Robert Anderson Options

[John Simkin]

Robert Bernerd Anderson is a character who constantly comes up during my research into the assassination of JFK.

He was born in Burleson, Texas, on 4th June 1910. He graduated from the University of Texas Law School. He worked as a lawyer until he became a member of the Texas State House of Representatives in 1932. The following year he was appointed as Assistant Attorney General of Texas. In 1934 he became a Texas State Tax Commisioner.

Anderson later purchased the KTBC Radio Station. In 1943 he sold it to the wife of LBJ for $17,500. By 1951 the station was earning $3,000 a week. It became a key factor in the way that LBJ received bribes from businessmen. As Don Reynolds pointed out, in return for political favours, businessmen were forced to pay for expensive advertising with KTBC. As a result of this scam, by 1960, LBJ was actually richer than JFK. (JFK of course refused to take his presidential salary, however LBJ took it in full).

A close friend of Sid Richardson and Clint Murchison, Anderson became president of the Texas Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. When Dwight Eisenhower won the presidency, Anderson, became Secretary of the Navy. This was a post that appeared to be under the control of LBJ. The reason for this was that this post was responsible for granting large oil contracts. LBJ made sure these went to Texas oil companies. (see my postings on Suite 8 Group for further details of this scam):

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=2868

From 1957 to 1961, Anderson served as President Eisenhower's Secretary of the Treasury. In this post he introduced legislation beneficial to the oil industry.

After leaving office, he was active in business, investment and banking affairs, and carried out diplomatic missions on behalf of President Johnson. It was also reported that he worked as a consultant and lobbyist for Sun Myung Moon and his Church of Unification.

According to Joseph Trento (Secret History of the CIA, 2001): "In April 1976, William Zylka, a New Jersey businessman' and operative for the CIA, escorted Colonel Contreas to Iran to meet with Ambassador Helms. Zylka had a long relationship with the CIA through Eisenhower Treasury Secretary Robert Anderson, who informally ran dozens of businessmen as Agency assets; another of them was Zylka's friend William Casey, who later became DCI during the Reagan Administration."

In 1987, Anderson was found guilty of tax evasion. This was related to possible money laundering involving an unregistered off-shore bank that he operated. He was disbarred and sent to prison.

Robert B. Anderson died in New York City on 14 August 1989.