Mr. Newnam, my name is Leon Hubert. I am a member of the advisory staff of the general counsel of the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy. Under the provisions of Executive Order 11130 dated November 29, 1963, the joint resolution of Congress, No. 137, and the rules of procedure adopted by the Commission in conformance with that Executive order and that joint resolution, I have been authorized to take this sworn deposition from you. I state to you that the general nature of the Commission’s inquiry is to ascertain, evaluate, and report upon the facts relative to the assassination of President Kennedy and the subsequent violent death of Lee Harvey Oswald and the participation of Jack Ruby therein. Particularly as to you, Mr. Newnam, the nature of the inquiry today is to determine what facts you know about the death of Oswald and any other pertinent facts you may know about the general inquiry and about Jack Ruby and his operations and associates and so forth, and his movements on the pertinent days. Now, I believe you have appeared here today by virtue of a letter written to you by Mr. J. Lee Rankin, general counsel of the staff of the President’s Commission, asking you to be present; is that correct, sir?
Mr. Newnam. That is correct.
Mr. Hubert. When did you receive that letter, Mr. Newnam?
Mr. Newnam. I received this letter Wednesday, June 24.
Mr. Hubert. What is the date of the letter or the mail stamp, if it has a mail stamp, and if it doesn’t have a mail stamp, what is the date of the letter?
Mr. Newnam. The letter was written—the letter is dated June 22, 1964.
Mr. Hubert. Do you have any objection to having your deposition taken today?
Mr. Newnam. None whatsoever; no, sir.
Mr. Hubert. Let me state to you that under the rules of the Commission all witnesses have a right to have a 3-day written notice, but the rules also provide that a witness may waive that notice, and I take it from your previous answer that you do waive that?
Mr. Newnam. I do; yes; absolutely.