Folders noted as “Open” may still contain closed material due to Freedom of Information Act restrictions. Most frequent withdrawn material is national security classified material, personal privacy, protection of the President, etc. Folders noted as closed are subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).
If you are interested in submitting a FOIA request for access to any of the unavailable records or have any questions about these collections or series, please contact our archival staff.
Scope and Content Note
Note:
This collection consists of material used or created by the White House Counsel’s Office to cooperate with investigations and respond to requests for White House material. Some of the investigations documented in these records involved Special Prosecutors or Independent Counsels, who were appointed to conduct investigations apart from the White House. For information on obtaining access to the records of Special Prosecutor and Independent Counsel (RG 449) offices, please contact the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.
This collection is divided into seven series: Series I: Internal Investigation of Richard V. Allen, 1981-1982; Series II: Investigation of Raymond Donovan Confirmation, Secretary of Labor, 1981-1983; Series III: Investigations Pertaining to the Environmental Protection Agency; Series IV: Edwin Meese Investigation, 1984-1986; SERIES V: Michael K. Deaver Investigation; Series VI: Lyn Nofziger/Wedtech/Edwin Meese Independent Counsel - James McKay; Series VII: Independent Counsel Investigation Re: Iran/Contra, 1987-1989.
Series List
SERIES I: Internal Investigation of Richard V. Allen, 1981-1982
(2 l.ft., Box 1-4)
In September 1981, it was discovered that Richard V. Allen, the Advisor to the President for National Security Affairs and head of the National Security Council, had made some questionable transactions with journalists early in the Reagan administration. Allen came into possession of a $1,000 gratuity paid in cash from a Japanese magazine, intended for Nancy Reagan in exchange for an interview she had given. According to his explanation he handed the money to his secretary and she placed the money in a White House safe. Allen then reportedly forgot about it. Also, it was belatedly discovered that around the same time, Allen had accepted three expensive watches as personal gifts from Japanese friends who were high-level governmental consultants. The first investigation of Allen’s actions was conducted by the FBI in late September 1981.
Continued press interest in the issue resulted in an additional investigation conducted by the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in late November 1981 and resulted in an additional report on December 7, 1981. Despite the release of this report, public questions and media interest still continued. Finally, the President asked White House Counsel Fred Fielding to conduct an internal ethics violation investigation of the transactions. The White House Counsel’s Office issued a report in January 3, 1982. Although Allen was never officially charged with any wrong-doing, he was forced to resign after the investigation ended.
This series contains material related to the discovery of $1,000 in cash in a White House safe within the former office of Advisor to the President for National Security Affairs, Richard V. Allen and the subsequent investigations by the FBI, the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s Office. Material is related to White House Counsel staff support of these outside investigations and internal staff work on the Counsel’s Office investigation. Material includes news clippings on the incident; photocopies of relevant documents; photocopies of both the FBI and Department of Justice investigations; interrogatories sent to Mr. Allen and other staff members involved in the incident; and the final reports from the FBI, Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s office. A good deal of this material is closed under the Freedom of Information Act exemptions for personal privacy and investigative practices. It is arranged in roughly chronological order as it occurred.
SERIES II: INVESTIGATION OF RAYMOND DONOVAN CONFIRMATION, SECRETARY OF LABOR, 1981-83 (2.7 l.ft., Box 4-11)
During January 1981, the FBI conducted a standard background investigation of Secretary of Labor designate Raymond J. Donovan. Summaries of the investigation were furnished through the Assistant Attorney General's Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice, to the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, the President Elect’s Transition Office and later to the White House Counsel’s Office. This first report contained some allegations regarding Donovan’s ties to organized crime. Based on this information, his confirmation was held up for several weeks in which Donovan testified in Congress multiple times and vigorously maintained his innocence. He was confirmed as Secretary of Labor on February 4, 1981.
Throughout 1981, the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources continued to refer allegations of corruption against Donovan and his former employee, Schiavone Construction Co, including ties to organized crime, bribery and pay-offs to the FBI investigation unit. Witnesses came forward with further accusations long after his confirmation and the official background investigation was completed on January 27, 1981
On December 29, 1981, a federal court panel appointed Leon Silverman, a New York City attorney, as a Special Prosecutor to investigate allegations of corruption against Donovan, specifically that Donovan was present when Schiavone Construction was making a payoff. It should be noted Donovan requested the appointment of a special prosecutor presumably to stop the continued speculation regarding corruption. Silverman was to conduct an investigation of Donovan, in accordance with provisions of the Ethics in Government Act on behalf of the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Silverman filed a report with the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia on June 28, 1982 focused on the charge that Donovan had participated in an illegal payoff by his New Jersey construction firm to a corrupt labor union official. Silverman found there was “insufficient credible evidence on which to base a prosecution” of Donovan on charges involving labor corruption and links to organized crime.
Silverman filed a supplemental report after a nine-month investigation on September 13, 1982 and repeated the conclusions of the June 28 report that there was “insufficient credible evidence” to support charges.
In 1985 an additional investigation by Special Prosecutor Silverman was opened on the question of whether Donovan had given false testimony to Congress in 1982. This investigation was suspended pending the 1987 trial of Donovan on corruption charges. Its findings were the same as earlier investigations – “insufficient credible evidence.”
Raymond Donovan left the Reagan Administration on March 15, 1985 and returned to his construction firm in New Jersey where he eventually acquired 50% ownership in the company. In a highly publicized 1987 case, Donovan and six other defendants were indicted by a Bronx County, New York, grand jury for larceny and fraud in connection with a project to construct a new line for the New York City subway. The alleged scheme involved a Genovese crime family associate and a minority-owned subcontractor. Schiavone Construction was obligated to subcontract part of the work to a minority-owned enterprise. The essence of the charge was that because the minority owned firm (Jo-Pel Contracting and Trucking Corp) leased equipment from Schiavone, that it was not truly independent of Schiavone.]
On May 25, 1987, Donovan (and all of the other defendants) was acquitted, after which Donovan was famously quoted as asking, "Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?”
As a result of the Silverman investigation, other discrepancies regarding the initial FBI background investigation were uncovered. It was disclosed the FBI had damaging information that it provided to the White House but withheld from the January 1981 Senate Labor Committee hearings on Donovan’s nomination. In addition, the FBI continued to receive further information on Donovan which was not passed to Congress. Congress conducted an investigation and hearings regarding the FBI Investigation of Raymond Donovan and possible “Executive interference” in August 1982. FBI Unit Chief of Financial Crimes, Anthony Adamski, Jr. and Francis M. Mullen, Jr., FBI Executive Assistant Director for Investigations testified to the Committee on Labor. The Committee subpoenaed the White House Counsel, Fred Fielding, but he did not testify. Congress continued to request further information from the FBI up until early 1983. Their Committee final report was released on May 1983.
This series consists of material relating almost exclusively to the 1982 Congressional inquiry regarding FBI “timeliness and completeness” reporting information to the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in the confirmation of Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan. It includes requests from Congress to the FBI, Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s Office on this matter; copies of documents provided; FBI and White House statements on the process followed in the investigation of nominee Raymond Donovan; summaries of events; reports from the Committee and the Special Prosecutor Leon Sullivan and news clippings surrounding the investigation. There is little material related to the actual investigation of Sullivan other than his final reports. The material is arranged in roughly chronological order as it occurred.
SERIES II: INVESTIGATION OF RAYMOND DONOVAN CONFIRMATION,
ft.)
This series contains two subseries: Subseries A: Congressional Investigation of the Environmental Protection Agency, 1982-1983 and Subseries B: Investigation of Department of Justice Role in the Congressional Investigation of the Environmental Protection Agency, 1984-1988.
SUBSERIES A: CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, 1982-1983 (2.5 l.ft.; Box 11-18)
Congressional investigations and hearings into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grew out of routine budgetary oversight of the hazardous waste laws being carried out by the Agency. Chief among these laws was the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, commonly known as the Superfund act. A key provision of this act was the establishment of the “Superfund” trust fund, by means of a special tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
Investigations leading to the six-year continuing investigation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Administrator and the key agency appointees began in 1982. Allegations of mishandling the $1.6 billion Superfund monies began almost immediately after the establishment of the fund. In mid-September 1982, Congressman John Dingell of Michigan requested any and all information on the ongoing clean-up of three Superfund sites: Tar Creek, Oklahoma, Stringfellow Acid Pits, California and Berlin and Farro, Michigan His investigation was for the use of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation. The EPA signaled the first troubles in responding to this request stating in a letter that some documents were being withheld as they contained “enforcement-sensitive information.” As a result Dingell’s subcommittee issued a subpoena for withheld documents and this was followed by a subpoena for all documents on EPA priority sites under the Superfund Act by Congressman Elliot Levitas , Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee.
Eventually, six congressional panels were probing allegations of political manipulation, “sweetheart” deals, conflicts of interest, perjury, and destruction of documents by EPA employees. Their investigations focused on two particular officials – EPA head Anne M. Burford (aka Anne Gorsuch), and Rita Lavelle, the head of EPA’s waste management program.
The Reagan Administration and the Justice Department advised Burford not to appear before the Congressional committees, or to produce documents requested by Congress, as a matter of executive privilege. When she followed these instructions, Burford became the first agency head ever cited for contempt of Congress. The Administration response to was to file a law suit challenging the right of Congress to issue subpoenas.
As the White House Counsel staff, the Department of Justice and President Reagan started actually reviewing the material from the EPA, concerns about the agencies actual handling of the Superfund surfaced. At this point, President Reagan asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to start its own investigation of the situation at the EPA.
The White House and DOJ continued to try to find an acceptable way to provide the requested material to Congress while protecting the pending and sensitive law enforcement matter within these documents. DOJ law suit on subpoenas also included the issue of executive privilege. Without ruling on the question of Executive Privilege, U.S. District Court Judge John Lewis Smith dismissed the Justice Department executive privilege/subpoena power suit. He advised both sides to work out their differences. Eventually, both sides compromised. Memorandums of Understanding were created for Representatives Levitas and Dingell’s oversight committees and the documents were produced.
As a result of viewing all the documents, Rita Lavelle, Assistant Administrator for the Waste Management program appeared to have conflicts of interest with her management of the Superfund monies, especially of the Stringfellow California waste site. She was asked to resign and when she refused to do so was fired by the President on February 7, 1983. At this point, the White House insisted on the placement of outside personnel within the EPA to assist with all management problems there. Shortly after the placement of these “watchdog” personnel, Anne Gorsuch Burford resigned as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on March 9, 1983.
This series consists of material regarding the President’s and the Administration’s response to requests for material from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the Superfund. The material consists of requests by Congress to the EPA, DOJ and the White House for material, responses to these requests; formulation of the claim of Executive Privilege by the President; chronologies of the matter; hearings; the Burford contempt citation and resolution of the citation; information on White House staff contacts with the EPA; notes on meetings with EPA officials and DOJ officials; White House press conference material on the matter; copies of drafts and final versions of the Memorandum of Understandings with Congressional subcommittees; documents submitted to Committees; press clippings on the entire investigation; the final reports of the Subcommittees and peripheral investigations of EPA outside adviser James Sanderson and the EPA Inspector General.
The series contains mostly White House and Department of Justice material. There is a small amount of Environmental Protection Agency material mostly from the General Counsel Robert Perry and a small amount of photocopies of EPA internal documents. For a fuller amount of EPA material and a specific document list please see Subseries B.
SUBSERIES B: INVESTIGATION OF DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ROLE IN THE CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. 1984-1988. ( l.ft.Box 18-)
As public testimony before various House committees by Reagan Administration officials was concluding (see Subseries A), the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Peter Rodino signaled his intent to further inquire about the Department of Justice’s handling of Superfund documents. Rodino began a series of letters to the Attorney General William French Smith seeking documents about the decision making process advising President Reagan to assert executive privilege on 35 EPA documents. These inquiries continued for two years and in March 1983 Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel Theodore (Ted) Olson testified before the Committee. This testimony was later used to fuel a full House Judiciary Committee investigation and a further Independent Counsel investigation.
In 1984, the House Judiciary Committee launched a full investigation of the role of the Justice Department in the 1982-1983 Congressional investigation of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Committee published its conclusions in a December 1985 report that accused Justice Department attorneys, particularly Ted Olson and Edward Schmults, of deliberately obstructing the investigation of the EPA. Allegations included providing misleading reports and testimony, withholding incriminating material, and advising the President to make a claim of Executive privilege despite doubts about the sustainability of such a claim. The Committee recommended the Attorney General appoint an Independent Counsel to investigate possible criminal conduct including perjury and obstruction of justice.
Following the Committee report, the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section began its own review of the matter. They released their finding in April 1986 and identified cases of misconduct by four Reagan Administration officials: Edward Schmults, Ted Olson, Carol Dinkins and Deputy White House Counsel Richard Hauser. The Office recommended the Attorney General appoint an Independent Counsel to review the broad scope of actions and events rather than a specific narrow investigation.
The Attorney General, now Edwin Meese, appointed William Weld, then U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts to do an independent review of the entire matter. On April 4, 1986, Weld also recommended an independent counsel to investigate the actions of Schmults and Olson.
Meese chose to overrule most of the outside advice on the matter and limit the investigation. He appointed an Independent Counsel, James McKay, in April 1986. McKay was asked to determine whether former Justice Department attorney Theodore Olson had obstructed the 1982-83 investigation of the EPA. When McKay resigned after a month, he was succeeded by his deputy, Alexia J. Morrison. Alexia Morrison was the Securities and Exchange Commission’s enforcement chief and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Morrison attempted to return to the initial recommendations and expand the investigation. But the D.C. Circuit Court upheld the authority of Attorney General Edwin Meese III to limit the investigation to the charges against Olson. Morrison then issued subpoenas to Olson and two other former Justice Department attorneys, who responded by challenging the Independent Counsel law in court. In June 1988 the Supreme Court, ruling in the case Morrison v. Olson, upheld the constitutionality of the Independent Counsel. In August 1988 Morrison issued her final report on the investigation, and announced in a press statement that she would not seek charges against Olson. She noted that testimony of Olson before Congress on March 10, 1983 “did not constitute a prosecutable offense because it was literally true, even if potentially misleading…”
This series consists of material gathered in response to the 1984 House Judiciary Committee investigation and the three year investigation of Ted Olson and the Department of Justice by Independent Counsel Alexia Morrison. The material is arranged in a roughly chronological order as the investigation was ongoing. It begins with a series of letters from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Peter Rodino, dated as early as March 1983. The series also includes an item-by-item document folders provided to the House Judiciary Committee in 1984 and notes of meetings with investigators from that committee. This is followed by the full report from the House Committee dated December 11, 1985.
The remainder of the series consists of material related to documents provided the Independent Counsel in November1986 and April 1987. The White House Office of Records Management assisted with the production of documents for the April 1987 request and provided the material by subject of the request. Photocopies of most of the material provided to the Independent Counsel was returned to the Counsel’s Office in June 1987. These documents contain a numbering system from the Independent Counsel’s office. In addition, the series contains the final production of documents and assistance provided to Independent Counsel Morrision in 1988 as she was completing her final report.
Since the investigation is about events in 1981-1983, most of the Reagan Administration documents in this series date from that time. They are, in fact, a fuller set of material regarding the 1982-1983 investigation including more EPA work product than is found in Subseries A. The series contains no records of the Independent Counsel.
Attorney Peter J. Rusthoven worked with the House Judiciary investigation. Attornies Jay B. Stephens, C. Christopher Cox, Patricia Mack Bryan and Benedict Cohen coordinated the production of material for the Independent Counsel.
Subseries A: Congressional Investigation of the Environmental Protection Agency, 1982-
SUBSERIES B: Investigation of Department of Justice Role in the Congressional
SERIES IV: Edwin Meese Investigation, 1984-1986
Michael K. Deaver was a long-time associate and personal friend to President Ronald Reagan and close confidente of First Lady Nancy Reagan. He first worked with the Reagans as a Republican Party official in California in the 1960s. He worked for then Governor Reagan in both gubernatorial administrations. He helped run the unsuccessful 1976 Reagan presidential bid, and the successful 1980 campaign. Once Reagan took office, Deaver was given the post of Deputy Chief of Staff, a position created for him, and he served in this position from 1981-March 1985.
After leaving the White House in 1985, Deaver formed a lobbying and public relations firm, Michael K. Deaver and Associates. Quick success followed with clients such as the governments of Canada (particularly acid rain issues), South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. His clients also included TWA, Phillip Morris, and Smith, Barney, Harris & Upham Co. Deaver continued to have wide access to the White House. He retained his White House pass, his access to the White House tennis courts and continued to receive the President’s confidential daily schedule.
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 states that a former government employee is forbidden from lobbying any Administration colleagues for a full two years after he or she has left their government post. Deaver was immediately suspected of violating this Act. A high-profile Time magazine cover story on his influence peddling in 1986 only made speculation worse. Congress began investigations and heard testimony from Deaver. Deaver readily agreed with Congressman John Dingell’s (D-Mich.) call for an independent counsel investigation. The Independent Counsel Act was invoked in May 1986, and Whitney North Seymour was appointed to investigate. Deaver cooperated throughout the investigation and willingly gave testimony to Congress and a grand jury.
In March of 1987, Deaver was indicted on five counts of perjury, for lying in Congressional and grand jury testimony. The indictment focused on his testimony regarding his representation of Canada (acid rain issues), South Korea, TWA, Smith Barney and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. A seven week trial followed sometime after the indictment. Deaver and his attorneys were so confident in his stated innocence and the weakness of the government’s case no witnesses were called for the defense. In December 1987, after a 27 hour deliberation, the jury convicted Deaver on three counts of perjury. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison, a $100,000 fine and 1500 hours of community service. Deaver’s prison sentence was converted to a three year probation.
President Reagan notes in his personal diary that he considered pardoning Deaver at the very end of his Administration, but Deaver did not want the pardon.
This series consists of material regarding the production of documents for Independent Counsel and Deaver’s attorneys for the investigation and trial of Michael K. Deaver. The material includes receipts from the Independent Counsel, letters and notes from the Independent Counsel; requests from the White House Counsel Office to other White House offices and staff for contacts with Mike Deaver; and photocopies of documents with requests for declassification of material for trial use. The photocopies of White House documents provided is mainly focused on several subjects including Canada and the acid rain issue and contacts on behalf of South Korea and contacts with the President.
The White House Office of Records Management noted within some of the material that the FBI often asked the White House for documents on very broad, vague topics which were difficult to fulfill. The White House asked for more specificity but received very little. Material was often gathered on these vague requests, and much of it was never collected by the FBI. Material within the 14 folders on Deaver’s involvement with trade issues consists largely of material never used by the Independent Counsel. The National Security Council retained a box with original documents on relations with Canada and the box was noted as material gathered for the Deaver investigation. The Library retained these originals within National Security Council collections and made a photocopy for this collection (Box 30: [Canada-Deaver Investigation] (1)-(6) and [Canada-Deaver Investigation] Visit of Prime Minister Trudeau, 07/10/1981 (1)-(3).
White House Counsel staff attorneys C. Christopher Cox and Jay B. Stephens coordinated the Deaver investigation for the White House, producing documents for the Independent Counsel. Both of these collections contain a Deaver investigation series although the Stephens material is much more extensive than Cox. Both series are open and available for research use.
The material within this series is arranged in roughly chronological order of the investigation and trial.
SERIES V: MICHAEL K. DEAVER INVESTIGATION
On February 2, 1987, Independent Counsel James C. McKay was appointed to investigate allegations that Franklyn (Lyn) Nofziger had violated the Ethics in Government Act by lobbying former Administration colleagues on behalf of various clients before legally allowed. This Act forbids former White House employees from lobbying members of the administration until a full year has elapsed since their departure.
The clients named in the Independent Counsel appointment were the Wedtech Corporation, a New York City-based firm formerly known as Welbilt Electronic Die Corporation and Comet Rice, Inc., a California rice company contracting with the South Korean government. The investigation was later expanded to include Nofziger’s clients Fairchild Industries (re: the A10 aircraft), and the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association.
Prior to the appointment of the Independent Counsel, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District, New York (Rudy Guiliani) had an ongoing criminal investigation of the Wedtech/Welbilt Corporation. Wedtech had been over-billing the federal government on various military and SBA contracts. There was also a question of misrepresenting themselves as a “minority” owned business through fraudulent stock certificates and questions about payments of bribes to various officials. Questions about Nofziger’s behavior arose from this investigation.
In July 1987, a grand jury indicted Nofziger and his associate Mark Bragg on conflict-of-interest charges. Nofziger was convicted in February 1988 while Bragg was acquitted. A federal appeals court, focusing on the use of the word “knowingly” in the Ethics statute, reversed the conviction of Nofziger in 1989.
In the continuing course of the investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Independent Counsel, ethical and legal issues were raised about the conduct of Attorney General Edwin Meese III. Investigators focused on E. Robert Wallach, a personal friend of Attorney General Edwin Meese III, and his relationship to Wedtech. Wallach was paid over $1.5 million by Wedtech for what he claimed were legal fees and advice. Since no documentation of this legal advice could be found, the U.S. Attorney’s office viewed it as influence peddling and bribes for access to Mr Meese’s “eyes and ears.”
Subsequently, in May 1987, the Independent Counsel’s investigation was broadened to include allegations of Meese’s possible illegal involvement with Wedtech via Wallach. The Independent Counsel went on to investigate several additional allegations against Meese, including: a proposed Iraq-to-Jordan oil pipeline (a Wallach specific request); possible conflicts of interest in his involvement with telecommunications policy while owning telephone (Baby Bells) company stock; and issues regarding the funding of Mrs. Meese’s job, and the Meeses’ tax returns.
On two occasions, McKay decided not to indict Meese. In November 1987, he reported that there would be no criminal charges regarding the Wedtech Corporation and in April 1988 he reported there would be no indictment regarding the Aqaba pipeline project and the “Baby Bells.” McKay was unable to acquire testimony from crucial witnesses, all pleading their fifth amendment rights. McKay had no inclination to grant them immunity as this would interfere with the U.S. Attorney’s case. As McKay reported, “It was the considered judgment of the Independent Counsel and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York that continuation of the New York “Wedtech” investigation best served the ends of justice.
In July 1988, the Independent Counsel’s final report on the Wedtech investigation heavily criticized several aspects of Meese’s conduct, but stopped short of charging him with any crimes. Meese declared the report was a vindication of his actions. Shortly after the release of the report,
Meese resigned as Attorney General.
The Wedtech investigations conducted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and eventually the New York City District Attorney’s office led to the criminal convictions of several people in the New York area. These included Wedtech’s leaders, some local politicians, and two U.S. Congressmen – on racketeering and other charges. The White House continued to be involved with this investigation providing documents and depositions of White House staff.
These investigation records include both the investigation of former Assistant to the President for Political Affairs Franklyn Nofziger, Attorney General Edwin Meese III, and the ongoing U.S. Attorney General’s case against Wedtech and peripheral individuals. It appears the White House Counsel’s office treated them as related and filed the material together. It would be nearly impossible at this point to separate these three investigations. We have tried to arrange material in a somewhat chronological manner, but this had to be done, literally folder by folder. Where a folder title was general we have tried to add further identifying information.
This series consists of three subseries: Subseries A: Subject File I, 1986-1988; Subseries B: Subject File II, 1986-1988 and Subseries C: Documents Provided.
Subseries A: This subseries consists of material regarding the work material regarding the production of documents for Independent Counsel and for the investigation of Lyn Nofziger and Edwin Meese and the trial of Lyn Nofziger. The material includes receipts from the Independent Counsel, letters and notes from the Independent Counsel; requests from the White House Counsel Office to other White House offices and staff for contacts with Mike Deaver; and photocopies of documents with requests for declassification of material for trial use. The photocopies of White House documents provided is mainly focused on several subjects including Canada and the acid rain issue and contacts on behalf of South Korea and contacts with the President.
SERIES VI: LYN NOFZIGER/WEDTECH/EDWIN MEESE INDEPENDENT
ft.; CFOAs 1169-1173)
Lawrence Walsh was appointed Independent Counsel in 1987 to investigate the Iran-Contra Affair. In 1986, members of the Reagan National Security Council illegally sold arms to Iran in the hope that Iran would put pressure on terrorist groups holding American hostages in Lebanon to release them. In addition, funds received from the sale of the arms were illegally transferred to support the Contra fighters against the Nicaraguan Sandinista government.
As a result of Walsh’s investigation the following Reagan administration individuals were indicted and convicted (usually on the charge of withholding information or lying to Congress): National Security staff member Oliver North, National Security Advisors Robert McFarlane and John Poindexter, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Elliott Abrams of the State Department and Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers and Clair George of the Central Intelligence Agency. North and Poindexter had their convictions overturned on appeal when the courts upheld violation of their Fifth Amendment rights. The remaining individuals were pardoned by President George H.W. Bush.
The majority of the material within this series consists of document requests from Congress and subsequent production of these documents for the Independent Counsel. There are a small amount of subject files. A few select folders within this series are available for research, although the series is unarranged.
The White House also created a White House Legal Task Force to work with the Department of Justice on their own investigation of the Iran-Contra Affair. This collection is much larger than this series and is a separate collection at the Library.
SERIES VI: THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL INVESTIGATION RE: IRAN/CONTRA, 1987-1989