NW Kentucky News

The Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets conducted a hearing in Washington on the declassification of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The hearing was chaired by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and aimed to promote transparency in the release of historically significant files. Members of the task force criticized the government's historical lack of transparency, which they believe has fostered distrust in American institutions.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna emphasized concerns about discrepancies in the Warren Commission's narrative of the assassination. "There are sincere concerns and discrepancies regarding the Warren Commission pushing forward a narrative without all the facts," she said. She argued that the investigation's handling has contributed to public mistrust of federal entities.

Researcher James DiEugenio pointed to the continued public skepticism regarding the official account of the assassination. "Sixty-five percent of the public does not buy the Warren Commission’s conclusion that Oswald was a lone assassin," he remarked.

Rep. Brandon Gill noted the decline in trust in the federal government, which has decreased from 74% in 1958 to 22% by 2025, citing this as a key issue undermining democratic governance.

The hearing also highlighted efforts initiated by the Trump Administration, which have led to the declassification of 80,000 pages of relevant records. Rep. Luna expressed optimism for increased transparency facilitated by recent declassification efforts, stating, "With the recent efforts made to declassify over 80,000 pages of classified documents...we have an unprecedented opportunity to peel back the layers of that dark day."

Independent journalist Jefferson Morley presented new perspectives on the existing records, advocating for further documentary releases to clarify the incident. Morley praised the government's current approach, "We have a new attitude on the part of the government. We have President Trump’s executive order, which strengthens the existing mandates of the JFK Records Act."

Rep. Nancy Mace commended the Trump Administration's commitment to transparency while criticizing the intelligence community for historically misleading the public. "The American people deserve transparency, not just on JFK files," she said.

Rep. Eli Crane queried Morley on the significance of newly declassified information, particularly the nine memos about James Angleton released in March 2023.

The hearing continued to stress the essential role of transparency in maintaining public trust, with hopes that ongoing efforts will shed light on historical events and fortify democratic foundations.