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Order Declassifying JFK and MLK Assassination Records [pdf]

by kalu on 2/4/25, 12:42 AM with 236 comments

  • by bag_boy on 2/4/25, 1:37 AM

    Tangentially related:

    My coworking space is a century old hardware distribution building in Birmingham, AL. It's about a 1-2 miles away from the predominantly African American neighborhood that was constantly bombed in the 50s.

    I was told the FBI searched the building a few decades ago in the hopes of finding the rifle used in MLK's assassination.

    Birmingham was a wild town for many years!

  • by usednet on 2/4/25, 3:43 AM

    It's just a symbolic order, won't actually lead to anything important being released because the agencies have the authority to reject whatever they want. Many of the files have already been destroyed anyways.

    See:

    Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

  • by adamredwoods on 2/4/25, 1:51 AM

    Most of the documents were declassified already, I think 99% of 170,000 files or some large number. This was through the The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. I don't know what's to gain in this release other than closure?

  • by ggm on 2/4/25, 4:23 AM

    The dinner menu and guest list for royal functions over 100 years ago was (and may still be) redacted by the state in the UK. Sometimes, secrets are not really about very much.

    I am personally more interested in the MLK data than the JFK data because flawed though they were, the many eyes on that prize didn't find even the scent of a smoking gun worth much. If it had been the other side of the Iron curtain, by now they'd have capitalised on proving it. The ability to tie that era's democrat party to the mob was too delicious to keep secret if provable. (yes, even being killed by the mob taints you with the mob) so either political, foreign, or crime related I can't see how successive governments could have resisted showing-and-telling all.

    MLK, I felt was swept under the carpet the way decent "folk like us" wanted. The moment of political advantage in the facts faded much faster, the underlying unease of what agencies of the state might be complicit remains. I think we all deserve a bit of clarity here. We know he had feet of clay, thats not the point. The point is how poorly the state defended a man trying to build a better america.

    Neither are anything like as important as current events. The release is not just a mechanistic "I am a man of my word" moment, its a distraction from the everyday events. Any hour news online dedicates to these stories, is time not spent worrying about what dismantling the US state means in practice in 2025.

  • by dgfitz on 2/4/25, 12:53 AM

    Surely nobody sees this as a bad thing. It’s been a bit since these events happened.

  • by softgrow on 2/4/25, 2:17 AM

    And once it is released you'll know and the mystery will be gone. I (Australian) was very enthused when the "Somerton man" was resolved. But it took away mystery and wonder from me which actually gave me joy.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerton_Man

  • by manosyja on 2/4/25, 6:06 AM

    Just my 2ct of trivia: The crown has still not reused the records regarding Jack the Ripper. Some assume this might be because someone from the royal family was involved.

  • by lm28469 on 2/4/25, 9:50 AM

    Panem et circenses while they dismantle the few safeguards left

  • by etchalon on 2/4/25, 2:46 AM

    It's neat to know that, whether the files prove something or don't, theorists will refuse to accept them unless they prove JFK wasn't shot by Oswald.

  • by peterbozso on 2/5/25, 6:31 AM

    Somewhat related: if somebody is interested in King's story in more depth, I can really recommend Jonathan Eig's book from 2023, titled "King: A Life". Amongst many other resources, he has used the (back then) recently released FBI files about King. He did a really stellar job of portraying MLK not just as a legend, but also as a human being.

  • by kpmcc on 2/4/25, 11:53 AM

    Flooding the zone. Don't lose focus.

  • by andyjohnson0 on 2/4/25, 10:42 AM

    This is a distraction and nothing more.

  • by 29athrowaway on 2/4/25, 3:36 AM

    They should also declassify who is Satoshi Nakamoto.

  • by zombiwoof on 2/4/25, 3:35 AM

    What about the Epstein Files

  • by dboreham on 2/4/25, 3:31 AM

    Still redacted?

  • by etc-hosts on 2/4/25, 1:01 AM

    doesn't matter. many of the entities investigating at the time have since destroyed their records.

  • by cyberlurker on 2/4/25, 8:37 AM

    Remember when they said they’d get to the bottom of the “drones”? Don’t be so easily distracted from what they are doing to the country.

  • by bognition on 2/4/25, 12:55 AM

    Great do Epstein next

  • by Aloisius on 2/4/25, 4:32 AM

    I can safely say that even if all material is released that people will still believe it was a government conspiracy that is being covered up.

    No amount of evidence will ever be enough. See: the moon landings.

  • by mont_tag on 2/4/25, 5:00 AM

    Next up, Area 51?

  • by anigbrowl on 2/4/25, 7:17 AM

    shiny object is shiny

  • by Pat_Murph on 2/4/25, 10:29 PM

    Next is the Epstein files?

  • by djha-skin on 2/4/25, 1:31 AM

    Interesting considering the attempted assassination of Trump. Perhaps he feels that some sunlight could help prevent future assassinations, or maybe he simply feels kinship to these his fallen political peers.

  • by guidedlight on 2/4/25, 1:33 AM

    A very convincing confession was published for the first time last month, of someone who alleges to have shot JFK.

    https://youtu.be/-8DGv6KSBZI

  • by ldjkfkdsjnv on 2/4/25, 1:11 AM

    [flagged]

  • by trunnell on 2/4/25, 3:08 PM

    I thought the JFK assassination was tragic but not really relevant/interesting until I listened to this podcast by journalist Soledad O’Brien:

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-killed-jfk/id17146...

    There’s actually a mountain of evidence pointing to a horrifying conclusion.

    It’s not easy to summarize, and anyhow I don’t want to give spoilers here.