make a move. Once you ask, they might turn you down, but you got them to respond.

More deep background on Congressional Oversight of JFK Act

As the Final Report of the ARRB says:

Section 12(a) of the JFK Act states that the provisions of the Act...shall continue in effect until such time as the Archivist certifies to the President and the Congress that all assassination records have been made available to the public in accordance with the Act.”

Therefore the JFK Act is a LIVING LAW, one that is still in effect and shall continue and remain in effect until all assassination documents are declassified, released and made available to the public, whenever that day comes, sometime in 2017.

It has been over ten years now since the ARRB completed its work, so it is imperative that Congress take some action now to ensure that the work mandated by the JFK Assassination Records Act is completed.

The House Government Reform and Oversight Committee is responsible for the oversight of the JFK Act, and when hearings are eventually held on the JFK Act, the responsible sub committee will be chaired by Rep. James Lankford (R. OK) on Information Policy, with jurisdiction that includes public information, the Freedom of Information Act, the Presidential Records Act and the National Archives and Records Administration.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN:

If you live in the district of any of these Congressmen, and they represent you, they will pay more attention to your letter, phone call, email or fax, because you are a constituent and represent a potential vote.

If so, please go out of your way and ask your Representative to hold public hearings on the JFK Act and to notify you when they are scheduled before they happen so you can attend, view it on C-SPAN and be kept informed of what happens.

Real Democracy depends on an educated electorate, so stay informed.

JFK Act Oversight Hearings – SUMMER OFFENSIVE – 2011 Pro-active Strategies and Tactics will be employed in a campaign for Congressional oversight of the JFK Act and enactment of the MLK Act.

When the Assassinations Records Review Board (ARRB) closed up shop nearly ten years ago, we thought that oversight hearings of the JFK Act would be forthcoming, a sort of After Action Report, as required by law, but it never happened and won't happen unless a concerted effort is made to make it happen.

Once JFK Act oversight hearings are held, and new sworn testimony is taken, then the dominos will begin to fall, and it will become easier to accomplish other goals, such as the convening of a Special Federal Grand Jury to determine if anyone can be indicted for crimes related to the assassination, and order a proper forensic autopsy of the victims.

The Congressional Oversight Hearings appear to be the easiest of things desired, but it has proved elusive. After years with no interest by the Republicans, who decided not to exercise their oversight responsibilities at all when they controlled the leadership, the Democrats are now equally busy with their own agendas on what issues they intend to hold public hearings on.

There are others who are quietly trying to persuade Congress to hold JFK Act oversight hearings, and acting privately through correspondence and behind closed doors, but we are the most outspoken and broadest coalition of people interested in and intent on getting Congressional oversight of the JFK Act.

So far, we have agreed, per Bill Simpich's suggestion, that we do something different every month – and build up some momentum and pubic support for Congressional hearings and oversight of the JFK Act.

1) Rep. Darrel Issa (R. Calf.) Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee Rayburn House Office Building B-350 A. Phone: 202-225-5051 Fax: 202-225-4784

2) Rep. James Lankford (R.OK), Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Information Policy. 202-225-2132 Fax: 202-226-1463

3) Rep. Gerald E. "Gerry" Connolly (D. VA), Ranking Minority member of Subcommittee
202-225-1492 Fax 202-225-3071

4) Senator John Kerry (D. Mass.), has endorsed the MLK Act and needs to be briefed on necessity of oversight hearings of JFK Act.

5) Your Representative will listen to you and reflect the need for JFK Act oversight hearings to these committee and subcommittee chairman or other members of the committee (See: List of House Oversight Committee ) who they work with on other issues.

If any of these Congressmen represent you, please contact them and ask them to support oversight of the JFK Act.

Why we need oversight hearings:

* The JFK Records Collection Act (Public Law No. 102-526) mandated oversight hearings following termination of the Assassination Records Review Board (ARRB) to implement on going release of records by all agencies and to review the effectiveness of the Review Board process. Section 5 (g) PERIODIC REVIEW OF POSTPONED
ASSASSINATION RECORDS

(1) All postponed or redacted records shall be reviewed periodically by the originating agency and the Archivist consistent with the recommendations of the Review Board
under section 9(c)(3)(B). Section 7 (l) OVERSIGHT -- (1) The Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate shall have continuing oversight jurisdiction with respect to the official conduct of the Review Board and the disposition of postponedrecords after termination of the Review Board; and shall have access to any records held or created by the Review Board

SAMPLE LETTER:

To: The Honorable William Lacy Clay, Jr. United States House of Representatives 2418 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2501

March 16, 2010

Dear Congressman Clay,

Having lived in nearby St. Louis County for over 25 years, I know that I speak for thousands of your constituents and millions of Americans when I say that trust in government has reached an all time low.

It is essential to the health of our democracy that our trust in our leaders and our institutions be restored. One step toward restoring this trust would be for Congress to insure that laws it has enacted are enforced. Where the rule of law has been ignored, Congress is entrusted to demand accountability. In disregard of Congress and the JFK Act of 1992, relevant official records continue to be withheld from the public, while other relevant official records have been destroyed! For this reason I think it is of the utmost importance that public oversight hearings on the JFK Act be convened.

I thank you for your help in this important matter.

Sincerely,
Michael J. Griffin

Committee Membership

Majority Members (Republicans)
Member Name DC Phone DC FAX Contact Form

Darrell Issa (R-CA) [Chairman] 202-225-3906 202-225-3303
Dan Burton (R-IN) 202-225-2276 202-225-0016
John L. Mica (R-FL) 202-225-4035 202-226-0821
Todd Russell Platts (R-PA)202-225-5836 202-226-1000
Michael R. Turner (R-OH)202-225-6465 202-225-6754
Patrick McHenry (R-NC) 202-225-2576 202-225-0316
Jim Jordan (R-OH) 202-225-2676 202-226-0577
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) 202-225-7751 202-225-5629
Connie Mack (R-FL) 202-225-2536 202-226-0439
Tim Walberg (R-MI) 202-225-6276 202-225-6281
James Lankford (R-OK) 202-225-2132 202-226-1463
Justin Amash (R-MI) 202-225-3831 202-225-5144h
Marie Buerkle (R-NY) 202-225-3701 202-225-4042
Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ) 202-225-2315 202-226-9739
Raul Labrador (R-ID) 202-225-6611 202-225-3029
Patrick Meehan (R-PA) 202-225-2011 202-226-0280
Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) 202-225-6831 202-226-5172
Joe Walsh (R-IL) 202-225-3711 202-225-7830
Trey Gowdy (R-SC) 202-225-6030 202-226-1177
Dennis Ross (R-FL) 202-225-1252 202-226-0585
Frank C. Guinta (R-NH) 202-225-5456 202-225-5822
Blake Farenthold (R-TX) 202-225-7742 202-226-1134
Mike Kelly (R-PA) 202-225-5406 202-225-3103

Minority Members (Democrats)

Member Name DC Phone DC FAX Contact Form
Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) [Ranking Member] 202-225-4741 202-225-3178
Edolphus (Ed) Towns (D-NY) 202-225-5936 202-225-1018
Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) 202-225-7944 202-225-4709
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) 202-225-8050 202-225-3002
Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) 202-225-5871 202-225-5745
John F. Tierney (D-MA) 202-225-8020 202-225-5915 h
William Lacy Clay, Jr. (D-MO) 202-225-2406 202-226-3717
Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) 202-225-8273 202-225-3984
Jim Cooper (D-TN) 202-225-4311 202-226-1035
Gerald E. (Gerry) Connolly (D-VA) 202-225-1492 202-225-3071
Mike Quigley (D-IL) 202-225-4061 202-225-5603
Danny K. Davis (D-IL) 202-225-5006 202-225-5641
Bruce Braley (D-IA) 202-225-2911 202-225-6666
Peter Welch (D-VT) 202-225-4115 202-225-6790
John Yarmuth (D-KY) 202-225-5401 202-225-5776
Chris Murphy (D-CT) 202-225-4476 202-225-5933
Jackie Speier (D-CA) 202-225-3531 202-226-4183