No Evidence Found of Contra Drug Trafficking, Congressional Probe Says
A review of the Nicaraguan rebels’ financial records, income tax returns and other documents failed to turn up evidence of drug trafficking, congressional investigators concluded in a memo released today.
The memo, written by Robert A. Bermingham on July 23, suggested that the House Iran- contra committees drop further investigation of the drug trafficking allegations, noting also that other panels were pursuing them.
“It is felt that additional investigation of these allegations is unwarranted in view of the negative results to date, the questionable reliability of the accusers” and the existence of other probes, Bermingham wrote Rep. Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.), chairman of the House panel. Bermingham said that Lawrence E. Walsh, the independent counsel in the Iran-contra case, as well as subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Judiciary Committee were looking into the charges.
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