The Warren Commission Decided 7: Doing the Work

Fourth Reich Archaeology

It’s Friday, and you know what that means—time for another installment of The Warren Commission Decided. We’re calling this week’s episode “Doing the Work” because in it, we take a deep look at the nitty-gritty of legal investigations.

Donning our lawyer hats, in the first part of this episode we give a short primer on the grind behind the scenes that makes investigations come together. We break down the real "work" of the Warren Commission. At its core, the Commission was basically a law firm—the staff was almost entirely lawyers, and J. Lee Rankin, the Commission’s Chief Counsel, was the one steering the ship.

For the second part of this episode, we explore the life and times of Rankin, including how and why he was picked for the position. A native Nebraskan, Rankin served as the administrative head of the Commission, handling all the logistical and organizational work that the seven commissioners were too busy and too important to take on. Rankin was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, from coordinating evidence collection to working with the investigators who obtained witness testimony. Late in his life, Rankin came out swinging against the FBI and CIA for their manipulative tactics with respect to the Commission. We play a good deal of his testimony from the House Select Committee on Assassinations; it is sure to elucidate and enlighten! Seriously insane audio we had never fully appreciated before this episode.

So, whether you’re powering through a work shift or wrapping up your classes for the week, hit play and give your brain a well-deserved snack—this episode is definitely worth it!