1980s Flashback: The Iran-Contra Affair

In 1987 a previously obscure member of the Reagan Administration testified before a special Congressional committee. This committee was investigating what appeared to be a deal with terrorists, in violation of administration policy and U.S. law. Lt. Col. Oliver North described himself to the committee as “the person in the U.S. Government who had the responsibility for coordinating our counterterrorist policy. I had written for the president the words, ‘We will not make concessions to terrorists.’”

North then brazenly stated, “I saw that idea of using the Ayatollah Khomeini's money to support the Nicaraguan Freedom Fighters as a good one ... I still do. I think it was a neat idea.”

A quick reminder of the context: Iran held dozens of Americans hostage. Despite having a strict policy of not negotiating with terrorists [the state of Iran having being designated as one], President Reagan authorized the sale of missiles to the government of Iran in hopes that it would result in the release of most or all of these hostages [it did not].

Meanwhile, Reagan had been emphatically supportive of the Nicaraguan “Contra” movement, a guerrilla force engaged in armed struggle to overthrow Nicaragua’s leftist regime. The American public, and eventually Congress, grew stale on supporting the Contras. A fear was growing that Nicaragua would become a Vietnam-like quagmire for the United States. Congress went so far as to pass legislation blocking any additional funding of the Contras.

As a staff member of the National Security Council, North’s “neat idea” was to capitalize on the arms-for-hostages deal with Iran by diverting the funds from that weapons sale to the Contras. This was done without informing Congress and in circumvention of congressional prohibition on aiding the Contras. In other words, it was patently illegal, not to mention hypocritical on behalf of the administration.

As one who watched the live televised broadcasts of the congressional hearings investigating this matter, I was astounded on two levels. First, it was a remarkable, public disclosure, the Reagan Administration being caught with its pants down in what would be its greatest scandal. I was among millions of Americans who assumed it would lead to devastating consequences: Reagan's Watergate.

The second level of my astonishment was that it didn't at all! Far from being the administration's downfall, I was amazed by how one after the other, members of the congressional committee praised North for his brave demonstration of patriotism by blatantly disregarding congressional wishes. Oklahoma Sen. David Boren was among those committee members who obsequiously portrayed North as a American hero, all but kissing him on the mouth. Clearly, there would be no accountability.

North became an instant celebrity of the right. There was even a popular movement to draft him as a candidate for president instead of inmate in a federal prison.

FLASH FORWARD TO RYAN WALTERS

Courtesy of excellent local journalism, we’ve learned that Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and Christian Nationalist-in-Chief Ryan Walters appears to have had his own “neat idea.”

Walters has continued to engage in policies and practices that are tantamount to jumping up and down and screeching, “Look at me! Look at me!” His primary interest is in getting and sustaining attention from right-wing extremists via the news media. [Ironically, based on recent history, he appears to hold the news media in disdain, relying on them for self-promotion.

My guess is that when Louisiana’s governor drew national attention for signing a bill into law that would mandate the posting of the Ten Commandments in all the state’s public classrooms, Walters turned green with envy. Shortly thereafter he out-Louisianed Louisiana by issuing his infamous memorandum “mandating” [without authority] the use of the Bible in every Oklahoma public school classroom.

It worked! He got a lot of immediate attention, and as if in a perfectly modulated greenhouse, his ego burst into blossom.

In subsequent days and weeks since this absurd and unconstitutional “policy” announcement, Walters has been fine-tuning his unsanctioned Bible demand [a moving target that schools across the state appear to be generally ignoring]. He almost immediately backpedaled from “every classroom” to only grades 5-12. Then he clarified that the Bible, instead of “being taught by every teacher,” will serve as a required resource for in History and Literature, specifically. He later pronounced that the only acceptable Bible to serve this “academic” purpose is the New King James Version, claiming it is most often used in academic references.

Finally, in the past week he released a request for bids which provided even more specifications for the "good book.” [Apparently some good books are gooder than others.] This is where, apparently, he put forth his Oliver Northesque “neat idea.”

WALTERS' NEAT IDEA

It does not take a great analytical mind to figure out what Walters is up to. The State Department of Education’s solicitation for venders to provide 55,000 copies of the Bible for public school classrooms goes well beyond even “the New King James version.” It actually describes very specifically, without mentioning it by name, the version of the Bible which Donald Trump has endorsed and whose sales are used in part to fund his legal fees as he fights his dozens of indictments in federal court.

Quoting its official proposal verbatim, SDOE is – specifically seeking bids for a product that matches these “mandatory specifications:"

– The supplier must provide 55,000 Bibles with shipping included to each school district and with a two-week delivery time after contract award date. 

– The supplier must provide only the King James Version Bible for historical accuracy and contain both the Old and New Testaments.  

– The supplier’s Bible must include copies of The United States Pledge of Allegiance, The U.S. Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, and The U.S. Bill of Rights.

– The supplier’s Bible must not contain study guides, publisher narration, or additional commentary. 

– The supplier’s Bible must be bound in leather or leather-like material for durability.

As reported by Oklahoma Watch and numerous other local, state, and national media outlets, the only Bible currently in stock that could meet these “mandatory specifications” is the God Bless the USA Bible, also known as “the Trump Bible” due to his endorsement deal. Each copy sells for $60 [compared to other editions of the Bible which are on sale for as little as $3 per copy]. That this particular Bible is the King James version, distinct from the New King James Version that Walters previously identified as the most appropriate translation to teach, is by far the least controversial of the issues involved in this solicitation.

Noteworthy, for instance, is that the $6 million of your money and mine that Walters wants to spend on this Bible-Trump Affair [Biblegate?] appears nowhere in the agency’s approved budget. But this clearly doesn't trouble Walters, as he's has been dismissive of those concerns.

I imagine Walters quoting Ollie North's "neat idea" phrase with glee.

First, use tax dollars to violate the establishment clause of the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution by forcing public schools to use the Bibles for classroom instruction. [Add in the dramatic threat that non-complying teachers will lose their professional credentials.] Next – and here's the really neat part! – deliberately formulate the expenditure so that it siphons those $6 million of taxpayers' money into Donald's Trump’s legal defense fund! Taxpayers can then both unwittingly violate the establishment clause by imposing one religion's scriptures on public classrooms, and in the process make involuntary donations to Trump, whom Walters has already repeatedly misused his elected position to endorse!

A NATIONAL HERO?

Branding Oliver North a national hero for implementing his illegal “neat idea” back in the late 1980s remains a stain on modern American history. Likewise, anything less than proceedings to remove Ryan Walters from office in light of these arguable corrupt maneuvers would be a dismal failure of checks and balances on state level. [Does anyone seriously believe that Walters' attempts to funnel Oklahoma tax dollars to Trump doesn't stink of quid pro quo intentions?]

Obviously, stopping Walters’ purchase of Bibles – of any version – for the purpose of eroding First Amendment protections – is a no-brainer. At least one lawsuit has already been filed to this end. [Add it to Walters' growing collection.] Preventing Walters' additional malfeasance of seeking to force Oklahoma taxpayers into lining Donald Trump’s pockets rises to the level of an impeachable offense.

We know what Walters is doing. His lips are so tightly puckered against the buttocks of his Trump effigy that he shows no shame. Now he’s dragging the rest of us into position.

SQUIRMING LIPS AND ITCHY FEET

I don't know about you, dear reader, but my lips demand to be shielded from that particular backside. My feet, on the other hand, are itchy for a pair of heavy boots. One to aim at the slick-haired sycophant’s seat, and another for that orange, wobbly arse in Mar-A-Lago.