Changes

==Investigating Mena==

==Investigating Mena==

United States Representative Bill Alexander, representing the 1st District of Arkansas, and Arkansas Secretary of State Winston Bryant flew to Washington to deliver evidence to Lawrence Walsh, special prosecutor for the Iran-Contra investigation, and told Walsh there was absolutely an Iran-Contra connection with Mena, Arkansas. Later the congressman said the Feds dropped the ball and covered it up.

United States Representative Bill Alexander, representing the 1st District of Arkansas, and Arkansas Secretary of State Winston Bryant flew to Washington to deliver evidence to Lawrence Walsh, special prosecutor for the [[Iran-Contra]] investigation, and told Walsh there was absolutely an Iran-Contra connection with Mena, Arkansas. Later the congressman said the Feds dropped the ball and covered it up.

When asked about it in 1991, Governor [[Bill Clinton]] claimed he authorized financial help for a grand jury investigation. He said his office dropped off the entire investigative file to a congressional committee. However Charles Black, the Polk County prosecutor, publicly disputed the Clinton's recollection regarding an offer of financial help. Black said he asked for financial help, but the Clinton's office never followed up on the offer.

When asked about it in 1991, Governor [[Bill Clinton]] claimed he authorized financial help for a grand jury investigation. He said his office dropped off the entire investigative file to a congressional committee. However Charles Black, the Polk County prosecutor, publicly disputed the Clinton's recollection regarding an offer of financial help. Black said he asked for financial help, but the Clinton's office never followed up on the offer.

''The Clinton Chronicles'' documented the Mena airport as the command post of the biggest drug-smuggling operation in the [[United States]] importing $100 million per month in cocaine.<ref>https://youtu.be/vKdPaQnZ1DA </ref> It alleged that much of that money had been laundered through the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA), a bonding agency that Bill Clinton created to help small businesses get started. The video and Mara Leveritt's 1999 book, ''The Boys on the Tracks'' discussed that Bill Clinton's half-brother, Roger Clinton, and his bond dealer friend Dan Lasater had gone to prison for cocaine. Richard Garrett had stated on ''Unsolved Mysteries'', a television program which taped informational segments regarding the boys' on the tracks beginning in 1988,<ref>http://unsolved.com/archives/don-henry-kevin-ives </ref> that Saline County and Central Arkansas were overrun with drug-trafficking at a high level that extended to other counties and other states.

''The Clinton Chronicles'' documented the Mena airport as the command post of the biggest drug-smuggling operation in the [[United States]] importing $100 million per month in cocaine.<ref>https://youtu.be/vKdPaQnZ1DA </ref> It alleged that much of that money had been laundered through the [[Arkansas Development Finance Authority]] (ADFA), a bonding agency that Bill Clinton created to help small businesses get started. The video and Mara Leveritt's 1999 book, ''The Boys on the Tracks'' discussed that Bill Clinton's half-brother, Roger Clinton, and his bond dealer friend [[Dan Lasater]] had gone to prison for [[cocaine]]. Richard Garrett had stated on ''Unsolved Mysteries'', a television program which taped informational segments regarding the boys' on the tracks beginning in 1988,<ref>http://unsolved.com/archives/don-henry-kevin-ives </ref> that Saline County and Central Arkansas were overrun with drug-trafficking at a high level that extended to other counties and other states.

Leveritt also reported that Jack Blum, an investigator for John Kerry's subcommittee probing the Contra drug-smugglers, said that "The Justice Department flipped out to prevent us from getting access to people, records-anything that would help us find out about it." Blum also says the FBI denied the very existence of records relating to Mena. Blum said he uncovered a  

Leveritt also reported that Jack Blum, an investigator for [[John Kerry]]'s subcommittee probing the Contra drug-smugglers, said that "The [[Justice Department]] flipped out to prevent us from getting access to people, records-anything that would help us find out about it." Blum also says the [[FBI]] denied the very existence of records relating to Mena. Blum said he uncovered a procedure which was particularly troubling because people would call the customs office in [[Miami]] and say, "Stand down, flights are going out, flights are coming in", and then the customs inspections would be stopped. Blum also said that officials at the Justice Department told US Attorneys "not to talk to us or give us paper."

procedure which was particularly troubling because people would call the customs office in Miami and say, "Stand down, flights are going out, flights are coming in", and then the customs inspections would be stopped. Blum also said that officials at the [[Justice Department]] told US Attorneys "not to talk to us or give us paper."

In March 1998, the ''[[Washington Post]]'' quoted the CIA inspector general, Frederick Hitz, that dozens of people and companies connected to the Contra program were involved in drug trafficking. The report also said that there was an agreement in 1982, between the Attorney General and the CIA, that agency officers were not required to report allegations of drug trafficking involving non-employees, defined as paid and non-paid assets, pilots who ferried supplies to Contras, as well as Contra officials and others.

In March 1998, the ''[[Washington Post]]'' quoted the CIA inspector general, Frederick Hitz, that dozens of people and companies connected to the Contra program were involved in drug trafficking. The report also said that there was an agreement in 1982, between the [[Attorney General]] and the [[CIA]], that agency officers were not required to report allegations of drug trafficking involving non-employees, defined as paid and non-paid assets, pilots who ferried supplies to Contras, as well as Contra officials and others.

===The boys on the tracks===

===The boys on the tracks===

A federal investigation was begun, but the Assistant United States Attorney, Bob Govar, reported that the FBI and DEA did not seem interested and did not furnish much help. Other reports in the state police file revealed that residents had complained about frequent low-flying planes in the area around the tracks.

A federal investigation was begun, but the Assistant United States Attorney, Bob Govar, reported that the FBI and DEA did not seem interested and did not furnish much help. Other reports in the state police file revealed that residents had complained about frequent low-flying planes in the area around the tracks.

In September 1995, agent William Temple of the FBI office in Little Rock told Linda Ives and her husband that it might be time for her to consider that a crime was not committed although the FBI had been working for two years on the case through its agent, Phyllis Coman.

In September 1995, agent William Temple of the FBI office in [[Little Rock]] told Linda Ives and her husband that it might be time for her to consider that a crime was not committed although the FBI had been working for two years on the case through its agent, Phyllis Coman.

In March 1996, the documentary, ''Obstruction of Justice'',<ref>https://youtu.be/965M_9BCYsw </ref> was released about the investigation into the murders and Dan Harmon's activities. John Brown, a former Saline county detective on the video, made the link between drug corruption in Saline County and drug corruption at Mena which began when Russell Welch, the Arkansas State police investigator in Mena, gave him a statement made by a confidential informant in federal prison which said the boys were killed because of the drug activity they had discovered and it was connected to the drug enterprise headquartered at Mena. The video explained what was known about Barry Seal and his use of airplanes to distribute cocaine. Brown told of reports he had found in the Saline County Sheriffs office dating back to 1987 and 1988 of residents living there where the boys' bodies were found complaining of planes flying over the tracks at 100 feet above ground level with their lights out.

In March 1996, the documentary, ''Obstruction of Justice'',<ref>https://youtu.be/965M_9BCYsw </ref> was released about the investigation into the murders and Dan Harmon's activities. John Brown, a former Saline county detective on the video, made the link between drug corruption in Saline County and drug corruption at Mena which began when Russell Welch, the Arkansas State police investigator in Mena, gave him a statement made by a confidential informant in federal prison which said the boys were killed because of the drug activity they had discovered and it was connected to the drug enterprise headquartered at Mena. The video explained what was known about Barry Seal and his use of airplanes to distribute cocaine. Brown told of reports he had found in the Saline County Sheriffs office dating back to 1987 and 1988 of residents living there where the boys' bodies were found complaining of planes flying over the tracks at 100 feet above ground level with their lights out.