Posted on 03/31/2004 7:39:53 PM PST by Jerr
FBI files documenting Sen. John Kerry's anti-war activities that were reported stolen over the weekend could have damaged the likely Democratic nominee's presidential bid, the San Francisco author who obtained the records said Monday.
Asked about the missing files, Vietnam War historian Gerald Nicosia told CNN: "This stuff is very explosive. It's an enormous amount of information."
"The police say it was a neat and professional burglary," he explained, noting that 3,000 to 4,000 pages were missing out of a total of 20,000 pages. Burglars ignored other valuables in the house, raising questions about whether the break-in had anything to do with political damage control on behalf of the Kerry campaign.
A Kerry spokesman had no comment on the apparent theft when asked by the New York Sun over the weekend. But Nicosia said he suspects political foul play, telling the Los Angeles Times for Tuesday's edition that he is a product of the Watergate era who understands the allure of political sabotage.
While researching his book "Home to War," Nicosia obtained Kerry's FBI files in 1999. The records have already proven problematic for the Kerry campaign, forcing the candidate to reverse earlier denials that he attended a November 1971 meeting of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War where a plot to assassinate pro-war U.S. senators was discussed.
Nicosia told the Sun that the intruders likely wanted more than the three file boxes that were removed, since other boxes appear to have been rifled. He speculated that the file thieves were interrupted, perhaps scared off by a neighbor's barking dog.
Since the break-in he has trouble sleeping, he told the Times, adding, "My kids were really spooked by the burglary."
Not really, I just am at a loss as to what this author's point is. If he HAD the files and was using them for research, they HAD to be obtained via FOIA.....one cannot just "borrow" FBI files, they must be vetted and approved for release, as I said, via FOIA. So, it may be a major PAIN for him to go through the motion to "re-request" his missing files, not to mention the cost and the time involved, but he CAN get his hands on what he's missing, that way.
If he obtained the files by dubious means (ala the Craig Livingstone/Hillary Clinton method) then what recourse does he have and why is he bringing their loss to light? It's like calling the cops because your crack pipe is missing.......like I said, I'm confused as to just what the guy's point is............and why would the person(s) who took the files risk getting caught burglarizing the guy's place, if all of the files are available anyway, through FOIA?? To me, the whole thing is puzzling, to say the least!
Actually the police have said there is *no sign of a break-in*.
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