Boebert appears to confuse Oliver Stone with Roger Stone during JFK records hearing
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) appeared to confuse Oliver Stone, an American filmmaker and a witness before House lawmakers on Tuesday, with political strategist Roger Stone during a hearing on the release of new documents related to the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr.
'You wrote a book accusing LBJ of being involved in the killing of President Kennedy. Do these most recent releases confirm or negate your initial charge?' Boebert asked.
'No, I didn't,' Oliver Stone said. 'If you look closely at the film, there's no – it accuses the President Johnson of part, being part of, complicit in a cover-up of the case, but not in the assassination itself, which I don't know.'
Jefferson Morley, editor of the JFK Facts blog and another witness before the House task force, stepped in to suggest that Boebert had mistaken the witness.
'I think you're confusing Mr. Oliver Stone with Mr. Roger Stone. It's Roger Stone who implicated LBJ in the assassination of the president. It's not my friend Oliver Stone,' Morley corrected the Colorado Republican.
'I may have misinterpreted that and I apologize for that. But there seems to be some alluding of, like you said, incompetence or some sort of involvement there on the back end,' Boebert responded. 'Sorry, I'm going to move on.'
Roger Stone, a longtime political operative and Trump ally, authored the 2013 book 'The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ.' Oliver Stone, a director, worked on the controversial 1991 political thriller 'JFK,' which stoked conspiracy questions surrounding Kennedy's death.
Oliver Stone was speaking on Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee's Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, in an inaugural hearing related to the so-called 'JFK files' that comes a few weeks after the National Archives last month released more than 2,000 files related to the Kennedy assassination. The move followed an executive order from President Trump.
Experts have said the latest release does not contradict the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman in the assassination. But multiple witnesses on Tuesday raised questions about the investigations and long-held conclusions about the case.
'I ask the committee to reopen what the Warren Commission failed miserably to complete. I ask you … to reinvestigate the assassination of this President Kennedy from the scene of the crime to the courtroom,' Oliver Stone told lawmakers in his opening statement, contending that the CIA's 'muddy footprints are all over this case.'
Task force Chair Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said in a release announcing the hearing that lawmakers 'will get to the bottom of this mystery.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
39 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in South Carolina remarks, calls on Democrats 'to be a little meaner'
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sought to energize activists at a Democratic state convention in South Carolina, as the party's 2024 vice presidential nominee works to keep up the high national profile he gained when Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate. Walz, a former schoolteacher who went on to serve in Congress and then became his state's governor, keynoted the South Carolina gathering in Columbia, traditionally a showcase for national-level Democrats and White House hopefuls. Speaking to convention delegates for more than half an hour, Walz used colorful language and spoke plainly as he lobbed criticism at President Donald Trump and called on his fellow Democrats to have the courage to stand up to the 'bully' in the White House. 'Maybe it's time for us to be a little meaner,' Walz said, to applause from the crowd. 'When it's a bully like Donald Trump, you bully the s—- out of him. ... This is a ... cruel man.' It was Walz's third set of large-scale remarks in less than 24 hours for Walz, who, along with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, spoke Friday night at the party's fundraising dinner, as well as an after-party fish fry hosted by Rep. Jim Clyburn. The events offered an opportunity for both Walz and Moore to test out their messages in front of hundreds of Democrats in the state that has long held the first-in-the-South Democratic presidential primary and, last year, led off the party's nominating calendar entirely. State party chair Christale Spain has said that she will renew the argument to keep the state's No. 1 position in the next cycle, but national party organizations haven't settled their 2028 calendars yet, and party officials in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada are also vying to go first. 'Donald Trump is the existential threat that we knew was coming,' Walz told the crowd Saturday morning, acknowledging that, for Democrats, 'it is going to be a challenging few years here.' As he did on Friday night, Walz praised his fellow Democrats for having the 'courage' to keep fighting in a largely Republican state, where Democrats haven't won a statewide election in about two decades and only hold one congressional seat — Clyburn's. 'Damnit, we should be able to have some fun and be joyful,' Walz said. 'We've got the guts and we need to have it to push back on the bullies and the greed.' Walz, on a long list of potential 2028 candidates who have been traveling to early-voting states, was expected to sound similar themes as a featured speaker as California Democrats gather in Anaheim on Saturday. 'We're fired up to welcome Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to the Convention stage in Anaheim,' state chair Rusty Hicks said in a statement. 'He's a former teacher, a veteran, and a trailblazer who's spent his career fighting for working families and standing up for the values we all share — fairness, dignity, and opportunity for all.' Democrats have been debating since Harris lost to Trump in November over which direction the party should take. That self-examination reflects deep frustrations among Democratic voters that their leaders are failing to put up enough resistance against Trump, who has taken a much more aggressive approach to his second term in the White House. Walz hasn't officially said if he'll seek a third term in 2026, but acknowledges he's thinking about it. He said in a recent interview with KSTP-TV that he would probably wait to decide until July, after he calls a special session of the closely divided Minnesota Legislature to finish work on the state's next budget. Those negotiations have gone slowly despite his frequent meetings with legislative leaders. He's given mixed signals on a 2028 presidential run while keeping up his attacks on Trump. He told The New Yorker Radio Hour for an interview that aired in March that he would 'certainly consider that' if circumstances were right. He told CNN's 'State of the Union' last month that he was 'not thinking about running in 2028.' But he hasn't ruled it out, either, and has signaled possible interest in other ways. Following the Democratic ticket's defeat in November, Walz returned to the road in March when he went to Iowa to launch a series of town halls in competitive congressional districts represented by Republicans, after House Speaker Mike Johnson advised GOP representatives to avoid holding town halls because of protests at them. Walz's gubernatorial campaign organization, which has been actively raising money, has used his travels in 'Support Tim on the Road' fundraising pitches. 'For the past few weeks, I've been showing up where Republicans won't,' he wrote in one recent message, a theme he echoed on Saturday in South Carolina. 'I've hosted town halls in Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas to hear from people the GOP is neglecting.'
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Which states are looking to ban soda, snack purchases for SNAP recipients?
(NEXSTAR) – On May 19, Nebraska became the first state in the country to obtain a waiver from the USDA to ban residents from purchasing sugary drinks with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). By the end of the week, the USDA had granted similar exemptions for Iowa and Indiana. Not all waivers were seeking the same restrictions, however. Nebraska's waiver will effectively prohibit the purchases of soda and energy drinks with SNAP benefits. Iowa's will ban nearly all 'taxable' food items, as defined by Iowa law. And in Illinois, SNAP recipients won't be able to buy soda or candy under the new restrictions. The benefits or consequences of such restrictions have yet to be seen, as they won't go into effect until Jan. 1, 2026. But governors in a handful of other states have already submitted requests for their own SNAP waivers, with the intention of restricting certain foods or drinks — or, in a few cases, easing restrictions — within their own food-assistance programs. In April, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) submitted a waiver seeking permission to exclude 'soft drinks and candy' from permitted SNAP purchases. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) also filed for waivers in May, requesting exemptions to ban 'soft drinks and candy' and 'sweetened drinks and candy,' respectively. And making its way through the Utah state legislature is a bill seeking to restrict soft drink purchases under SNAP. West Virginia Gov. Patrick West Morrisey, meanwhile, has submitted a waiver to request that soda is 'no longer an entitlement' to those receiving assistance. But he also indicated that he was asking to expand access to hot foods — which are generally not permitted to be purchased with SNAP benefits. Joining him in these efforts is Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), whose waiver seeks to make sweetened beverages unavailable for purchase with food stamps, but 'permit SNAP participants to buy a full range of hot prepared foods from grocery stores, including rotisserie chickens,' a representative for the Colorado Department of Human Services confirmed to Nexstar. It's likely that many of these requests will ultimately be approved (in their current form or otherwise) by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who approved Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana's requests. Rollins, like many of the Republican governors who supported the idea of these waivers, credited President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (and his 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative) with her decisions. 'President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country,' Rollins, who was sworn in this past February, was quoted as saying in a press release last Friday. 'I look forward to signing even more waivers in the days ahead as we continue to restore the health of America,' she said. In her statement, Rollins had also included Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) among a list of governors who 'stepped up' to request a waiver. But Kelly, who was initially supportive of a waiver, has since retracted her support for any state-mandated restrictions to SNAP purchases. Kelly ultimately vetoed a bill approving a waiver request, claiming the SNAP restrictions would hurt businesses. She also said the definition of allowable foods was 'nonsensical,' as it allegedly allowed the purchases of candy bars but not protein bars or trail mix. 'I support the idea that Kansans should eat healthier. However, changes to the SNAP food assistance program should be made at the federal level, not on a patchwork, state-by-state basis,' Kelly said. Anti-hunger advocates have criticized the waivers, too, saying they add costs, boost administrative burdens, and increase stigma for people already facing food insecurity. Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the nonprofit advocacy group Food Research & Action Center, had argued that Nebraska's waiver 'ignores decades of evidence showing that incentive-based approaches — not punitive restrictions — are the most effective, dignified path to improving nutrition and reducing hunger.' Until this month, the USDA had also rejected the waivers, saying there were no clear standards to define certain foods as good or bad. In addition, the agency had said restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly, and would not necessarily change recipients' food purchases or reduce health problems such as obesity. Under Rollins, though, the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) now appears much more willing to approve — and even refine — the waivers. 'FNS continues to collaborate extensively with each state on their proposals, which includes holding near daily technical assistance calls with each submitting state,' a spokesperson for the USDA told Nexstar. 'There is no perfect timeline as each State is approaching this differently.' The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
McConnell: Medicaid cuts likely to remain in Senate but not easy to pass
Sen. Mitch McConnell thinks the cuts to Medicaid spending in the wide-ranging budget bill backed by President Donald Trump will remain. He said to a crowd gathered at a Kentucky Chamber of Commerce event Friday that he supports those entitlement cuts, which reduce 10-year spending on Medicaid by about $723 billion and are estimated to cut about 12% of the government-funded insurance program spend in Kentucky. 'I'm hoping we come out pretty close to where the House did on Medicaid,' McConnell said. Those cuts are one part of so-called 'Big, Beautiful Bill' backed by Trump that was narrowly passed by the U.S. House in May. The bill also extends tax cuts which primarily benefit the wealthy and cuts spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, among other things. McConnell also made sure to mention how politically difficult it might be for those cuts to Medicaid and other entitlement programs that were present in the U.S. House-approved bill to make it through the Senate. He emphasized that the last major change to entitlements in the U.S. was passed just before his 40-year career in the Senate began. 'Ronald Reagan and (late speaker of the House) Tip O'Neill agreed to raise the age of Social Security from 65 to 67. Since then, there's been nothing significant done to any entitlement, and the reason for it, obviously, is they are all immensely popular and no matter which side has controlled the government, nothing has happened,' McConnell said. He also mentioned how he was tasked during the administration of former President George W. Bush with finding Democrats who might support entitlement reform. He recalled the response of one Democrat predicting political doom if they went down that path. 'He said, 'Well, you guys have got the White House, you've got the House, you've got the Senate. Go right ahead,'' McConnell recalled. 'You know what he meant: We'll see you in the next election.' McConnell did not say whether or not he thought the provisions making changes to entitlements aimed at benefiting low-income Americans would make it through the Senate, though the cuts are a key part of financing the tax cut extension. He did make it clear that he supported the general direction of the cuts, though, citing conversations he's had with Kentucky health care providers, many of whom rely on Medicaid. 'We've checked with healthcare providers and state government, and they're comfortable with the way that issue is dealt with in the House bill and (by Kentucky) Congressman (Brett) Guthrie, who was directly involved in it. I'm interested in how those who could potentially be affected by and feel about it, and they seem to be okay,' McConnell said. The proposed changes to Medicaid that would lead to the cuts include mandating that adults getting Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act expansion meet certain work requirements and repealing a Biden-era rule simplifying the eligibility and renewal process, among other changes. One part of the big bill that McConnell felt confident would make it through: the extension of the tax cuts. McConnell said he's 'almost certain' those cuts to the individual income tax rate will remain. 'I think what unifies Republicans the most is the desire to have the lowest tax rate possible, and I think that part of the bill is likely to be very similar in both the House version and what we actually end up passing in the Senate,' McConnell said. Everything else is up in the air, he indicated. 'There are a lot of other things that I'm not going to get into because we don't know now what the final verdict is, but I do think this bill will pass in some form. I think you'll like most of it,' McConnell said. McConnell was not entirely supportive of the president's agenda in other areas. As he's expressed previously, Kentucky's senior senator disapproved of actions Trump has taken on tariffs, noting that the commonwealth would be uniquely affected. 'We ought to be doing more trade agreements, rather than attacking our friends with tariffs,' he said. 'Hopefully the president will give up on this path and remember that free trade is very, very important.' Another hobby horse of McConnell's has been aid to Ukraine, which has totaled more than $180 billion over the course of the country's defense against invasion from Russia, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. He warned against the plans of the United States' ostensible enemies like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. 'What they want to do is displace American leadership with Chinese leadership or a combination or Russia or China,' McConnell said. 'We need to be leading our allies around the world with free trade.' The longtime politician and political junkie also had some thoughts to share about a Kentucky congressional seat that will be left open as a downstream effect of his choice not to seek reelection in 2026. McConnell told reporters after the event that he believed the Central Kentucky-based 6th Congressional District, which is currently held by Rep. Andy Barr who is now running for Senate, would stay red. That prediction comes in spite of Lexington, which makes up about 44% of the district, leaning more to the left in recent election cycles. 'Well, there's a blue spot in the middle of the sixth district, but it looks like most of it is pretty red, and I think whoever comes out of the primary has got a very good chance of winning,' McConnell said.
