(Photo of Ollie North lying to Congress)On Hannity & Colmes, Oliver North, the convicted felon, said Bush was right to compare Obama with the Nazi appeaser, Neville Chamberlain. North, the convicted felon, said you just can't talk to your enemies. The implication of course is that Obama was naive and off base when he indicated he would be willing to sit down and talk with leaders of other nations, even those hostile to us.
That kind of slam at Obama is to be expected. After all North and John McCain have been thick as thieves for years. North was supported in a Senatorial run by none other than John McCain in the mid-1990s. North is a supporter of John McCain today and McCain is happy to have the endorsement of North, the felon.
North became a felon back in 1988-89 when he was indicted on something like 16 felony counts. He was convicted on three of those: for shredding documents; accepting an illegal gratuity; and aiding and abetting in the obstruction of Congress.
This was all part of the so-called Iran-Contra Scandal. North was involved in selling weapons to Iran (illegally) at the same time that the U.S. was supporting Iraq and Saddam Hussein. The money North received for the weapons went (illegally) to the Contras in Nicaragua. The entire scheme, which involved government officials, including President Reagan, was completely illegal.
Even though North's mentor, Ronald Reagan, was well aware of what was going on, he fired North.
North lied to Congress about all of this; that was what "aiding and abetting in the obstruction of Congress" was all about. Furthermore, this unethical felon claimed that his illegal project of deceit and chicanery was a "neat idea."
U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell basically slapped North's hands. In this case, the punishment didn't even come close to fitting the crime. Judge Gesell sentenced North to a three-year suspended prison term, two year's probation, $150,000 in fines and 1,200 hours of community service.
Unfortunately, a three-judge panel vacated the conviction on a technicality. When the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case, Judge Gesell dismissed it.
So North beat the system. Today his persona is that of a flag-waving, red-blooded Christian patriot. It's a persona exactly opposite to the reality. Oliver North is a man without a soul like so many other "commentators" on Fox News. But he's a perfect fit at Fox for not only is he a felon, but a liar.
I like what DJK said at Brave New Films: "To recap -- talking to Iran = Nazi appeasement. Defying Congress to sell arms to Iran = 'neat' idea."
That's why "North was aptly named May 19th's "Worst Person in the World."
1 comment:
The saga of Ollie North was a sad one. He lied to congress; he smuggled secret documents out of his office, using his secretary to help him; he violated his oath as a Marine officer to uphold the Constitution and was found guilty. He was allowed to get off for political reasons. He has continued the myth that he was not found guilty of anything. He became a patriotic hero based on his belief that his cause was just and done with the approval of others. He is still a hero and the original charges are forgotten as was his guilt.
Bob Poris
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