1980 Election

I wholeheartedly support Lou Cannon’s conclusion that allegations about secret deals between U.S. politicos and Iran prior to the elections of 1980 be thoroughly and impartially investigated by the Congress (“Carter Should Check His Own Campaign Record,” Commentary, May 13).

The evidence in the case has been building for several years and reached a certain “critical mass” in the investigation by former National Security Council official Gary Sick and the evidence of the recent public TV documentary on “Frontline.”

Cannon is correct that the charges in the case are “so insidious at a time when American confidence in the political process is justifiably low, that it is dangerous not to deal with them.” Assuming that we wish to preserve the spirit and reality of democratic governance in this country, it is essential to preserve the public’s right to know.

We are living in hard times in which for one reason or another half of the eligible electorate has opted to avoid the polls. Why is this, and what does it say about our form of representative government? Could it be that we will finally lose our heritage in a whimper of political cynicism because we were afraid to face the truth about our society and our leadership?

Bring on the hearings!

JAMES E. SCHRIDER

Executive Director

Christic Institute

Los Angeles