Challenging Universally Accepted Truths #1

[Greg Parker]

Lack of sleep strikes again... The post header should have read "ACLU meeting" not "UCLA meeting". Unfortunately am unable to change it.

Thanks Tim for bringing it to my attention. Of course, the widely circulated reports that Oswald attended a UCLA metting needs to be scotched, as well!

Challenging Universally Accepted Truths #1

Did Oswald Attend A ACLU meeting with Michael Paine?

FBI report, 4dec63, on Barry Cohen.

Cohen appeared voluntarily at the Dallas FBI office. He was a member of the ACLU, at that time, attending the University of Texas working on his Master's Degree in Russian Studies. Cohen advised the FBI he had been very active in the ACLU and had discussed Oswald's attempt to join the ACLU with Dallas President of the ACLU, Greg Olds.

The 2nd para reads:

"Approximately one month prior to the President's assassination, Oswald attended a meeting of the ACLU, but Cohen was not at this meeting. Cohen started an investigation to determine why Oswald attended this meeting and found that a Mrs Paine with whom Oswald's wife had been residing, invited Oswald as her guest to this meeting."

FBI Report on Barry Cohen

Olds wasn't interviewed by the FBI until 19dec63. He was at the meeting, but did not see Oswald there. He had heard (from unremembered sources, though he admitted following media reports) that Michael Paine had brought him to the meeting, and that Oswald was supposed to have had something to say at the meeting. He named Unitarian Minister, Byrd Haligas as someone Oswald may have spoken to.

This time, FBI didn't waste time. They interviewed Haligas that same day.

He admitted attending the ACLU meeting in question, and being in charge of the projector and coffee. He stated that Oswald approached him with questions about the projector; how it worked etc. They did not discuss politics. He could not provide names of anyone else who may have had discussions with Oswald. He too though, had heard from unremembered sources of Oswald having made comments during the meeting.

The sole sources for Mike Paine being at this meeting are Mike Paine and his very good mate, Frank Krystinik. They are almost certainly also the only sources for Oswald's alleged statements at the meeting regarding Birchers, and his alleged conversation with Kristinik on economics.

On the other side of the coin, we have a report buried in the WC volumes in which Barry Cohen of the Dallas ACLU states he conducted an investigation on Oswald's attendance at the 25oct63 meeting, finding that Oswald was there as a guest of "a Mrs Paine with whom Oswald's wife had been residing". As Cohen was not there, his investigation must have been via interviews of those who were -- and perhaps of any "sign in" details for the meeting, if such had been required.

The FBI took 15 days after obtaining the above info before it interviewed the Dallas ACLU president, Greg Olds. He apparently, was not asked about Cohen's investigation, and only places Paine there via rumour and media reports.

The WC was even less inquisitive than the FBI when it came Olds. They did not ask him even one single, solitary question about the 25oct63 meeting.

When Paine came before the WC, he denied Heligas was the other party (besides Krystinik) to Oswald's alleged economic discussion. Krystinik, on the other hand, claimed it was indeed, Heligas.

Cohen's credibility is unknown. Mike "I Can't Tell a Rifle from a Tent Peg" Paine's is not.

It is certainly dificult to imagine how Cohen could have got such a simple investigation so wrong, or what might have motivated him to lie about it.

You don't need to strain your brain too hard to discern a motive for Paine and Krystinik lying.

Edited March 19, 2005 by Greg Parker