Note: My eBook The Bishop Hoax supercedes my previous work on the subject.
In March of 1976, Senate investigator Gaeton Fonzi interviewed Alpha 66 founder Antonio Veciana who told a story of a shadowy figure named Maurice Bishop. Veciana said that Bishop had masterminded and directed his anti-Castro activities over the course of 13 years from 1960 to 1973. Fonzi, who was the primary investigator for the HSCA in this area, wrote the committee's report on the matter and later authored an infamous article in the Washingtonian magazine that expanded Veciana's allegations. Fonzi went on to publish a book, The Last Investigation, that promoted Veciana's story and Fonzi's own CIA-killed-JFK theories. Fonzi also popularized the notion that Bishop was really career CIA man David Atlee Phillips.
However, for over 30 years, in sworn congressional testimony and numerous media interviews, Veciana denied that Bishop was Phillips. Then, On November 22, 2013, the 85-year-old Veciana issued a statement through Fonzi’s widow Marie reversing himself and maintaining that Bishop was indeed Phillips. Despite the fact that the evidence for Phillips as Bishop is purely circumstantial, most conspiracy supporters have accepted Veciana's story and recent reversal and now believe he is telling the truth. However, my investigation of source materials including Fonzi's notes from his initial interviews with Veciana shows that the story underwent an evolution from 1976 until the present. This page is a summary of my work in this matter.
This article discusses Veciana's motive for creating the Bishop story and serves as a summary of all I have learned so far.
These articles show that Fonzi was not an objective investigator by the time of his interviews with Veciana. Using primary sources (scroll to bottom), I demonstrate that Fonzi shaped facts to fit his own CIA-did-it theory of the JFK assassination.
Gaeton Fonzi and the Veciana Allegations
Gaeton Fonzi and the Veciana Allegations 2
My review of Veciana's book points out numerous discrepancies and "facts" omitted from earlier versions of the Bishop story.
In 2014, a witness came forward to "confirm" Veciana's story. But are his allegations credible?
More questions for Wynne Johnson and his replies.
Why Johnson shouldn't be believed.
My Final Word on Wynne Johnson
A podcast by JFK Facts Editor Jefferson Morley got me thinking about the uncritical treatment the conspiracy community has given the allegations of Veciana through the years.
Another Slobbering Love Affair
In 2014, Veciana appeared at the AARC conference in Bethesda, Maryland. The highlight was Veciana's new claim that David Atlee Phillips imagined and organized the entire Mexico City scenario.
Veciana and the AARC Conference
In June 2017, Jefferson Morley published an article on his blog critical of my work. I responded here:
Also in June 2017, Bill Kelly posted a review of Veciana's book which Morley praised:
Discussion of Bill Kelly Review
In this article, I look at the evidence that Veciana worked for the CIA per Morley and other WC critics:
Although John Newman has debunked parts of Veciana's story, he now has created a new conspiracy theory to explain Veciana's release from prison:
A report on the 2018 video presentation by John Newman regarding Veciana's claims of meeting Bishop in 1959 and 1960:
A review of John Newman's latest book as it pertains to Veciana:
Part 2 of my look at Newman's Into the Storm:
Part 3 of my look at Newman's Into the Storm:
A look at the guiding hands behind Veciana's 2013 "revelation" that Phillips was Bishop.
Marie Fonzi and Veciana's "Revelation"
An Analysis of the relevant people who saw the Bishop sketch.
The Bishop Sketch-Who Did it Look Like?
A discussion of Veciana's obituary in the Miami Herald.
John Newman states that Phillips was not Bishop during his November 2020 presentation.
Newman Says Phillips Was Not Bishop
Thanks, great writing !
ReplyDeleteGreat BS - CIA officer David A. Phillips is Maurice Bishop - Antonio Veciana is a CIA trained Cuban terrorist and assassin and they met with the accused assassin of President Kennedy in the lobby of the Southland building / Sheraton hotel in Dallas before Oswald traveled to Mexico City to visit the Cuban and Soviet embassies. Nothing JTP writes can change those facts.
ReplyDeleteBill,
ReplyDeleteHere are the facts as of early 2017:
1. The Veciana story has undergone a demonstrable evolution as I show on this blog.
2. While there is some circumstantial evidence for Phillips as Bishop this is far from a proven fact.
3. Even if Phillips was Bishop, which I believe is unlikely, unless new documents are released in October the evidence for a Phillips/Veciana/LHO meeting consists only of Veciana's allegations, unless you are willing to believe Wynne Johnson and Judyth Baker. Without the LHO-Bishop connection, the Veciana story goes nowhere.
Conspiracy Theorists have a hard time with the definition of
ReplyDelete"fact(s)"
A very fluid and malleable definition that bears little resemblance
to the real world version.
"Corroboration" is another concept with which they have trouble.
This whole mess really comes down to "Veciana says..."
30+ years after the fact no less.
Judyth Baker?! LMAO, the kiss of death.
Just came across this blog and great writing! I actually wrote something similar regarding Venciana and unfortunately I wrote it without reading this, relying on other sources, including the HSCA. I just updated my article with a link to this blog; it does not change the conclusion in my article that Venciana had no credibility.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments and for stopping by!
DeleteThe thing that bothers me most is that this material is largely based on circumstantial evidence and the evolution of Venciana’s statements. I dismiss the former given we could waste a lot of time going back and forth without a genuine agreement of our minds. However, as to the point that Venciana’s story has changed, to me such an evolution enforces his latter claims. I would expect him to unfold his experiences in this way: first, later in life... and second, as he becomes less concerned about repercussions.
Delete