From the July-August, 1995 issue (Vol. 2 No. 5)

From the Chairman's Desk

As many have predicted, earliest and most presciently John Newman, the ARRB is now meeting its first serious obstructions by the most consistent enemies of full disclosure: our old friends with long institutional memories, the CIA and FBI. The attempt to defund has been turned back due to some quick politicking by Tunheim, Marwell, and COPA. But now the second attack is upon us. After clearing the first release of files, the ARRB is now meeting resistance in its newest requests for full disclosure. We urge every reader to either phone or fax the ARRB and urge them not to back down in their pursuit of the newest file requests, in full and with no redactions. The numbers to call are: Phone, 202-724-0088; Fax, 202-724-0457. We also urge readers to write CIA Director John Deutch and FBI Director Louis Freeh and alert them that the public will not put up with any more stonewalling and scare tactics. The time for subverting the will of the American people in its pursuit of openness and honesty has long gone. We at PROBE honestly feel that no other issue ranks as high as restoring the public's faith in its government and that if the ARRB is subverted now, after it has received a mandate from the public, the Congress, and the chief executive, it would truly be calamitous.

The ARRB is also meeting resistance from New Orleans DA Harry Connick and his allies Hugh Aynesworth, Gerald Posner and the New York Times. We find it odd that a medium sized city's rather undistinguished DA would merit attention by the big media centers of Washington and New York. We explain why we think there is more here than meets the eye and we offer the full transcript of the local WDSU report that started the uproar. Also, Dave Manning offers coverage of the RFK news conference by Ted Charach who now appears to have found the "second gun" of Thane Eugene Cesar. In a special section we honor some of the women in the community who have not received the accolades and recognition they deserve. We hope this begins to reverse that trend. People like Milicent, Anna Marie, Kathleen, Carol, our own Lisa Pease-and more-have certainly made a mark and continued-in some ways, furthered-the pioneering work of the late, great Sylvia Meagher.

Finally, and speaking of pioneers, Cyril Wecht ties everything together with his response to Dr. Boswell's recently declassified letter to the top brass in the Navy in anticipation of exposure of the world's worst autopsy at the Shaw trial. In this response, he speaks for all of us by reminding Boswell of who he is, and us of who we are and what this case is really all about. Amen.

Home | All Articles | Action Alerts | About CTKA