(Testimony of Lawrence V. Meyers)
Mr. Griffin.
Is there any possibility in your mind that this conversation could have taken place after midnight?
Mr. Meyers.
No. I would be extremely surprised if that took place after
midnight. I couldn't have lost that much time. It would have to have taken place somewhere around--10 that night. It might have even been closer to 11 . but it couldn't possibly have been midnight because I was not yet asleep.
As a matter of fact, I was in bed reading, either reading or watching television, I don't know.
Mr. Griffin.
You mentioned Jack's concern about the Weinsteins being what he apparently called money hungry Jews. In your experiences with Jack, would you say that Jack was any less interested in making money than the Weinsteins ?
Mr. Meyers.
No, no; Jack was just as interested in making money, I am sure. You know, a good psychiatrist could give you the answer to this very simply. The fact remains that the Weinsteins have evidently lots of money and Jack doesn't or didn't, and I suppose he resents this to a degree.
Mr. Griffin.
What was your experience with Jack as to whether or not he was an aggressive or passive business entrepreneur?
Mr. Meyers.
Whether he was aggressive or passive as an individual?
Mr. Griffin.
As a businessman. Was he
Mr. Meyers.
Oh, extremely aggressive. Extremely aggressive. I think Jack's entire nature is aggressive. I think his character is extremely aggressive.
Mr. Griffin.
In connection with his attitude toward the Jews, had you ever talked to him about any books that he was reading about the Jews?
Mr. Meyers.
No. Let me make his attitude about Jews a little clearer to you. I may have given you a wrong impression. Jack in my opinion is extremely proud of being Jewish--and we'll put it on a personal basis--just as I am. And due to Jack's childhood, which I have read so much about--I knew nothing about it until I read about this--and his home life, the way he matured, it is very' obvious to me that Jack did have an inferiority complex, we'll use the old cliche, and that he had become or tried to become an extrovert in order to fit in with what he thought were important people to fit in with due to his lack of formal education. He would attach himself to people from whom he thought he could learn, from whom he thought he could better himself, which, more power to him.
I think also he resented maybe to a degree of envy what some of these--what these Weinsteins were doing, first because he envied them their success, and second, because on this particular night, this Saturday night, they had done something that he felt was derogatory to his people and he would resent it, just as I would resent--and here I must put it on a personal basis, it is a stupid thing, believe me just as I would resent the living caricature of what a Hitler would portray as a Jew or just as you would resent a living caricature that somebody might portray as the worst element in your faith, and we all have this in our faith.
Mr. Griffin.
Do you remember, Mr. Meyers, any specific episode or conversations you had with Jack about his feelings towards his Jewish background or his sensitivity toward being a Jew ?
Mr. Meyers.
I have a feeling he was very proud of being a Jew.
Mr. Griffin.
Do you recall any specific conversations?
Mr. Meyers.
No.
Mr. Griffin.
Did he actually mention his feelings about being a Jew from time to time in conversations that you had with him ?
Mr. Meyers.
No, we just didn't discuss it. There was just nothing to discuss between he and I on this.
You know, something else comes to my mind now. I also--it is so hard for me to separate what actually happened from what I have read. Can I word it this way?
I am reasonably sure that when he talked to me Saturday night he also said something about going to his rabbi or to the synagogue and that he was surprised that there were no special services that day for the memory of the President.
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