CIA Director’s Town Hall on Coke Trafficking and Distributing in the US (1996 CSPAN video) 1:29:31

Back in 1996 the acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency , John Deutch sits down to field some questions from the concerned citizenry. Around question 9 or 10, one of Freeway Rick Ross’s accomplices takes the mic and asks one as well. This video clocks in at an hour and a half so it isnt a quick watch.

Quite a few Chapos by nature of their political views will know about Iran-Contra, Rick Ross and the ‘ready rock’ epidemic that rolled through the US in the 80’s/90’s. Those of you younger Chapos should spend some time seeing exactly how far this shit goes….

It involves Reagan, Ollie North, then-Governor Bill Clinton and his home state of Arkansas, former students of the School of the Americas (another rabbit hole worth the deep dive all on its very own, if youre unaware) the CIA, the countries of Iran, Nicaragua, Bush Sr, paramilitary groups in the jungles of Latin America, world renowned racing boat drivers, and millions of poor men and women, the vast majority people of color (Latin, and Black specifically), all across the United States. The journalist who sorta pieced all of this togethr well after the fact died from two gunshot wounds to the head. Supposedly suicide.

I used to have to watch CSPAN for US History (I was a junior in HS when this was recorded) and remember other students talking about this in class. I think this was one of the things that sowed the first seeds of distrust in the government that up until then I had never once questioned. This is one of the few times ive heard a F-bomb dropped on CSPAN.

This video shows the man running the US CIA flat out denying complicity, denying responsibility, lying to a worried public.

Ive been mulling over doing a megathread of sorts for a day significant to something in this whole shit-show. I have a fair bit of knowledge on the whole thing just because its been a subject that has held my attention for so fucking long.

Anyway, there are some CSPAN clips concerning this whole thing. Lots of interviews available of Rick Ross (not the shitty rapper who stole his name) talking about his relationship with Danilo Blandon, who was called before the US Govt and interviewed by John Kerry (which is also available on CSPAN).

There are tons of video essays, thought pieces and the like about the whole debacle. Personally, my favorite take on the subject is from Michael S Judge of “Death Is Just Around The Corner”, who did a 3 or 4 part podcast on the whole thing, and goes into lots of depth, lots of background about it all. Its really worth the listen, IMO.

ETA - MSJ podcast here