Echoes Of Laurel Canyon - Part Nine

Surveillance On Kennedys Points To Murderers

CIA Counter-Intelligence Director authorized what no CIA Director had ever done before - James Jesus Angleton greenlighted surveillance and wiretapping of the President of the United States and on the Attorney General of the United States in 1962.

🔎 DETAILED SUMMARY

This article outlines the long history of illegal or extrajudicial surveillance against U.S. presidents and political figures, beginning with CIA Counterintelligence Chief James Jesus Angleton’s authorization of surveillance on both President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in 1962.

The author suggests this surveillance laid the groundwork for future abuses, including the Watergate-era recordings that led to Richard Nixon’s resignation, and more recently, the actions of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was involved in the Trump impeachment by reporting a presidential phone call.

The theory advanced is that surveillance is not merely informational but part of a larger “Find, Fix, Finish” CIA model used to neutralize domestic political threats—akin to targeting an enemy in a sniper operation.

Key actors tied to pre-assassination surveillance of JFK are named, including Mason Lankford, IB Hale, and Vincent P. Gunn, all of whom were affiliated with General Dynamics and linked to Lyndon B. Johnson, suggesting a domestic intelligence and military-industrial cabal behind the Kennedy surveillance and possibly the assassination.

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👤 PEOPLE MENTIONED

James Jesus Angleton

James Angleton was the CIA’s Chief of Counterintelligence from the 1950s through the mid-1970s and wielded enormous power in internal surveillance. In 1962, he authorized the unprecedented wiretapping of both the President (JFK) and Attorney General (RFK). Angleton was fiercely loyal to former CIA Director Allen Dulles, whom he continued to serve covertly even after Dulles’s formal departure. His actions laid the groundwork for a domestic surveillance regime deeply embedded within the intelligence community.

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John F. Kennedy

President Kennedy was the target of unauthorized CIA surveillance and wiretapping authorized by Angleton and potentially executed by contractors at General Dynamics. His movements and communications were being tracked in what may have been part of a broader plan to "fix and finish" perceived threats to entrenched power. JFK’s assassination remains surrounded by controversy over whether military-industrial actors played a role. His political rivalry with Lyndon B. Johnson is a focal point of motive analysis in the article.

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Robert F. Kennedy

As Attorney General, Robert Kennedy oversaw DOJ and FBI wiretap approvals, making CIA-endorsed surveillance against him especially egregious. He was also seen as a threat to entrenched intelligence interests due to his anti-Mafia and anti-CIA stances. His own assassination in 1968 has similarly been subject to questions about intelligence involvement. His targeting by Angleton reflects an internal power struggle between the executive branch and the intelligence apparatus.

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Richard Nixon

President Nixon became the target of secret recordings during his presidency, which ultimately forced his resignation in the Watergate scandal. The article draws a direct line from the surveillance precedent set in 1962 to this political downfall. Nixon’s paranoia about intelligence agencies may have stemmed from this long-term erosion of executive privacy. His story is used as a warning of how CIA tools intended for foreign enemies can undermine domestic leadership.

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Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman

A U.S. Army officer and NSC official, Vindman listened in on President Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky and later testified about it during Trump’s first impeachment. The article uses Vindman’s case to illustrate how lower-ranking military or intelligence personnel can destabilize a sitting president. His role is likened to the function of a surveillance node in a "Find, Fix, Finish" operation. The author questions whether this level of internal oversight should be permitted in a constitutional democracy.

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Elon Musk

Musk is referenced to highlight a contemporary instance of surveillance and its public exposure—specifically when CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan published jet-tracking data Musk claimed were “assassination coordinates.” Musk’s inclusion serves to underscore how surveillance, even under the guise of journalism or transparency, can endanger lives. He is positioned as a modern figure subject to the same invasive targeting techniques pioneered in the JFK era. The inclusion suggests surveillance powers now extend from politicians to private sector elites.

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Donie O’Sullivan

A CNN journalist who publicized a flight-tracking site that Elon Musk later claimed compromised his safety. He is used as an example of how media and intelligence narratives may blur, particularly when exposing movements of controversial figures. The article implies O’Sullivan’s reporting crossed ethical or operational lines typically respected during national security matters. His actions are metaphorically aligned with the exposure phase in a targeting cycle.

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Mason Lankford

A former Naval Intelligence officer turned General Dynamics employee, Lankford was reportedly responsible for JFK’s itinerary and security in Fort Worth before the Dallas assassination. He had connections with IB Hale and may have been involved in setting up surveillance operations for political figures. The article suggests Lankford remained in contact with Hoover and Johnson and facilitated covert surveillance through his role at General Dynamics. He allegedly hired Robert Oswald (Lee Harvey Oswald’s brother), adding another layer of intrigue.

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IB Hale (Insall Bailey Hale)

A former FBI agent under J. Edgar Hoover, IB Hale was later employed at General Dynamics, where he allegedly performed unofficial intelligence duties. Hale is portrayed as a key figure linking the FBI, military contractors, and political surveillance operations in Texas. He is tied to the Kennedy assassination narrative through his association with both Lankford and LBJ. His covert activities are positioned as foundational to the development of parallel domestic intelligence operations.

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Robert Oswald

Lee Harvey Oswald’s brother, Robert Oswald, was reportedly employed at General Dynamics, potentially placing him near sensitive intelligence operations. His association with a defense contractor adds complexity to the broader picture of pre-assassination planning. He was questioned on the day of JFK’s murder, and photographs of him leaving the police station underscore his secondary role in the national trauma. His book may offer additional clues about his involvement and timeline at General Dynamics.

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Vincent Perrie Gunn

Gunn was a security expert at General Dynamics who later testified that the bullet fragments in Governor John Connally matched the "magic bullet" found on his stretcher. He joined General Dynamics in 1961 and later moved to General Atomics, suggesting continuity in defense contracting and possibly covert operations. His bullet testimony was pivotal in defending the Warren Commission's single-bullet theory. The article casts suspicion on his objectivity and independence as a witness.

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Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ)

LBJ is presented as the primary political rival to JFK in the 1956 and 1960 elections and the potential beneficiary of JFK’s death. The article suggests he used FBI and CIA-linked personnel like IB Hale and Mason Lankford to monitor and possibly undermine Kennedy. LBJ is implied to have had advance knowledge or complicity in pre-assassination surveillance. His close coordination with Hoover forms the article’s basis for suspecting an internal coup.

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🏢 ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)

The CIA, through Angleton, initiated illegal domestic surveillance programs targeting the President and Attorney General. The article presents it as the architect of the “Find, Fix, Finish” model used to eliminate internal threats. It is accused of leveraging satellite programs like Corona and intelligence clearances (Q Clearance) to shield its operations. The agency is characterized as a rogue power center undermining elected leadership.

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FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Led by J. Edgar Hoover during the era in question, the FBI allegedly coordinated with ex-agents like IB Hale to facilitate political surveillance via defense contractors. The Bureau is implicated in allowing or enabling unauthorized wiretaps and targeting political figures. The article suggests Hoover maintained influence over field agents long after their official departures. The FBI’s role is portrayed as a domestic counterbalance to the CIA, but often in cooperation rather than in conflict.

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General Dynamics

This defense contractor is depicted as a hub for covert intelligence activities disguised as aerospace or security projects. The article links it to the hiring of key surveillance figures like Hale, Lankford, and Gunn, as well as to Robert Oswald. General Dynamics is framed as a privatized extension of intelligence agencies, conducting unauthorized surveillance on political figures. It is also connected to the Corona satellite program, which may have been used for compartmentalized spying.

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General Atomics

A subsidiary of General Dynamics, General Atomics became home to Vincent Perrie Gunn after JFK's assassination. It is tied to atomic energy and surveillance technologies, protected under Q Clearance. The article implies that General Atomics offered continuity for CIA-related intelligence programs under civilian cover. Its mention reinforces the idea that defense firms absorbed sensitive government operations.

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Corona Program

The Corona Program, originally a satellite reconnaissance initiative by the CIA and Air Force, is suggested to have been repurposed for domestic surveillance. The article theorizes it offered operational compartmentalization, shielding illegal wiretapping and surveillance of political enemies. It represents a fusion of military intelligence and CIA autonomy. The Corona satellite system is portrayed as a tool not only for foreign spying but also internal suppression.

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DARPA / ARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)

While not directly tied to the Kennedy story, DARPA is discussed to clarify a common misconception that it began as ARPA to mask its defense origins. The article argues that DARPA was always military, but presented as academic to attract civilian talent. It is used as a metaphor for how covert state programs hide in plain sight. This aligns with the broader theme of deceptive government narratives concealing deeper surveillance agendas.

This wiretapping of the President of the United States would open the door for secret recordings to be made of Richard Nixon, ending his Presidency.

At what points should the power of low level staffers be checked in overthrowing the People’s Choice for the Presidency?

Later, an Army Colonel named Vindman would eavesdrop on President Trump, resulting in his impeachment and near removal from office.

Should an Army Colonel be able to conduct a singlehanded coup to overthrow the Commander In Chief? What if the Army or Navy was run that way, with lower level subordinates listening in on their superiors?

Is eavesdropping on the President’s personal relationships a valid use of the surveillance powers of the CIA and its contractors?

We will explore this topic further in the Paid section of this post in the coming days. Check back here for the deep dive and in-depth discussion.

In recent Twitter Spaces I have hosted, I have advanced the theory that CIA wiretapping is the Find and Fix in the Find, Fix, and Finish process for “neutralizing” perceived National Security threats.

Here is a link to the most recent Space I had on the topic. My central theory is CIA surveillance is the “Ready, Aim” of the “Ready, Aim, Fire!” execution process.

https://x.com/realgeorgewebb1/status/1788156247184695367?s=46

In military situations, snipers always stalk their targets, sometimes for days at a time to establish the daily pattern of the target and to establish the perfect time to strike,

Detailed charting of a target’s daily itinerary is a standard precursor to assassination, and we should look at government eavesdropping as a preliminary step to “neutralizing a target”.

Who can forget when Donie O’Sullivan of CNN published the “assassination coordinates” of Elon Musk according to Elon when O’Sullivan broadcast a tracking website for Musk’s jet.

A former Naval Intelligence officer named Mason Lankford who worked at General Dynamics was in charge of John F. Kennedy’s itinerary and security on his visit to Fort Worth that preceded JFK’s visit to Dallas.

Lankford worked closely with Insall Bailey Hale, or IB Hale as he was known in the FBI working for J. Edgar Hoover.

Not many photos of Mason Lankford exist, but here is a quick biographical sketch.

He also bears a great deal of resemblance to current Texas Congressman, James Lankford, but I do not know if they are related The Lankford family has been involved in the oil industry like IB Hale’s family, and like IB Hale, he moved from oil into aviation with Hale at General Dynamics.

Very interestingly, Mason Lankford also hired Lee Harvey Oswald’s brother Robert at General Dynamics. Here is a picture of Robert Oswald leaving the Dallas Police Station after questioning the day of the JFK assassination.

Mason Lankford, like IB Hale, was rumored to still be working on some projects for J Edgar Hoover after he left the FBI in 1953. Both me took calls from Lyndon Johnson. There are more connection with General Dynamics to having eyes on President before the JFK assassination.

I have not yet read Robert Oswald’s book yet to confirm his employment years at General Dynamics.

Vincent Perrie Gunn also joined General Dunamics in 1961, and he was the security expert would testified the bullet fragments in John Connolly‘s wrists were the same composition as the pristine bullet found on Connolly’s stretcher.

I believe cadre of individuals at General Dynamics - IB Hale, Mason Lankford, and Vincent Perrie Gunn, performed FBI assignments were that were not Court approved such as setting up eavesdropping configurations, visual surveillance, and wiretapping of political figures in Texas on behalf of Lyndon Baines Johnson or LBJ for short.

The person who had the most again and was the key political rival of Jack Kennedy in the Senate for the possible 1956 residential nomination for President and the 1960 presidential nomination was LBJ.

Vincent Perrie Gunn moved to the General Atomics division of General Dynamics soon after the assassination of John F Kennedy.

Again, we find the above top secret Q clearance associated and created with the AEC (atomic energy commission). The AEC Q Clearance seems to be the cloak of secrecy that many of these covert surveillance operations required.

Notes -

Mason Lankford’s history insecurity is subdued in his obituary, but his time at general dynamics is mentioned.

We’re all the General Dynamics wiretappers using the original program to put a US satellite in space called the Corona Program. What if the Corona Program provided the compartmentalization from all other branches of the military and intelligence agency to allow the CIA complete immunity, using the Corona Program for surveillance and wiretapping against political opponents?

Was the Corona Program in the late 1950’s and early 1960:s funding surveillance and wiretaps of those who opposed the CIA surveillance and wiretapping programs? Probably an even more critical question is whether the CIA is still using the Corona Program for illegal surveillance and wiretaps.

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Here’s a short video I did on that topic.

Some have said DARPA was originally ARPA - the Advance Research Project Agency No, DARPA was always DARPA for Defense Projects. The project planners used the ARPA acronym to get thousands of volunteer programmers to do most of the heavy lifting to create the Internet.