From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (misc.activism.progressive Auto-Poster)
Subject: THE OCTOBER SURPRISE: Feb '92: House Will Probe October Surpise
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: misc.activism.progressive on UseNet ; ACTIV-L@UMCVMB
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 06:21:20 GMT


    The task force will be chaired by Rep. Lee Hamilton, Democrat of
    Indiana [...] Hamilton has been criticized for his role in the
    Iran-contra investigation, which ignored evidence of then Vice
    President Bush's direct role in the smuggling of weapons to the
    contras.  Congressional ``moderates'' may attempt similar damage
    control in this investigation-

[From PeaceNet's oct.surprise confernece]
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/* Written  2:41 pm  Feb 25, 1992 by christic in cdp:christic.news */ 
/* ---------- "HOUSE WILL PROBE OCTOBER SURPRISE" ---------- */ 
******************************************************************

HOUSE WILL INVESTIGATE `OCTOBER SURPRISE': YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! 


Christic Institute, Monday, Feb. 24, 1992 

On Feb. 5 the House of Representatives decided Congress will 
investigate allegations that the Reagan-Bush campaign negotiated 
secretly with Iran to keep U.S. hostages in captivity until the 
1980 Presidential election. 

The resolution adopted by the House establishes a 13-member ``task 
force to investigate certain allegations concerning the holding of 
Americans as hostages by Iran in 1980.'' The task force will be 
chaired by Rep. Lee Hamilton, Democrat of Indiana, who also co- 
chaired the joint Congressional investigation of the Iran-contra 
scandal. House Democrats voted down an amendment by Minority 
Leader Robert Michel, Republican of Illinois, to limit the 
investigation to six months and a budget of $300,000. 

Calling the vote ``a rare victory for democracy,'' the weekly In 
These Times reported on Feb. 12 that ``[t]here is no time limit 
and no limit on expenses, which the Congressional Budget Office 
estimates will range from $1.2 million to $2.5 million.'' 

Hamilton has been criticized for his role in the Iran-contra 
investigation, which ignored evidence of then Vice President 
Bush's direct role in the smuggling of weapons to the contras. 
Congressional ``moderates'' may attempt similar damage control in 
this investigation--unless citizens pressure members of the task 
force to expose the full scope of the scandal, even if it leads 
beyond the now-deceased Reagan-Bush campaign chair, William Casey, 
to implicate President Bush or other senior officials. 

The names and phone numbers of the task force members are listed 
at the end of this article. 

The investigation will center on allegations that Casey and other 
campaign officials met with representatives of the Ayatollah 
Khomeini to prevent an ``October Surprise''--the release of the 
hostages before the November 1980 election as the result of 
successful negotiations by the Carter Administration. The 
allegations were widely ridiculed as a conspiracy theory before 
Gary Sick, a former senior national security aide in the Carter 
Administration, concluded that the evidence pointed to a secret 
deal between the Reagan-Bush campaign and the Iranians.  

In January, 15 former hostages demanded a Congressional 
investigation of the charges. In an open letter to the House and 
Senate leadership they wrote that ``these questions can only be 
settled finally by the U.S. Congress.'' The former hostages also 
denounced ``attempts to vilify those who have done preliminary 
research''--a probable reference to attempts by President Bush's 
supporters and some reporters to smear Mr. Sick's reputation. 

The Christic Institute recommends the following actions to 
citizens who want to hold the October Surprise task force 
accountable: 

1. Write or call the Congressional leadership and task force 
members (listed below) and ask them to assure that the 
investigation seeks to uncover the entire truth. Tell them that 
the legitimacy of our democratic process and our Constitution is 
at stake. 

2. Order October Surprise resources to inform and educate your 
community about this controversy. The Christic Institute has 
produced a detailed and comprehensive video featuring Gary Sick, 
former U.S. hostages and other experts ($20), plus an education 
and outreach packet including press clips, congressional 
transcripts, book excerpts and organizing materials ($8). The 
Institute also sells Gary Sick's new book ($23) and a compelling 
audio tape produced by the Other Americas Radio ($10). Add $2.50 
for shipping. All materials can be ordered from the Christic 
Institute Resource Center, 1324 North Capitol Street, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20002, phone (202) 797-8106. We will be happy to 
mail you our resource catalogue at your request. 

3. Reach and mobilize your entire community by urging your local 
public access cable channel to schedule the October Surprise video 
and by showing the video to friends and colleagues in your home, 
union hall or place of worship. A home video party packet is 
available for just $3 and contains all the tools you need to 
organize and publicize the event. 

4. Contact your local PBS affiliate and ask that it rebroadcast 
the Frontline special on the October Surprise titled ``An Election 
Held Hostage.'' 

All members of Congress can be reached through the Congressional 
switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or by writing: 

                          The Hon. (Name) 
                   U.S. House of Representatives 
                      Washington, D.C. 20515 

Rep. Tom Foley 
Speaker of the House of Representatives 

Sen. George Mitchell 
Senate Majority Leader 

Members of the October Surprise task force: 

Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.), chair       225-5315 
Stephen Solarz (D-N.Y.)            225-2361 
Sam Gejdenson (D-Conn.)            225-2076 
Mervyn Dymally (D-Calif.)          225-5425 
Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.)         225-5061 
Howard Berman (D-Calif.)           225-4695 
Edward Feighan (D-Ohio)            225-5731 
Ted Weiss (D-N.Y.)                 225-5635 
Henry Hyde (R-Ill.)                225-4561 
Jim Leach (R-Iowa)                 225-6576 
Olympia Snowe (R-Me.)              225-6306 
Doug Bereuter (R-Neb.)             225-4806 
Porter Goss (R-Fla.)               225-2536 

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