Was Kenneth O'Donnell an "Inside Man" in the plot to kill JFK?

[Douglas Caddy]

Myra Bronstein wrote on Facebook on January 14, 2016:

JFK was Dropping LBJ From the Re-election Ticket
VP LBJ Chose Presidency Over Prison
"President Kennedy’s secretary Evelyn Lincoln wrote in her 1968 book “Kennedy and Johnson” that November 19, 1963 had been “one of the most pleasant days” she could remember in the White House. Kennedy’s schedule was light and he had spent long stretches of time in the rocking chair in her office, speaking pensively as he rocked.
...
“You know, if I am re-elected in ’64,” he said. “I am going to spend more and more time making government service an honorable career,” adding, “I am going to advocate changing some of the outmoded rules and regulations in Congress, such as the seniority rule.
To do this I will need as a running mate in sixty-four a man who believes as I do.”
As if thinking out loud, he continued, “. . . it is too early to make an announcement about another running mate—that will perhaps wait until the convention.”
“Who is your choice of a running mate?” Lincoln asked.
Looking straight ahead and without hesitating he replied, “At this time I am thinking about Governor Terry Sanford of North Carolina. But it will not be Lyndon.”
Even worse for LBJ, he would likely have ended up in prison if he hadn't ascended to the oval office. LBJ knew those were his options: oval office or prison. He was corrupt and murderous. (He reportedly had his own hit man named Mac Wallace.)
He was being investigated by the Senate on November 22, 1963--the day JFK was murdered.
On 22nd November, 1963, a friend of Baker’s, Don B. Reynolds told B. Everett Jordan and his Senate Rules Committee that Johnson had demanded that he provided kickbacks in return for this business. This included a $585 Magnavox stereo. Reynolds also had to pay for $1,200 worth of advertising on KTBC, Johnson’s television station in Austin. Reynolds had paperwork for this transaction including a delivery note that indicated the stereo had been sent to the home of Johnson.
Don B. Reynolds also told of seeing a suitcase full of money which Baker described as a “$100,000 payoff to Johnson for his role in securing the Fort Worth TFX contract”. His testimony came to an end when news arrived that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated.
The LBJ scandal was huge news, in fact it was on the November 1963 cover of Life magazine entitled "The Bobby Baker Bombshell."
But there was bigger news on November 22, 1963--President Kennedy was murdered in Dallas, LBJ's stomping grounds, after LBJ and his crony Albert Thomas begged him to come to Dallas.
Albert Thomas is the man LBJ is seeing winking with on Air Force 1 immediately after his abrupt swearing in as president--beside a blood-soaked Jackie Kennedy--on November 22, 1963.
After LBJ was sworn in as President the Senate investigation of him ceased.
The TIMING of the assassination was dictated largely by LBJ's need to avoid prison.

Joseph McBride commented: Kenneth O'Donnell was going to be fired that Monday back in DC for corruption. He played a key role in planning the motorcade route, which violated Secret Service regulations. I go into his role in my book INTO THE NIGHTMARE: MY SEARCH FOR THE KILLERS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND OFFICER J. D. TIPPIT.

Charles Vergados commented: Another thing:Kenny was part of Bobby's campaign staff in 1968. I don't think Bobby would have trusted him if there were any doubts. I went to visit Kenny at his offices in the Park St Building in Park Sq.,Boston about two years before his death. His sister Justine was his secretary. Behind his desk was the famous staff photo taken outside the Oval Office.I only spent about 20 minutes. He seemed like a broken man.

Joseph McBridge commented: See what I write in my book. I was surprised when I put all the evidence together. I hadn't expected it, although I had sensed there was something wrong about O'Donnell and Dallas. Every plot needs an inside man (or more than one). He was the one on the president's staff.

[Terry Adams]

"It was my impression that O'Donnell had the greatest influence in shaping the President's most important decisions. He was able to set aside his own prejudices against individuals and his own ideological commitments (I would rate him a moderate Democrat) and appraise the alternatives with total objectivity. It was impossible to categorize O'Donnell, as White House observers did with other staff members, as either a "hawk" or a "dove" on foreign policy, or a Stevenson liberal or Truman conservative on civil rights. JFK gave extra weight to O'Donnell's opinions because he knew he had no personal cause to argue. Ken had only one criterion: Will this action help or hurt the President? And that, for O'Donnell, was another way of asking: Will it help or hurt the country?" Pierre Salinger (1966).

I cannot imagine anyone doubting Kenny O'Donnell's loyalty to President Kennedy. They were extremely close. He was part of the "Irish Mafia", having known the Kennedy family since rooming with RFK at Harvard. And yes, he did help plan the motorcade, which caused him to blame himself for the assassination until his own death in 1977 from alcoholism at the age of 53.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Terry Adams

[Jon G. Tidd]

What was the corruption for which JFK was going to fire O'Donnell?

[Myra Bronstein]

I just ordered Joseph's book "INTO THE NIGHTMARE: MY SEARCH FOR THE KILLERS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND OFFICER J. D. TIPPIT." Once I read it I can maybe shed some light on it. It is quite a startling claim. Maybe Joseph would be willing to come here and discuss it. Is the Ed forum accepting new members?

[Pat Speer]

I just ordered Joseph's book "INTO THE NIGHTMARE: MY SEARCH FOR THE KILLERS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND OFFICER J. D. TIPPIT." Once I read it I can maybe shed some light on it. It is quite a startling claim. Maybe Joseph would be willing to come here and discuss it. Is the Ed forum accepting new members?

Joe is already a member.

[Ron Ecker]

FWIW it was O'Donnell who took charge in stealing the body from Parkland and Earl Rose.

[David Andrews]

More on this O'Donnell angle, please. Soon.

Off topic a bit:

"But there was bigger news on November 22, 1963--President Kennedy was murdered in Dallas, LBJ's stomping grounds, after LBJ and his crony Albert Thomas begged him to come to Dallas. Albert Thomas is the man LBJ is seeing winking with [Johnson] on Air Force 1 immediately after his abrupt swearing in as president--beside a blood-soaked Jackie Kennedy--on November 22, 1963."

It's sad and disgusting that Thomas - celebrated by JFK in Texas because of Thomas's terminal illness - would choose to go out leaving behind the partisan reputation he made during the swearing-in. Hell was yawning for him, though I suspect it was yawning at Thomas before he got there.

Edited January 17, 2016 by David Andrews

[Paul Brancato]

Second that. I read McBride's book but cannot find an index on my kindle edition to see what he said about O'donnell.

[Myra Bronstein]

I just ordered Joseph's book "INTO THE NIGHTMARE: MY SEARCH FOR THE KILLERS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND OFFICER J. D. TIPPIT." Once I read it I can maybe shed some light on it. It is quite a startling claim. Maybe Joseph would be willing to come here and discuss it. Is the Ed forum accepting new members?

Joe is already a member.

Oh thanks Pat.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Myra Bronstein

[Myra Bronstein]

FWIW it was O'Donnell who took charge in stealing the body from Parkland and Earl Rose.

That's noteworthy. I figured that was secret service.

[Ron Ecker]

FWIW it was O'Donnell who took charge in stealing the body from Parkland and Earl Rose.

That's noteworthy. I figured that was secret service.

It was Secret Service till the dispute became interminable, then O'Donnell angrily moved in and told Rose they were taking the body come hell or high water or something to that effect. I'm going by Manchester's lengthy account.

[Myra Bronstein]

FWIW it was O'Donnell who took charge in stealing the body from Parkland and Earl Rose.

That's noteworthy. I figured that was secret service.

It was Secret Service till the dispute became interminable, then O'Donnell angrily moved in and told Rose they were taking the body come hell or high water or something to that effect. I'm going by Manchester's lengthy account.

Thanks Ron.

[Mark Wengler]

Everything i have read about O'Donnell . He and JFK was close friends. I don't see O'Donnell being part of the assassination.

[Ron Ecker]

Everything i have read about O'Donnell . He and JFK was close friends. I don't see O'Donnell being part of the assassination.

"Et tu, Brute?"

One other thing worth noting about O'Donnell, in trying to judge any guilt or innocence on his part, is that after the assassination he worked as an aide for two years for one of the prime suspects in the case, Lyndon Johnson. Methinks a close friend of JFK could have found some other work.

[Josh Cron]

Ron, Dave Powers stayed on for a year as well.

And I agree with Mark. I don't see it.

This one is right up there with Jackie pulling the trigger for me.