One question facing Republican presidential candidate Jeb BUsh is whether he would, as president, allow U.S. government agencies to continue to withhold 3,600 JFK assassination records from public view after their scheduled release in October 2017.
One reader thinks President Jeb Bush would decide in favor of JFK secrecy. He calls attention to what Jeb’s father said on the issue, particularly George H.W. Bush’s signing statement attached to the 1992 JFK Assassination Records Act.
The first President Bush stated:
“My authority to protect these categories of information comes from the Constitution and cannot be limited by statute. Although only the most extraordinary circumstances would require postponement of the disclosure of documents for reasons other than those recognized in the bill, I cannot abdicate my constitutional responsibility to take such action when necessary.”
In the 2008 campaign, Hillary Clinton promised she supported release of JFK records, while leaving herself plenty of wiggle room for “national security” exceptions.
Background:
About the National Archives’ plans to declassify 3,600 JFK documents in October 2017.
Politico’s Bryan Bender on Why the last of the JFK records could embarrass the CIA.
What is the JFK Assassination Records Act?