“Echoes of Iran-Contra”

Seymour Hersh, on CNN, discusses George Bush's unconstitutional executive branch covert operations, undertaken without authorization of Congress. Crooks and Liars has the video. From Article. I., Section. 9., of the Constitution: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time." Ronald Reagan's funding of the contra rebels in Nicaragua was done with money secured from third parties - other countries and private citizens - in other words, funds not appropriated and authorized by Congress. Discovery of this unconstitutional and illegal executive branch behavior was what triggered the Iran/contra hearings, and investigation by Independent Counsel. Hersh's story "THE REDIRECTION" is published in The New Yorker.