The Office of Legal Counsel

[Pat Speer]

The other day I noticed something that should be on the minds of everyone studying the assassination.

The Assistant Attorney General Overseeing the Office of Legal Counsel is a little-publicized position within the justice department, that is at the center of everything. In theory, this assistant is an expert on constitutional law, who tells the President and the executive branch what is legal and what is not. In practice, however, this assistant writes up legal justifications for whatever the President wants to do, legal or not. Such as it's okay to torture if it doesn't cause lasting damage, but only creates the illusion of imminent death. Such as Guantanamo Bay is neither foreign nor American territory. If politicians are born liars, then the head of the Office of Legal Counsel is the xxxx's xxxx.

Now consider this.

J. Lee Rankin ran the office for Eisenhower.

Nicholas Katzenbach ran the office for Kennedy.

That's right...the man running the WC's investigation and the man who conceived it to begin with were both xxxx's liars.

And then consider this

William Rehnquist ran the office for Nixon.

Antonin Scalia ran the office for Ford.

That's right...xxxx's liars have dominated the Supreme Court for the past 4 decades.

So who was Johnson's paid xxxx? From 1966-1969 the office was run by Frank Wozencraft. Little is known of him beyond that he wrote a memo to the national archives just before leaving office telling them not to release the 1966 inventory of the autopsy photos and 1967 report on the photos to the media. In this memo, he falsely claimed that the agreement under which the Kennedy family returned the photos to the archives forbade the release of descriptions of the photos as well. Now, some might say well, he was mistaken on this. But no, that doesn't float. I mean, why in heck would the office of legal counsel insert itself into such a thing but days before there was to be a changing of the guard?

It seems clear then that Johnson's xxxx didn't want the media to realize that the head wound had been moved, etc. as this might help Garrison, etc...

More research on Wozencraft is warranted, IMO.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Pat Speer

[John Dolva]

William H. Rehnquist was born on October 1, 1924, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents were William B. and Margery (Peck) Rehnquist. He grew up in Shorewood, Wisconsin, a northern Milwaukee suburb. After service in World War II with the Army Air Corps from 1943-46, Rehnquist received a B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University in 1948. After obtaining an M.A. from Harvard University in 1950, Rehnquist returned to Stanford to attend its law school, graduating first in his class in 1952. (He actually completed his classes in December 1951, and began working in early 1952.) Current Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor also graduated near the top of that same graduating class.

After clerking for Justice Robert H. Jackson from February 1952 through the end of the October 1952 Term (June 1953), Rehnquist moved to Phoenix, Arizona to practice law in a law firm. He remained in Phoenix for 16 years. In 1969, after the election of President Richard Nixon, Rehnquist became a lawyer in Office of Legal Counsel, where he remained for two years. Within one week of one another in September 1971, Justices Hugo Black and John Marshall Harlan, both suffering from terminal illnesses, retired. After the resignation of Abe Fortas in May 1969, Richard Nixon nominated a Southerner, Clement Haynsworth, to succeed Fortas. The Senate refused to appoint Haynsworth in November by a vote of 55-45. Nixon, determined to nominate a Southerner to replace Fortas (originally from Memphis), nominated G. Harrold Carswell, whose credentials and achievements were much less impressive than Haynsworth's. The Senate again defeated the nomination, this time by a vote of 51-45. Nixon's third choice, Minnesotan Harry Blackmun, was confirmed. Two years later, Nixon had another chance to nominate a Southerner, and to add a judicial (and political) conservative. Nixon nominated Lewis F. Powell of Richmond, Virginia to replace Black, and Rehnquist to replace Harlan. Rehnquist was questioned at Senate Judiciary Committee hearings about a memorandum he had written for Justice Jackson in 1952 concerning the then-pending case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954). The memorandum concluded that "separate but equal" (the standard in Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896) was the correct constitutional standard. At his hearings, Rehnquist testified that the memo did not reflect his views, but the views of Justice Jackson, to be used at the conference of the Justices at which Brown would be discussed. His testimony was disputed by others (but supported privately by Justice William O. Douglas, the only member of the Court in 1971 who was on the Court in 1952), but the flap subsided, and Rehnquist was confirmed by a vote of 68-26. (Powell, the more moderate nominee, was confirmed by a vote of 89-1.)

As an Associate Justice, Rehnquist was not afraid to write a lone dissent in a number of 8-1 cases, resulting in his being called the "Lone Ranger." In general, Rehnquist considered the Warren Court (and Burger Court, in several respects) of being too "activist" in its decisionmaking, and urged greater judicial "restraint." He was active in policing the boundary between federal and state power, one that the Court had avoided since the constitutional crisis of 1937. Rehnquist opposed the Court's right to privacy developments, dissenting in Roe v. Wade (1973) and joining the majority in Bowers v. Hardwick (1986). He also was opposed to affirmative action.

At the end of the October 1985 Term (July 1986), Chief Justice Warren Burger retired. President Ronald Reagan nominated Rehnquist to take Burger's seat, and Antonin Scalia to take Rehnquist's seat as Associate Justice. The issue of Rehnquist's conservativism in the Court again arose, along with the disputed memorandum from 1952. The Senate eventually confirmed his appointment by a vote of 65-33. (Scalia, possibly more conservative than Rehnquist, was approved by a vote of 98-0.)

Chief Justice Rehnquist is well organized and politically adept. He has built consensus in numerous cases, and has rarely struck out on his own (Justice Scalia has taken on that role.) Rehnquist remains judicially and politically conservative, but has foregone past positions in favor of consensus. For example, although a longtime opponent to the constitutionalization of the doctrine in Miranda v. Arizona (1966)(holding that prior to police interrogation of a person in custody, warnings that statements by the person may be used against him or her must be given, the so-called Miranda warnings known by heart by most Americans through the magic of TV), he recently wrote the Court's opinion affirming (or re-affirming, depending on your point of view) the constitutional basis of Miranda. He also wrote the Court's opinion holding constitutional the Independent Counsel Act, passed in the wake of the Watergate Scandal. Morrison v. Olson (1988).

Chief Justice Rehnquist is a popular historian of the Court, author of three books on the history of the Court. The Supreme Court: How It Is, How It Was (1987), Grand Inquests (1992), and All the Laws But One: Civil Liberties in Wartime (paperback 2000) are informative, accessible books about the Court and the American legal system.

He married Natalie Cornell in 1953. She died in 1991. He died on September 3, 2005. They were the parents of three children.

Further reading: Sue Davis, Justice Rehnquist and the Constitution (1989).

from here : https://ixquick-proxy.com/do/proxy?ep=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&epile=4q6n41784r4441334q5455774s5638784q5335725n586o3q&edata=c1722c0477bd19f1a9fbd3d4d2fb03d4&ek=5979684n636o5n445046523355306o2o57564r334n6q42735656526s5432562o4r6p4r4n5n6o6s71&ekdata=dd639e6e55c580174d24c799ea70d23a

"Johnson's xxxx didn't want" - Maybe he just didn't care, just following orders.

[Pat Speer]

I found Wozencraft's obituary. He was a senior partner in Baker & Botts, the family law firm of Bush family consigliere James A. Baker. Well, I'll be.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Pat Speer

[David Lifton]

The other day I noticed something that should be on the minds of everyone studying the assassination.

The Assistant Attorney General Overseeing the Office of Legal Counsel is a little-publicized position within the justice department, that is at the center of everything. In theory, this assistant is an expert on constitutional law, who tells the President and the executive branch what is legal and what is not. In practice, however, this assistant writes up legal justifications for whatever the President wants to do, legal or not. Such as it's okay to torture if it doesn't cause lasting damage, but only creates the illusion of imminent death. Such as Guantanamo Bay is neither foreign nor American territory. If politicians are born liars, then the head of the Office of Legal Counsel is the xxxx's xxxx.

Now consider this.

J. Lee Rankin ran the office for Eisenhower.

Nicholas Katzenbach ran the office for Kennedy.

That's right...the man running the WC's investigation and the man who conceived it to begin with were both xxxx's liars.

And then consider this

William Rehnquist ran the office for Nixon.

Antonin Scalia ran the office for Ford.

That's right...xxxx's liars have dominated the Supreme Court for the past 4 decades.

So who was Johnson's paid xxxx? From 1966-1969 the office was run by Frank Wozencraft. Little is known of him beyond that he wrote a memo to the national archives just before leaving office telling them not to release the 1966 inventory of the autopsy photos and 1967 report on the photos to the media. In this memo, he falsely claimed that the agreement under which the Kennedy family returned the photos to the archives forbade the release of descriptions of the photos as well. Now, some might say well, he was mistaken on this. But no, that doesn't float. I mean, why in heck would the office of legal counsel insert itself into such a thing but days before there was to be a changing of the guard?

It seems clear then that Johnson's xxxx didn't want the media to realize that the head wound had been moved, etc. as this might help Garrison, etc...

More research on Wozencraft is warranted, IMO.

Pat:

I have a reasonably clear recollection of the release of the Clark Panel's Report about 3 days before Nixon's inauguration --on or about January 17, 1969.

I immediately wrote the Justice Department and received --again, "as I recall"--an entire press kit consisting of not only the Clark Panel Report but the November 1966 Naval Inspection report, and the January 1967 "military review" (the examination of the autopsy photos by Humes, Boswell and Finck in January, 1967.

I do not have the Wozencraft memo--in fact, I never heard of it until your post here on the London Forum. Is it available at the Mary Ferrell website? If so, perhaps you could provide the Internet link. If not, perhaps you could scan your copy, and send it to me.

I don't doubt that Wozencraft wrote the memo you say he did, but if so, then it seems that NARA ignored his advice, because i do remember getting those"auxiliary" documents when I wrote DOJ for the Clark Panel report (just days after the news accounts appeared) and asked for anything else that was relevant and available.

DSL

8/5/14 - 6:20 PM PDT

Los Angeles, California

[Robert Howard]

I searched through maryferrell.org, and the URL I posted seemed to contain the most interesting correspondence with Wozencraft, on page 130 and 133.

https://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=55386

There were several other documents, but I didn't see the one in question. Most of them are documents between Wozencraft and others like Marion Johnson National Archives archivist

counseling guidelines for de-classification of Warren Commission documents. I did see one where he was being advised of a communication with someone in Bellevue Mental Hospital.

I do believe Pat Speer has a valid point on all this.

Actually, I found the genealogy to be much more interesting.

Chicago Tribune (IL) - September 05, 1966
Deaths Elsewhere
Deceased Name: Col. Frank W. Wozencraft
Col. Frank W. Wozencraft who was elected mayor of Dallas in 1919 at the age of 26, former attorney for the Radio Corporation of America, and a retired Washington lawyer; in Dallas

Abilene Reporter-News (TX) - March 11, 2003
Deceased Name: Esther Wozencraft Collins
NOVATO, CA -- Esther Wozencraft Collins, 93, formerly of Merkel, died Thursday, March 6, 2003 in a Novato hospital. Services will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at Starbuck Funeral Home in Merkel with Reverend Jimmy Griffith officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. Esther was born December 17, 1909 in Comanche, Texas to William Allen and Diasy McMillan Wozencraft . She was born on a farm and was the only girl in a large family of eight brothers. She helped care for the younger brothers and the home while her mother and dad worked the farm. The family moved to Merkel in the 1920s where the children attended school. Esther married Reynold O. Collins in 1930 and began a new family at homes in Pampa, Dallas, Abilene, Merkel and in California.She later relocated to Grand Prairie in 1947, and finally returned to California in 1960 where she resided in Novato until her death. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Merkel and Grand Prairie while residing there. Before retirement, Esther worked as a seamstress, child guardian and kindergarten teacher. She also had professional training as a nurse, and provided home care services in the 1950s. Survivors include two sons, Donald O. Collins and Ronald R. Collins, both of Novato, CA; a daughter, Nancy L. Hooks of Houston; two brothers, Alvin P. Wozencraft of Merkel, David N. Wozencraft of San Rafael, CA; two granddaughters, Debra R. Danhof of Grand Prairie, Rhonda K. Sharp of Irving; two great-grandchildren, Robert E. Danhof and Jennifer R. Danhof, both of Grand Prairie.
Throughout her life, Esther's faith in God provided guidance, strength and purpose in her daily actions. Esther met every challenge with determination to succeed through good planning, common sense and hard work. She was always helpful to other people who needed assistance and wanted to work on solutions. Her creative talents came out in writing poetry and wining various social contests. Esther lived with gratitude and always in the present moment. Not all of her wishes came true, but her hope never faded
and she was happy to adjust to the reality and goodness of ordinary life. She was very much loved by her family. She will be missed with sadness, and remembered with gladness.

Dallas Morning News, The (TX) - April 18, 2007
Deceased Name: WOZENCRAFT, JR., WILLIAM EDWARD
WOZENCRAFT, JR., , WILLIAM EDWARD Known by his friends as "Bill W." passed on Friday, April 13. Born in Pecos in 1931, the son of the late William E. and Nadine Wozencraft ,
Bill was a long-time resident of Dallas and member of St. Patricks Church. Survivors include daughters Kim Wozencraft , Karen Amos, and Kristen Hamilton. The family has requested in lieu of flowers,

donations be made to the American Stroke Foundation. "Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life." John 3:16. OB6 Obituaries, Notices

Country Gazette, The (Bellingham, MA) - November 9, 2007
Deceased Name: Rev.W.T. Wozencraft
Ordained minister
DESOTO, Texas
The Rev. W.T. Wozencraft , 87, died Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007.
He was the husband of Geri Wozencraft of DeSoto, Texas, for 64 years.He was born in Margaret, Texas.
He served a little more than two years in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, and was honorably discharged. He was ordained on Oct. 10, 1985, and was a pastor in churches in Texas and Oklahoma. He preached from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, and went on mission trips in the United States and Mexico. He pastored his last church when he was 80 years old. In 2000, he had quadruple bypass heart surgery and retired from pastoring a church in Madill, Okla. He worked for Pioneer Medical Systems for eight years, testing medical alert units for the aged and disabled. He continued to preach at the
same time, preaching his last sermon on May 27, 2007, and on the same day he was admitted to the hospital. He was diagnosed with cancer at that time. Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, the Rev. Dr. Sharon Wozencraft of Medway; daughter and son-in-law, Carole and Bob Yarbrough of Duncanville, Texas; six grandchildren and their spouses, Krista and William Buster of Stillwell, Okla., Richard Michael of Fort Worth, Texas, Tanya and Eric Bouwman- Wozencraft of Medway, Todd Michael of Irving, Texas, Darren Michael of Duncanville, Texas, and Lori and Bryan Argenbright of Duncanville, Texas; 15 great-grandchildren, Jamie Spain-Wray, KayLynn Buster, William Buster, Tom Bouwman- Wozencraft , Theodorea Bouwman- Wozencraft ,
Adam Argenbright, Mathew Argenbright, Bryanne Argenbright, Jacob Michael, Bradlee Michael, Celeste Michael, Jeri Michael, Daniel Michael, Haley Michael and Christopher Michael. Services were delayed slightly because he chose to allow his body to be used for cancer research. Burial was scheduled at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Veterans Cemetery, Thursday, Oct. 25.
Instead of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of one's choice or to the Life Legacy Foundation, 6825 East Outlook Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85706;

add his name or donor number, 07-10012, on the donation.

Re Below: If you find this interesting see Google Books "Alfred Wozencraft"

and/or Big D - Darwin Payne

10-28-1929 Dallas Morning News

"Industry Heads Visit Dallas"

pl_008062014_0834_21365_238.pdf

Edited August 6, 2014 by Robert Howard

[Paul Brancato]

Is Pat still posting here? I'd like to see this document too. The connection of Frank Wozencraft to Baker Botts is very interesting. If indeed Wozencraft took part in a coverup of autopsy photos, and if he lied about the Kennedy family wishes, that would be most telling.