The Lone Gunman Podcast : JFK Assassination · Rob Clark

JFK Book Reviews - State Secret By Bill Simpich

April 8, 2026·22 min·2 clips

Bill Simpich's 'State Secret' reveals how the CIA closely watched Lee Harvey Oswald for four years before JFK's assassination.

The episode is a book review segment of The Lone Gunman Podcast, hosted by Rob Clark and Joe Borelli. They introduce Bill Simpich's 'State Secret', a free online writing available through the Mary Farrell Foundation. The book is described as a 147-page essay with a preface, six chapters, and a conclusion, originally published around 2012. Simpich's goal is to explore counterintelligence activities behind the JFK story, focusing on Lee Harvey Oswald's surveillance after his return from the USSR. The hosts break down the content chapter by chapter. Chapter one introduces concepts like the 'double dangle' and key figures such as David Morales, William Harvey, and James Angleton. It covers Staff D and CI/SIG operations aimed at preventing spy penetrations. A debated point is Simpich's theory that Oswald was sent to replace Robert Webster, another defector, which the hosts question due to differing defection circumstances. Chapter three details conflicts between the Kennedys and CIA officer Bill Harvey over Operation Mongoose and Castro assassination plots. Chapters four and five delve deeper into Mexico City operations, including wiretap systems L.I. Envoy and L.I. Feet, and CIA efforts against Cuba. Chapter six addresses the setup and cover-up post-assassination, touching on the Texas School Book Depository, the Tippit shooting, and witness accounts like Virginia Davis and Butch Burroughs. It also covers the Parkland Hospital scene and J. Edgar Hoover's quick declaration of Oswald as the lone assassin. Throughout, the hosts emphasize the book's depth, noting it includes over 200 sourced documents and links. They caution that it is not for beginners, requiring knowledge of CIA structure, terminology, and Cold War spy games. Rob Clark praises it as unique but points out some outdated speculation based on sources like Jeff Morley and David Talbot. Joe Borelli highlights its well-researched nature and frequent use in their podcast. Both hosts rate it highly, with Rob giving it nine out of ten guns up, suggesting an updated version could be a perfect ten. The episode concludes with instructions on accessing the book online and a reminder of the podcast's focus.

As heard by us

A careful JFK deep dive that works best for listeners already familiar with the case.

State Secret treats JFK research like a stack of file-room notes, and Rob and Joe take Bill Simpich's free online book seriously. They move through Mexico City, the alleged Oswald-Sylvia Duran call, the mystery man photo outside the Cuban embassy, and the framing argument…

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Why you'd press play

A free, dense walk through Bill Simpich's State Secret and its case on Lee Harvey Oswald.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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