Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Octafish

(55,745 posts)
9. MANY in the Secret Service reflected those views.
Tue Nov 19, 2013, 01:06 PM
Nov 2013

Ask Secret Service agent Abraham Bolden, who reported overt racism by his fellow agents and outright hostility toward the "n------loving president," quoting fellow Secret Service agents on the JFK detail.



Abraham Bolden speaks at JFK Lancer.



The story of a man who told the truth:



After 45 Years, a Civil Rights Hero Waits for Justice

Thom Hartmann
June 12, 2009 11:52 AM

A great miscarriage of justice has kept most Americas from learning about a Civil Rights pioneer who worked with President John F. Kennedy. But there is finally a way for citizens to not only right that wrong, but bring closure to the most tragic chapter of American presidential history.

After an outstanding career in law enforcement, Abraham Bolden was appointed by JFK to be the first African American presidential Secret Service agent, where he served with distinction. He was part of the Secret Service effort that prevented JFK's assassination in Chicago, three weeks before Dallas. But Bolden was framed by the Mafia and arrested on the very day he went to Washington to tell the Warren Commission staff about the Chicago attempt against JFK.

Bolden was sentenced to six years in prison, despite glaring problems with his prosecution. His arrest resulted from accusations by two criminals Bolden had sent to prison. In Bolden's first trial, an apparently biased judge told the jury that Bolden was guilty, even before they began their deliberations. Though granted a new trial because of that, the same problematic judge was assigned to oversee Bolden's second trial, which resulted in his conviction. Later, the main witness against Bolden admitted committing perjury against him. A key member of the prosecution even took the fifth when asked about the perjury. Yet Bolden's appeals were denied, and he had to serve hard time in prison, and today is considered a convicted felon.

After the release of four million pages of JFK assassination files in the 1990s, it became clear that Bolden -- and the official secrecy surrounding the Chicago attempt against JFK -- were due to National Security concerns about Cuba, that were unknown to Bolden, the press, Congress, and the public not just in 1963, but for the next four decades.

SNIP...

Abraham Bolden paid a heavy price for trying to tell the truth about events involving the man he was sworn to protect -- JFK -- that became mired in National Security concerns. Bolden still lives in Chicago, and has never given up trying to clear his name.

Will Abraham Bolden live to finally see the justice so long denied to him?

CONTINUED...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thom-hartmann/after-45-years-a-civil-ri_b_213834.html



After the assassination, he went to Washington on his own dime and reported what he saw to the Warren Commission. For his trouble -- and despite an exemplary record as a Brinks detective, Illinois State Trooper, and Secret Service agent -- Bolden was framed by the government using a paid informant's admitted perjury and spent a long time in prison. The government also drugged him and put him into psychiatric hospitals. His real crime was telling the truth.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Yes. peace13 Nov 2013 #1
First Catholic president, first Black president frazzled Nov 2013 #2
+1 Blue_Tires Nov 2013 #25
Plus Both are Democrats fredamae Nov 2013 #27
As a native Southerner, I can assure you that the voting base of the South has not changed... onehandle Nov 2013 #3
I think it stirred up nutjob Oswald who got a few lucky shots rbrnmw Nov 2013 #4
Actually Oswald was not a nutjob. avaistheone1 Nov 2013 #14
He shot the president Egnever Nov 2013 #24
Yeah, that kinda Cha Nov 2013 #49
And in turn he was killed by a nutjob. That's why there is so much fascination with this case. duffyduff Nov 2013 #58
Oh, please. Suicide attempts, grandiosity, wife beating, couldn't hold a job, had a one-man duffyduff Nov 2013 #57
Its the same people. HooptieWagon Nov 2013 #5
Good reminder, Hooptie.n/t dixiegrrrrl Nov 2013 #12
A good book to read is called "Wrapped In The Flag" by Claire Conner rbrnmw Nov 2013 #37
Gen Edwin Walker (who Oswald tried to kill) HooptieWagon Nov 2013 #38
i had forgotten about Oswald"s attempt on Walker rbrnmw Nov 2013 #39
Thanks for the book rec. Bookmarking. nt eppur_se_muova Nov 2013 #45
Some things never change. nt City Lights Nov 2013 #6
Meh. There's always people who hate the president. Nye Bevan Nov 2013 #7
Except that hate was merited. Look at the difference in reasons. JaneyVee Nov 2013 #10
It's always the same reason for Democrat presidents since Kennedy Major Nikon Nov 2013 #23
And, the call of "treason" was merited, too. Cha Nov 2013 #50
That was merited. The Right Wing Crap is made up, spun, and agenda driven by extremists AZ Progressive Nov 2013 #18
Which of those charges aren't true? Rozlee Nov 2013 #19
Guess that was prior to Iraq. Spitfire of ATJ Nov 2013 #33
Wow....haven't come that far at all have we..... a kennedy Nov 2013 #8
MANY in the Secret Service reflected those views. Octafish Nov 2013 #9
His story and frameup, pure amerikkkaner justice heaven05 Nov 2013 #22
A Secret Service man reports his concerns to the Warren Commission... Octafish Nov 2013 #28
VERY interesting! red dog 1 Nov 2013 #43
Connection: Siegelman judge is a big time war profiteer... Octafish Nov 2013 #48
This message was self-deleted by its author red dog 1 Nov 2013 #52
"Book finally clears first black Secret Service agent" red dog 1 Nov 2013 #54
Wow! And we think that hatred that spews out of Texas and other places has diminshed. I pray for mfcorey1 Nov 2013 #11
it's Scary I pray for him and all Democratic and Progressive Politicians rbrnmw Nov 2013 #40
Conservative haters have so much more power today ... JEFF9K Nov 2013 #13
Your OP is the main reason fadedrose Nov 2013 #15
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2013 #16
Same Shit, Different Generation AZ Progressive Nov 2013 #17
I was a young girl in small town Texas... Oilwellian Nov 2013 #20
You know what's sad? abelenkpe Nov 2013 #21
and about half my former Catholic Democratic Family and Friends rbrnmw Nov 2013 #46
Me too! abelenkpe Nov 2013 #51
Dedicated to socialism! moondust Nov 2013 #26
The Mink Coat Mob was the original Brooks Brothers Riot frylock Nov 2013 #29
Kennedy broke some social barriers just like Obama has liberal N proud Nov 2013 #30
and they brought Catholics who they hated back then along for hate ride this time rbrnmw Nov 2013 #47
It is, and there were extremely wealthy Texans who made it known. Time magazine lostincalifornia Nov 2013 #31
This is interesting 90-percent Nov 2013 #32
Only diff --- the pics are monochrome. lpbk2713 Nov 2013 #34
The more things change... SomethingFishy Nov 2013 #35
Those photos are from "the early 1960s", but not from Nov. 22, 1963 red dog 1 Nov 2013 #36
One person there said the turn out on the sidewalk was better than expected but KurtNYC Nov 2013 #41
"when you looked up into the office windows, the people who didn't come down, red dog 1 Nov 2013 #44
The only person who had contempt along the motorcade route was Lee Harvey Oswald. n/t duffyduff Nov 2013 #56
Exactly true. There wasn't a nicer, more friend city, than Dallas that day duffyduff Nov 2013 #55
I remember similar things during the Clinton years too. progressoid Nov 2013 #42
Right, just remember that a crazy disgruntled communist with a mail-order rifle Warren DeMontague Nov 2013 #53
+ 1000 red dog 1 Nov 2013 #59
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Photos: Kennedy Hatred in...»Reply #9