Tower Commission

Categories: United States politics stubs

Commissioned on November 26 1986 by President Reagan, the Tower Commission was in response to the Iran Contra scandal. Taking effect on December 1, Reagan appointed: Senator John Tower, former Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft.

Previous to the commission's findings Reagan had declined any knowledge of the scandal when it had occurred. However, the Tower Commission uncovered undeniable evidence of his envolvement in the scandal. Nevertheless, Reagan survived the scandal.

Oliver North, John Poindexter, Caspar Weinberger, and others were also implicated.

A major result of the Tower Commission was the concensus that Reagan should have listened to his National Security Advisor more, thereby placing more power in the hands of that chair. The National Security Advisor was to be seen as a "honest broker" and not someone who would use their position to further their political agenda.