On Sunday, May 17, 1987...
Illustration
On Sunday, May 17, 1987, White House Chief of Staff Howard Baker, Jr., appeared on NBC-TV's "Meet the Press" and stated flatly that the Boland Amendment does not apply to President Reagan in his dealings with the Contras. The Boland Amendment bans direct or indirect miliary aid to the Nicaraguan Contra rebels.
The question of whether or not the President had violated any laws came up when it became known that money from the sale of arms to Iran had been diverted to the Contras. Asked whether any of Colonel Oliver North's activities would have violated the Boland Amendment, Baker replied, “I cannot tell you that. All I can tell you is that it does not apply to the President. The President has done nothing illegal.”
At this writing it is not known whether the President has done anything illegal; but the principle of anyone, even a national leader, standing above the law of the land inevitably leads to controversy, if not outright wrongdoing.
King David committed adultery, then arranged for the murder of the woman's husband. The only explanation is that he thought himself exempt from the laws of God, as well as the law of the land.
- Raabe
The question of whether or not the President had violated any laws came up when it became known that money from the sale of arms to Iran had been diverted to the Contras. Asked whether any of Colonel Oliver North's activities would have violated the Boland Amendment, Baker replied, “I cannot tell you that. All I can tell you is that it does not apply to the President. The President has done nothing illegal.”
At this writing it is not known whether the President has done anything illegal; but the principle of anyone, even a national leader, standing above the law of the land inevitably leads to controversy, if not outright wrongdoing.
King David committed adultery, then arranged for the murder of the woman's husband. The only explanation is that he thought himself exempt from the laws of God, as well as the law of the land.
- Raabe
