John Sherman Cooper (second from the left)
Paul Bleau's first chokehold is that "the official record impeaches the Warren Commission." He believes that: (page 38 in the Kindle edition of his book Chokeholds)
U.S. investigations into the assassination, statements made by investigation insiders and foreign government conclusions about the assassination prove that there is a strong consensus by the independent investigative authorities that there was a conspiracy in the murder of President John F. Kennedy.
Bleau's chapter then lists out a variety of statements that seemingly prove conspiracy. Of course, Bleau doesn't tell readers the full truth about these viewpoints.
John Sherman Cooper
Bleau Assertion: (page 54)
Senator John Cooper is also on the record for having written about the Single Bullet theory: “It seems to me that Governor Connally’s statement negates such a conclusion.” He later confirmed his stance in an interview for the BBC documentary.
What Bleau Doesn't Tell You
I just have talked too long, but I congratulate you on the efforts you are making. I am very proud to come back, to speak on the disinterested effort we have made and I believe that, with all due respect, that the decisions we made, when we turned our final report over to President Johnson, will stand in history.
Here is an excerpt from his interview: (19:56)
John Sherman Cooper: I'd like to add one more sentence on the Warren Commission.
Interviewer: Sure..
John Sherman Cooper: The Commission went to Dallas several times and talked to everybody we could talk to down there, all the officials, people in jail where Oswald was shot, which was really negligent, and Dick Russell and I examined Mrs. Oswald. Of course, she had lawyers. But we examined her and he did most of the examination, and then - I've never talked to anyone who served on that Commission who've all said, that if someone can find something that we didn't, we want it to be found, Because the truth is what we want. But I think all of us believe, and I still believe, even after the last investigation of the House that our decision will stand. There are some places in it which are hard to explain but every evidence pointed to Oswald as the sole assassin, and no conspiracy.
Cooper says "there are some places in it which are hard to explain." He was clearly referring to the singe-bullet theory. Despite this, he was convinced there was no conspiracy, and he signed the Warren Report. But this points to one of the weaknesses of the Report -- the failure to adequately explain the single-bullet theory. Had the Commission included proper trajectory diagrams showing the positioning of Kennedy and Connally, Cooper, Russell and Boggs might have been convinced. Had they noticed Connally's lapel flip, they might have been even more comfortable.
You can see that a large part of Cooper's reticence to accept the single-bullet theory is because of the testimony of Governor John Connally. Had he been aware that John Connally would later say that it was quite possible that the second bullet hit both him and Kennedy, he might have accepted the single-bullet theory.
Previous Relevant Blog Posts on Paul Bleau
Bleau claims that J. Lee Rankin questioned the findings of the Warren Report. This is just true.
Bleau tries to make it appear that Dallas policeman James Leavelle had doubts that Oswald could be found guilty at a trial.
Bleau gets it all wrong on the FBI Summary Report.
Bleau discusses the conclusions of the HSCA, but leaves out it most important finding.
Bleau leaves out some important details about a Warren Commission staffer.
Was Oswald a loner? Bleau says no, and then says yes.
Bleau leaves out some important details about Malcolm Kilduff.
An introduction to Paul Bleau's new book, Chokeholds.
Was David Ferrie Clay Shaw's pimp?
Did Lee Harvey Oswald have an escort?
Edward Girnus was in prison for forgery, and he told a fanciful story about Clay Shaw and Lee Harvey Oswald.
Leander D'Avy told the HSCA he saw Oswald and Ferrie with the three tramps.
Bleau's analysis of Garrison's files is full of errors.
Bleau believes there were seven plots against JFK before Dallas.
Bolden's allegation that there was a plot against JFK in Chicago has changed over the years.
There is no evidence that there was a plot against JFK in Tampa.
There is no evidence that there was a plot against JFK in Chicago.