Iran Contra Affair Facts
Iran Contra Affair Facts
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Interesting Iran Contra Affair Facts: |
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The Democrat controlled Congress ran hearings on the affair from May to August 1987. |
The Congressional "majority report," which was issued by the Democrats, blamed the National Security Council for running its own foreign policy through private contractors, although it didn't personally blame the president. |
Most of those indicted on crimes related to the Iran-Contra Affair were charged with "process crimes:" perjury, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, etc. |
The most notable person charged was Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North. North was indicted on obstruction of justice based primarily on the testimony of his secretary, Fawn Hall. |
The hearings were broadcast on CSPAN, which is how Oliver North became a household name. He appeared at the hearings wearing his Marine uniform, complete with all of his combat medals from Vietnam. |
Although Israel and Iran were enemies, and still are, Israel was the middleman in the arms sales to Iran. |
The New York Times broke the scandal in 1986. |
President Reagan ordered his own investigation of the scandal, known as the Tower Commission, in 1986. Although the Tower Commission absolved Reagan of criminal liability, it did state that he was negligent and should have known what his subordinates were doing. |
Reagan at first denied that anything wrong had happened on his watch, but once the Congressional reports and the Tower Commission reports came out he admitted the scandal had taken place. |
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