The Iran-Contra scandal of the late 1980s was precursor to today’s “deep state” politics. The Reagan White House, in cahoots with the CIA, organized a conspiracy to bypass Congressional restrictions on U.S. aid to contra rebels in Nicaragua.
It was an unconstitutional and illegal scheme that resulted in dozens of criminal indictments, including charges against four top CIA officers, who were latter pardoned by President George H.W. Bush on the advice of his Attorney General Bill Barr.
Yet the scandal has faded from memory, which is too bad. Iran-contra affair was a study in how the CIA compromised American democracy.
Now the Luminary podcast takes you back to those days and explains why it was all forgotten.
Season Two of Fiasco tells the story of Iran-Contra. A secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan’s presidency–until it didn’t.
I first wrote about the CIA and contras for The New Republic in 1985, two years before the scandal erupted.
Source: Fiasco | Listen Only on Luminary
