(NewsNation) — The latest release of formerly classified files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy are mostly, according to investigative journalist Ross Coulthart, a “nothingburger,” but he believes it’s likely there isn’t anything the government can do to dispel conspiracy theories related to the case.
For more from Ross Coulthart on the JFK assassination and other stories the media is supposedly not meant to tell, watch his series, “Reality Check,” on YouTube now.
“Frankly, I do think there are arguments that are worthy of investigation, that there should be a broader investigation into claims that there were multiple shooters and the unanswered questions surrounding the forensics in the Warren Commission that have only recently come to light,” said Coulthart.
The long-awaited file release has so far yielded little new information. Despite hopes that the files might contain groundbreaking details, early reviews suggest much of the material has been previously available in some form.
JFK assassination files: Read them here
Coulthart believes it is unlikely that any revelation about the killing of a president would be found written in a government document, let alone allowed in the National Archives.
“It is a bit naive of us to expect to think that there might have been something in those files suggesting some kind of CIA conspiracy,” he said. “Why would they put it in writing?”
Coulthart, however, believes President Donald Trump’s decision to release the remaining files shows a degree of transparency not seen in previous administrations.
“That truly is an extraordinary achievement and a great moment in accountability and transparency,” he said.
What Coulthart believes is most evident in the files? The CIA’s “failures.”
“The history of the CIA, sadly, is one of an intelligence agency that has, frankly, missed so much.”
