The Lost History of "J. Edgar" by Lisa Pease (11-14-11 Consortium News)

[bobthedrummer]

"The more you know about history, the less you will enjoy 'J. Edgar'."
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2011/11/14/the-lost-history-of-j-edgar/

RECALL SCOTT WALKER!

[villager]

1. Interesting about the FBI sitting on evidence in the JFK/RFK assassinations:

<snip>

Had the filmmaker delved instead into accounts that Hoover was purportedly blackmailed by CIA Counterintelligence chief James Angleton via a photo that reportedly showed Hoover engaged in a sexual act with Tolson, that would have been far more interesting angle that could have gone a long way towards explaining some of the stranger moments of FBI history, such as why the FBI sat on the strong evidence of conspiracy they uncovered in both the JFK and RFK assassinations.

In the JFK case, FBI agents tried and failed to fire Oswald’s rifle and not get nitrate on their cheeks, yet Oswald’s cheek tested nitrate free. So Courtland Cunningham of the FBI created a scenario that would allow one to fire the rifle and not get nitrate on one’s cheek: he used two people, one to clean the weapon between shots and hand it back to the other one.

In that manner, Cunningham was able to tell the Warren Commission it was possible to get a “false negative” reading of nitrate. (The Warren Commission failed to explain why a two-man scenario helped prove Oswald was the “lone” assassin.)

In the RFK case, an FBI photographer photographed four “bullet holes” too many in the pantry. Sirhan’s gun could have only held eight bullets at a maximum. Seven bullets were recovered from victims and at least one bullet disappeared into the ceiling space. Any additional “bullet holes” would have proved a second gun. In addition, FBI agent William Bailey, a seasoned veteran, inspected the holes in the pantry personally and stated in a sworn affidavit that those were, in fact, bullet holes.

The fact that FBI documents referred to the holes as “bullet holes” sparked a letter from LA County to the FBI in 1977, as the House Select Committee on Assassinations was gearing up, saying that had the FBI labeled these “probable” or “possible” bullet holes, the county could have ignored that, but if the FBI stood by its unequivocal labeling of these holes as “bullet holes,” the County should be looking for a second shooter. (No official response from the FBI to that particular letter has ever surfaced.)

If Hoover, the notorious blackmailer, was in turn being blackmailed, that would have made for far more interesting, and possibly far more accurate, history.

<snip>

[bobthedrummer]

2. Talkin' about my generation... Surveilling "Vietnam GI"- Resume of an FBI Informer

(4-6-11 Searching for Jeff post)
http://jeffsharletandvietnamgi.blogspot.com/2011/04/surveilling-vietnam-gi-resume-of-fbi.html

I was 15 when I attended a couple of high school SDS meetings and currently reside in a corporate fascist dominated mess. Talkin' about my generation...

RECALL SCOTT WALKER!

[jwirr]

3. I have always hated J Edgar and do not even understand why but

you have confirmed my lack of interest in this movie. As to what Tolson saw in him - J Edgar was the man with the power.

[robertpaulsen]

4. K & R! Loved DiCaprio's performance, but agree with Pease on the history.

:kick:

[bobthedrummer]

6. I have admired Eastwood's work as a director, especially "Bird", "Unforgiven". Plus he is a

truly talented musician. Who knows why he treated the life of John Edgar Hoover the way he did, especially as he often acted in films that had corruption of power and RW conspiracy as central themes. Hoover was certainly all that and more.

RECALL SCOTT WALKER!

[bemildred]

5. Hoover was a criminal. nt