Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Oswald’s Late October Political Activities

On the evening of October 23, Oswald wrote to Communist Party USA official Arnold Johnson stating he had attended an “ultra right” meeting led by Gen. Edwin A. Walker. Two nights later, he accompanied Michael Paine to an American Civil Liberties Union meeting at Southern Methodist University, where he pushed back against a claim that John Birch Society members were not anti-Semitic, stating he had heard anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic remarks at Walker’s meeting. Later in the evening, he discussed Marxist views with multiple attendees including Bell Helicopter employee Frank Krystinik, identifying as a Marxist but not a Communist, praising President Kennedy’s civil liberties work, and acknowledging U.S. civil liberties superiority over the Soviet Union. Krystinik testified Oswald did not appear to fully understand the views he was espousing. Oswald spent the following weekend at the Paine home after Marina and Rachel returned from the hospital, and obtained post office box No. 6225 at the Terminal Annex Post Office Station on November 1, registering it for mail for the Fair Play for Cuba Committee and ACLU. He spent that weekend in Irving as well.

Early November FBI Surveillance and Soviet Embassy Letter

The FBI had tracked the Oswalds’ activities, with Dallas office records noting Oswald’s subscription to the Worker, Fair Play for Cuba Committee involvement, and prior travel to Mexico. FBI agents visited the Paine home on November 1 and November 5, speaking briefly with Mrs. Paine when Oswald was not present. Mrs. Paine recorded the lead agent’s name and phone number, and Marina recorded his license plate number, both of which they reported to Oswald. Oswald was troubled by the FBI’s attention, stating they were trying to inhibit his activities, and wrote to the Soviet Embassy in Washington claiming an agent had warned him that FPCC activity in Texas would draw further FBI scrutiny, and that the agent had suggested Marina could defect to the U.S. under FBI protection. He requested updates on the family’s Soviet entrance visa status. Marina testified the statements Oswald attributed to the FBI were never made.