Jefferson Morley Platforms Max Good
- Fred Litwin
- 7 minutes ago
- 10 min read
Right after his Substack article that went after Ruth Paine, Jefferson Morley's Substack provided a platform to Max Good, producer of a tendentious documentary on Ruth.
Ruth, according to Good, was "always telling the same story," Funny, how the truth remains consistent.
But Good was suspicious:
Everything I learned led me to a conclusion that Ruth was withholding important information. There were a few specific instances where Ruth was cagey or unclear, particularly regarding her sister’s employment with CIA, her role in the discovery of the “Kostin Letter,” and how many times she met with George de Mohrenschildt. But her story was remarkably consistent and she was clearly very knowledgable, articulate, and extremely intelligent. Some of her statements were almost lawyerly in their precision and forethought. I wasn’t surprised to learn that she sent a letter to the Warren Commission with detailed corrections on specific areas where she felt they had made errors.
Once again, Ruth's story was "remarkably consistent." But still, Good believes that "Ruth was withholding important information." And Ruth was "cagey." But Good doesn't really say why he comes to these conclusions. He spoke to her fifty years after the assassination -- one would expect that some details would be lost over time. Was Ruth perhaps too precise?
And who cares about Ruth's sister's employment with the CIA? Can somebody just tell me why this is relevant.
Good doesn't understand the evidence in the JFK assassination. If he did, he could not write this:
That simplistic conclusion[a lone gunman], which was handed down from on high by the Dallas Police, FBI, Warren Commission, and then by the establishment media, historians, and academia, cannot withstand the light of honest scrutiny.
Nothing was handed down from on high. The Dallas police just followed the evidence and it all led to Oswald. Honest scrutiny? Does Good really believe that he is capable of "honest scrutiny" in this case? If that were the case, he would have made a very different documentary on Ruth Paine.
And he completely mischaracterizes people who believe that there was no conspiracy:
In fact, defenders of the official story seemed eager to utilize Ruth’s character as a virtuous elderly Quaker woman to show the ridiculous and delusional nature of those who could suspect her.
Who's eager? The truth is very simple. Ruth Paine was a virtuous elderly Quaker woman who did a lot of good in her life. It's the continual malignment of her actions and her character that have led many people to see conspiracy theorists for what they are -- purveyors of malicious lies.
And Good believes that "most Americans" understand there was a conspiracy:
Most Americans, whether intellectually or just in their gut, understand that the JFK assassination is not what we’ve been told by the “authorities.” Populism can be co-opted by demagogues but democracy cannot survive if elites and authorities dictate the truth.
Once you delve deeper into opinions on the JFK assassination, you find that the belief that Oswald was the lone gunman is certainly "mainstream."
When you combine the numbers together you come up with this:
Lee Harvey Oswald was responsible: 38.0%
Conspiracy but don't know who: 19.5%
The CIA: 15.5%
Don't know if conspiracy or not: 12.0%
The Mafia 6.5%
Cuba 3.5%
USSR 3.0%
Someone else 2.0%
TOTAL 100.0%
Oswald as the lone gunman is the single most popular theory in the assassination.
But it's not opinions that count but the evidence. And the evidence is overwhelming that Oswald was the lone gunman.
And just who has been dictating truth in the JFK assassination? For decades, our culture has been captured by the left (the counter-culture won), and our cultural elites have been clear that there was a conspiracy in the JFK assassination. The college campuses, the newspapers, the TV shows all gave prominent attention to people like Mark Lane, Jim Garrison, and Oliver Stone. Their views dominated the culture and so yes, it's no surprise that many people believe there was a conspiracy.
That's why people like Wesley Liebeler and David Belin were so frustrated -- they were droplets against the tide of conspiracy nonsense that washed over the United States.
When I went to my college library to research the JFK assassination in 1975, there were no non-conspiracy books. And while today there are a number of very good non-conspiracy books, they are vastly outnumbered by the books claiming there was a conspiracy. And how many lone gunman believers get invited to talk at the annual JFK assassination conferences?
I was invited last year to JFK Lancer to present on the Stasi files on Richard Case Nagell. The conspiracy community was apoplectic.
I was invited back this year to talk about Rose Cherami, until my invitation was rescinded.
Lastly, Max Good can't see that Ruth was telling the truth:
If Ruth was keeping secrets, could she be doing it out of loyalty to an oath of service, threats of retribution, personal values, or protectiveness over the legitimacy of the government?
Protectiveness over the legitimacy of the government? Wow! Does Good really think the American government is not legitimate? Or that Ruth Paine might have thought that?
The conspiracy community has this belief that the United States can not fully realize the promise of democracy unless it unravels the JFK assassination conspiracy.
Here is author David Talbot in JFK: Destiny Betrayed: (54:11 in Episode 4)
I think there's a direct thread between the events of 1963, and the kind of horror show that America is having to endure right now. And I think once you kill a president in broad daylight on the streets of an American city, and everyone knows that powerful forces did it, and it can never be solved, that crime, that sends a signal, not only to the American people, but to the American media, to American future leaders. And if American really wants a democratic society, then we should get to the bottom of this traumatic crime that continues to reverberate throughout American history.
What kind of message is this? Telling people that their actions are useless unless the supposed JFK conspiracy and cover-up are revealed? Is this not a nihilist recipe for inaction?
Some say Ruth Paine was mind controlled? Who says this? Who would even believe this?
Truth matters. It shouldn't be a battle between people who believe in conspiracy and people who don't. It should be about the truth. Unfortunately, all too often, it all comes down to a Castro slogan, adapted by Paul Hoch:
Within Conspiracism, everything; against Conspiracism, nothing
Expect some horrible books coming out about Ruth Paine.
Previous Relevant Blog Posts on Ruth Paine
My response to Peter Voskamp, author of the article on Morley's Substack.
Ruth Paine lived a meaningful life helping people.
Here is a letter from Burt Griffin, counsel for the Warren Commission, to Max Good, producer of a film about Ruth Paine.
Guess who sponsored our dinner in Dallas?
Previous Relevant Blogs Posts on Jefferson Morley's Congressional Testimony
An analysis of Congresswoman Luna's Congressional Hearings
An FBI memo that quoted James Angleton is used by Morley to reach an unwarranted conclusion.
Morley misreads Angleton's testimony before the HSCA.
Morley believes a document proves the CIA did not believe that a lone gunman killed JFK.
Additional documents relevant to Part Three.
Morley claims that there is some connection between the suicides of Gary Underhill, Charles Thomas, George de Mohrenschildt, and the overdose death of Dorothy Kilgallen.
Morley believes that Agustin Guitart was spying on pro-Castro forces in New Orleans
Previous Relevant Blog Posts on Jefferson Morley
I don't even have law degree!
A new CIA file on Herminio Diaz does not sustain allegations that he was a grassy knoll gunman.
Richard Russell always believed that Oswald was the lone gunman.
An article by Chad Nagle, on Morley's Substack, gets it wrong on Hoover's testimony.
My latest article for Quillette.com
The recent segment on CBS about Morley and JFK documents was not journalism.
Morley's list of six CIA operations do not prove that Oswald was under surveillance.
Morley claims the SpyTalk authors are working as pro bono lawyers for the CIA.
The CIA was just quoting from a State Department memo.
SpyTalks replies to Jefferson Morley.
Gerald Posner on the Joannides' file.
Fact Checking Morley's Fact Check
Morley's Fact Check on SpyTalk needs a fact check.
Gus Russo and Michael Isikoff on the Joannides' personnel file.
Now that the entire personnel file of George Joannides has been released, Jefferson Morley has now published his unified theory of nothingness.
More Morley Nothingburgers on the way
Morley is requesting more documents -- they will reveal nothing about the assassination.
Morley got the headlines he wanted to a complete non-story.
Joannides did not come out of retirement to work with the HSCA.
There is no mention of an "Oswald Operation" in the Joannides' personnel file.
Morley believes that Dr. Robert McClelland's recollections provides proof of a shot from the front. Here is the truth about McClelland.
A reply by Nicholas Nalli to Jefferson Morley.
Morley suspected a redacted file would reveal major secrets. It didn't.
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Morley somehow knows what is in the supposed 2,400 recently-discovered FBI files.
Morley discusses Israel with Tucker Carlson.
Morley believes that the United States can never be great unless it solves the JFK assassination.
An analysis of the 13 documents Morley wants to see.
Morley claims I am a CIA apologist and then misquotes me.
It would be worthwhile for the CIA to release the Joannides file just to stop the incessant posts from Jefferson Morley.
Actually, Oswald stayed at two budget-priced hotels in Helsinki.
He keeps asking the same questions, and we keep posting the same answers.
Conspiracy authors are playing fast and loose with the facts.
There is no evidence that Diaz was involved in the JFK assassination.
There are clues as to what is in a redacted section of Schlesinger's memo.
Chad Nagle and Dan Storper's article on New Orleans gets everything wrong.
Believing Michael Kurtz is problematic.
Morley wrote that there are two redacted memos on CIA reorganization, but there is only one. He wrote about Goodwin's copy as if it was a different memo, rather than a copy of the Schlesinger memo.
The phrase 'who shot John' does not refer to the JFK assassination.
Only one word is redacted in Harvey's deposition.
There are no redactions in the Operation Northwoods document.
Kilgallen had nothing to tell.
An underwhelming interview of Marina Oswald.
Morley often repeats stories and changes their meanings.
Chad Nagle claims there was an assassination plot against JFK in Chicago in November 1963. One problem: There is no evidence of such a plot.
A response to Morley's Substack post alleging that I am a CIA apologist.
A rebuttal to Morley's response to my post Was Bill Harvey in Dallas in November of 1963?
There is no credible evidence Harvey was in Dallas in November of 1963.
Morley repeats the claim that Dulles was at a CIA training center during the weekend of the JFK assassination. He wasn't.
Morley's claims about Efron are all wrong.
Morley responded to my article "The Truth about Operation Northwoods." Here is my reply.
W. Tracy Parnell on Jefferson Morley
W. Tracy Parnell is one of the best JFK assassination researchers out there. Here is his look at Jefferson Morley with several important articles.
Operation Northwoods can only be understood as part of the Kennedys' war against Cuba and Operation Mongoose.
And a response from me.
There is no evidence that Dr. West petitioned the court to examine Jack Ruby before his trial.
There is absolutely no evidence that Dr. Louis Jolyon West interfered with Jack Ruby's case.
Jefferson Morley used a fake Oswald handbill in his press conference for the Mary Ferrell Foundation.
An examination of redactions in the JFK collection of documents.
Morley doesn't understand Alecia Long's arguments about homophobia and Jim Garrison.
Jefferson Morley asks why "what the CIA knew about Herminio Diaz is still off limits."
Morley misses that a lot of redactions are actually available.
Jefferson Morley's press conference presents evidence that belief in a conspiracy has dropped.