‘Ultra-Feminists’ Rule Politics, North Charges
NEW YORK — Senate candidate and Iran-Contra scandal figure Oliver L. North on Sunday charged that an “arrogant army of ultra-feminists” dominates U.S. politics.
North, who is campaigning for the GOP nomination in Virginia, also said any President has a right to conceal covert actions from Congress.
Interviewed on CBS-TV’s “Face the Nation,” North acknowledged that one of his fund-raising letters said an “arrogant army of ultra-feminists opposed to traditional values has captured the political process with little or no effective political opposition.”
Pressed to identify these “ultra-feminists,” he gave no names but said: “I would suggest to you that there are people appointed in this Administration who do not represent traditional family values.”
The former member of President Ronald Reagan’s National Security Council staff acknowledged that he had lied to members of the House Intelligence Committee who were inquiring in 1986 about reports that he was involved with assisting the Nicaraguan Contras.
North denied to the lawmakers that he was assisting the rebels when in fact he was running a clandestine operation to keep the Contras supplied with weapons during a congressional ban on U.S. military assistance. Funds for the weapons came from the sale of arms to Iran in an attempt to get U.S. hostages in Lebanon released.
North said he would not oppose any similar secret Clinton Administration bid to go behind Congress’ back to get aid for, for example, Russia.
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