JFK The Enduring Secret

• Episode 278 Bobby Baker Part 12 Don Reynolds Part 2

  This is Part 12 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. We began the story of Don Reynolds in Episode 11. Today we continue  to tell the story of Don Reynolds, the Maryland insurance broker who who went into business with Baker, crafting an arrangement whereby Baker became a nominal VP of his insurance agency (with a non-voting stock interest) in exchange for Baker's help in expanding  sales and profits. Commission payments for referrals were also a part of the deal.  Reynolds would become friends with Baker and travel on lavish junkets to New York and Miami, living the high life all while cultivating clients made available through Baker's contacts. His tight relationship would lead him to be a bagman too for Baker.  The end came when the Senate Rules and Administration committee began its investigation and came upon Reynolds, who had sold $200,000 worth of life insurance to Lyndon Johnson as a result of the introduction provided by Baker. But Johnson's insistence on kickbacks on the cost of the insurance premium would prove to be perilous. The kickbacks would come  in the form of a stereo thinly disguised as a gift along with the purchase of television advertising on Johnson's Austin TV station. Once revealed by the committee's investigation and the work of senator John Williams,  the scandal threatened to take the Vice President down politically and perhaps, if the tragic events of November 22nd had not occurred, might have sent Johnson to jail as other indiscretions were also being investigated. Reynolds testimony regarding the stereo and the television advertising were taking place in closed session at a senate office building literally at the moment that the shots rang out in Dealey Plaza.  Informed of the president's assassination as the meeting was finishing up, Reynolds shook with the gravity of the situation and the fact that the man he had just accused of engaging in graph...Lyndon Johnson, had just become the most powerful man in the world.  The characters, setting and details around this story make it an essential example of one more bad choice of association by Baker which eventually led to his demise and, as mentioned, came close to bringing down Vice President Johnson as well. Rumors of Johnson's involvement in the assassination began to swirl almost immediately after the President's  murder and there is a defined school of thought within the JFK assassination research community that staunchly believes in Johnson's involvement. His involvement  in both the assassination and its cover up. Join us in one of the most fascinating story tells of the Kennedy assassination and stick around as we will be returning to the Mexico City series right after we complete this min-series that was spawned by the recent release of the Billy Sol Estes and Cliff Carter tape that the two recorded in 1971. Folks, you just can't write this stuff. Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over  the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it,  were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This  real-life story is more fascinating than fiction.  No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as  we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the natio

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• Episode 277 Bobby Baker Part 11 The Don Reynolds Story Part 1

  This is Part 11 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. Today we begin to tell the story of Don Reynolds, the Maryland insurance broker who who went into business with Baker, crafting an arrangement whereby Baker became a nominal VP of his insurance agency (with a non-voting stock interest) in exchange for Baker's help in expanding  sales and profits. Commission payments for referrals were also a part of the deal.  Reynolds would become friends with Baker and travel on lavish junkets to New York and Miami, living the high life all while cultivating clients made available through Baker's contacts. His tight relationship would lead him to be a bagman too for Baker.  The end came when the Senate Rules and Administration committee began its investigation and came upon Reynolds, who had sold $200,000 worth of life insurance to Lyndon Johnson as a result of the introduction provided by Baker. But Johnson's insistence on kickbacks on the cost of the insurance premium would prove to be perilous. The kickbacks would come  in the form of a stereo thinly disguised as a gift along with the purchase of television advertising on Johnson's Austin TV station. Once revealed by the committee's investigation and the work of senator John Williams,  the scandal threatened to take the Vice President down politically and perhaps, if the tragic events of November 22nd had not occurred, might have sent Johnson to jail as other indiscretions were also being investigated. Reynolds testimony regarding the stereo and the television advertising were taking place in closed session at a senate office building literally at the moment that the shots rang out in Dealey Plaza.  Informed of the president's assassination as the meeting was finishing up, Reynolds shook with the gravity of the situation and the fact that the man he had just accused of engaging in graph...Lyndon Johnson, had just become the most powerful man in the world.  The characters, setting and details around this story make it an essential example of one more bad choice of association by Baker which eventually led to his demise and, as mentioned, came close to bringing down Vice President Johnson as well. Rumors of Johnson's involvement in the assassination began to swirl almost immediately after the President's  murder and there is a defined school of thought within the JFK assassination research community that staunchly believes in Johnson's involvement. His involvement  in both the assassination and its cover up. Join us in one of the most fascinating story tells of the Kennedy assassination and stick around as we will be returning to the Mexico City series right after we complete this min-series that was spawned by the recent release of the Billy Sol Estes and Cliff Carter tape that the two recorded in 1971. Folks, you just can't write this stuff. Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over  the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it,  were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This  real-life story is more fascinating than fiction.  No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as  we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

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• Episode 276 Bobby Baker Part 10 Lyndon Johnson Speaks To Ramsey Clark About The Ed Levinson Wiretap

  This is Part 10 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. Today's episode continues the story of Bobby Baker's Bad Boy friend and business partner Ed Levinson. Today we hear a taped telephone conversation from the Whitehouse between President Lyndon Johnson and  (at the time) Deputy U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. The discussion addressed Baker and the Levinson connection and it took place about 20 minutes before midnight on July 13th, 1966. It reveals much in the way of Johnson's insight and thinking about the case and the implications are apparent. And they reinforce the impact that Levinson's involvement had on the circumstances that affected Baker directly...and that were  (continuing) to potentially affect the President himself. Levinson was a major player in the Vegas casino scene, and top associate in the mob of Meyer Lansky. He was also a shareholder and investor in Serve-U Corporation. Bobby Baker's vending company. This bad boy would enter into other business partnerships with Baker including both becoming shareholders in the Washington National Bank, of which Baker was influential in obtaining the charter. Explaining some of the men around Baker helps to explain the circumstances that he would later find himself in, when trouble came knocking. The characters, setting and details around this story make it an essential example of one more bad choice of association by Baker which eventually led to his demise and came close to bringing down Vice President Johnson as well. Rumors of Johnson's involvement in the assassination began to swirl almost immediately after the President's  murder and there is a defined school of thought within the JFK assassination research community that staunchly believes in Johnson's involvement. His involvement  in both the assassination and its cover up. Join us in one of the most fascinating story tells of the Kennedy assassination and stick around as we will be returning to the Mexico City series right after we complete this min-series that was spawned by the recent release of the Billy Sol Estes and Cliff Carter tape that the two recorded in 1971. Folks, you just can't write this stuff. Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over  the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it,  were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This  real-life story is more fascinating than fiction.  No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as  we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

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• Episode 275 Bobby Baker Part 9 Ed Levinson, Business Partner, Mobster and Bad Boy Friend

   Back to the Bobby Baker series! This is Part 9 of the mini-series that covers the story of Bobby Baker. This mini-series is part of a larger series covering Billy Sol Estes, Mac Wallace, Bobby Baker and other members of Johnson's Texas inner circle. All of these men were quite intertwined around Johnson at the time of the assassination. They were involved in circumstances that were closing in on Johnson too and that provided him great motive in the killing of the President. The story is extraordinary. Today's episode tells the story of Bobby Baker's Bad Boy friend and business partner Ed Levinson. Levinson was a major player in the Vegas casino scene, and top associate in the mob of Meyer Lansky. He was also a shareholder and investor in Serve-U Corporation. Bobby Baker's vending company. This bad boy would enter into other business partnerships with Baker including both becoming shareholders in the Washington National Bank, of which Baker was influential in obtaining the charter. Explaining some of the men around Baker helps to explain the circumstances that he would later find himself in, when trouble came knocking. The characters, setting and details around this story make it an essential example of one more bad choice of association by Baker which eventually led to his demise and came close to bringing down Vice President Johnson as well. Rumors of Johnson's involvement in the assassination began to swirl almost immediately after the President's  murder and there is a defined school of thought within the JFK assassination research community that staunchly believes in Johnson's involvement. His involvement  in both the assassination and its cover up. Join us in one of the most fascinating story tells of the Kennedy assassination and stick around as we will be returning to the Mexico City series right after we complete this min-series that was spawned by the recent release of the Billy Sol Estes and Cliff Carter tape that the two recorded in 1971. Folks, you just can't write this stuff. Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over  the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it,  were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This  real-life story is more fascinating than fiction.  No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as  we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

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• Watch Episode Two and Episode Three Of Our Interview Of Doug Horne Over At JFK The Enduring Secret YouTube Channel

  Hello everyone! As  promised we have just published episode two and episode three of our three part interview series with Doug Horne and you can find all three episodes over at JFK The Enduring Secret YouTube channel  Doug Horne is an iconic figure in the area of JFK research and investigation. His courageous work while at the Assassination Records Review Board has proven to be one of the most important contributions to the understanding of JFK autopsy evidence. I first met Doug in November 2023, during the week of the 60th anniversary of the assassination. His presentations in Pittsburgh at Duquesne University were Illuminating. After his absence for a time from the more active JFK research community, we were all delighted at seeing him return to engage once again. Fast forward to November 2024, and Doug and I once again crossed paths in Dallas at the JFK Historical Group. It was happenstance and a call from our mutual friend Andrew Iler that brought us together this past week…once again. We spent two days intensely rehashing elements of the case and the autopsy and you are going to hear close to five hours of incredible interview dialogue from Doug that I am certain you won’t want to miss. These tapings are spread out over three episodes and they represent a master class about the medical evidence and a candid talk about what it all means. And  it all comes directly from Doug. Want to hear his detail conclusions? Want to know just what shots hit the president and whether shots were fired from some place other than the school book depository? Come listen to this episode on our YouTube channel  and you’ll find out. And you’ll hear some  spellbinding  personal history too, as Doug tells the story of how he came to be part of the ARRB and how the ARRB came to operate in such a highly effective way, in order to advance the investigation. And doing so,  even when their charter stopped short of officially allowing them to investigate. It’s a fascinating story from one of the foremost experts on this case. Come join us tonight for the first of three episodes. Please do hurry over to JFK The Enduring Secret YouTube channel, and watch this fantastic series of conversations with Doug Horne…and please do subscribe to our JFK the Enduring Secret YouTube channel when you get there.

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