CNN’s Toobin: Delayed JFK document release ‘shameful’

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin ripped the CIA and other intelligence agencies on Friday for delaying the planned Thursday release of documents on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, calling the move “shameful.” 

“It’s shameful that the CIA and the other intelligence agencies did not get their act together and release all of these documents,” Toobin said on CNN’s “New Day.”

Thursday marked the federal government’s 25-year deadline to release the 3,100 unseen files, a deadline that was set by Congress in 1992 under the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act. 

{mosads}”I mean, the idea that there is something to be protected at this point, I find not credible. And also the idea that this was this last minute rush for a 25-year deadline,” Toobin said. 

“I’m prepared to blame the Trump administration for a lot of things, but I mean, this is on the CIA. These are their documents,” Toobin said. 

“They’re the ones who should know … how this procedure should have worked,” he continued. 

“They should not be protected hundreds of pages of documents more than 50 years after this assassination.”

Toobin’s criticism comes after President Trump announced in a memo on Thursday that he had “no choice” on withholding the information as requested by government agencies, citing national security concerns.

White House officials said the concerns originated mostly from the FBI and CIA.

The administration said that 2,800 of the 3,100 still-unreleased government records would be disclosed Thursday. Officials said the remaining records would be released after a six-month review period, with some redactions.

Trump tweeted on Friday that it was his hope that the all of the documents would be released to the public.  

JFK Files are being carefully released. In the end there will be great transparency. It is my hope to get just about everything to public!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2017