The Oversight Project has filed a formal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the FBI, demanding the full release of records on Marcus Raskin — the late father of Democrat Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and a central figure in Cold War-era radical activism.
Marcus Raskin, co-founder of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), has long been suspected of harboring Marxist sympathies and fostering Soviet-aligned ideological movements within the United States.
FBI Acknowledges Holding Unreleased Files
On April 17, 2025, the FBI responded to the FOIA request, confirming the existence of processed records related to Marcus Raskin, some of which are not yet publicly available in their electronic FOIA library, known as “The Vault.” While the FBI stopped short of full transparency, their response strongly suggests the presence of sensitive or previously redacted material that has yet to see daylight.
Who Was Marcus Raskin?
A former aide to President John F. Kennedy’s National Security Council, Raskin’s early government service gave way to a life steeped in radical ideology. He was removed from his NSC role due to clashing views with McGeorge Bundy and soon exited the administration entirely.
In 1963, Raskin co-founded the IPS — a think tank that quickly became a sanctuary for anti-American narratives and far-left organizing. His 1971 book Being & Doing advocated for “social reconstruction,” targeting capitalism as the root of societal ills. He proposed a full societal overhaul that would replace American democratic capitalism with a socialist alternative.
Ties to the Soviet Bloc and Anti-War Extremism
Raskin was deeply involved in draft resistance during the Vietnam War and was indicted in 1968 as part of the “Boston Five,” accused of aiding draft dodgers — a case he eventually beat in court. He also participated in a 1972 meeting in Paris with North Vietnamese leaders — the same year the U.S. was engaged in active combat with the Communist regime.
Most strikingly, Raskin led an IPS delegation to Moscow in 1982, where he met with Soviet officials involved in state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda. This raised alarms among American lawmakers, including 12 Senators and 70 House members who feared the Soviets were exploiting IPS for intelligence-gathering operations.
FBI Surveillance and Nixon’s Enemies List
The FBI conducted extensive surveillance on IPS, placing over 70 informants within the organization, wiretapping phones, and even rummaging through trash. Marcus Raskin and IPS co-founder Richard Barnet were both placed on President Richard Nixon’s notorious “enemies list.”
Although the FBI later settled a lawsuit brought by IPS in 1979, agreeing to refrain from investigating the group without legal authority, the historical record suggests that the bureau viewed Raskin’s network as a national security threat.
Jamie Raskin’s Political Legacy Under Scrutiny
As his father’s legacy comes under renewed investigation, Rep. Jamie Raskin — a leading voice in the Democrat party and frequent antagonist of the Trump administration — may find his own ideological roots placed under a sharper microscope.
With the FBI now holding potentially unreleased documents on Marcus Raskin, the Oversight Project’s investigation could yield revelations that reshape the public understanding of one of the most influential left-wing families in Washington.
The full truth, once buried in the shadows of Cold War secrecy, may finally be on the verge of exposure.
