On July 23, Janet Reno finally released the report completed last December by her Inspector General, Michael Bromwich. For a number of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that Bromwich had prosecuted Oliver North, hopes had run high that the report would be honest. Those hopes were dashed in dialogue which was disparaging and basically even more hostile than that offered up by CIA in Volume One of it's own investigation.

I remain the only available witness capable of credibly testifying to witnessing, first-hand, a CIA agent ordering and facilitating the movement of drugs and weapons. That CIA agent was, at one time, my fiancée.

My evidence is supported by what the DoJ report admits exists, a detailed statement given to the FBI in 1978 which predates by one year, closed door hearings conducted by a Senate Subcommittee looking into the guns-for-drugs trade which contained an near perfect item-by-item match with my FBI complaint. In addition I was denied release of a CIA memorandum, written in response to letters I wrote describing my observations of CIA operations, on grounds of National Security. That document will soon be sought in Federal Court.

For the rest of my observations on the DoJ report the following letters speak for themselves.

August 5, 1998

The Attorney General Janet Reno
514-2001
10^th & Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530

Dear Attorney General Reno:

I am referenced in Chapter Four of Michael Bromwich's report entitled "The CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy: A Review of the Justice Department's Investigations and Prosecutions" dated December, 1997.

While I believe the report to be flawed, inconsistent and inaccurate in many areas I am writing you now to address some specific points in that report's discussion of me and my allegations. Because of the wording in that report, specifically as it pertains to previous discussions between myself and former Federal Public Defender John Mattes, it is difficult to ascertain whether or not the IG's office misrepresented my statements when it interviewed Mattes regarding my allegations. It is however, quite a simple process to substantiate that Mattes did, in fact, make the statements I attribute to him - and then some.

That this bears on the accuracy and honesty of the IG's report is clear from the fact that Mattes, in his dealings with Jeff Feldman and Leon Kelner generated large amounts of relevant paperwork in his defense of Jesus Garcia. That paperwork, as indicated by Matte's work on the Kerry subcommittee, and in a multitude of subsequent public appearances confirms my allegations as to his statements and their context. It is inconceivable that the Inspector General failed to locate this paperwork.

I have enclosed a copy of a letter I mailed to Mr. Mattes today which clearly demonstrates that he said the things which I said he did. Insofar as that is the case then Mr. Bromwich's investigation is flawed and inaccurate.

Further, and increasing my suspicion that your Department had deliberately misled the American public, is the fact that Mr. Bromwich states that he was unable to locate retired DEA Supervisory Special Agent Ed Heath. Heath is currently a significant part of an article in the Washington Times Magazine - Insight, which can be viewed on the Internet at www.insightmag.com. I find it difficult to believe that your Inspector General, with all of the vast resources of your department, cannot locate a DEA agent who is receiving a pension.

The substance of my conversation with Ed Heath in 1994 had to do with my investigative report on Albert Vincent Carone who was Oliver North's "bagman" during the Contra years. Carone's operations for CIA also tied directly into the death of DEA agent Kiki Camarena.

With respect to the alleged denials on the part of other DoJ employees of the particulars of our conversations I emphatically repeat my assertions, as stated, and I reaffirm the content of statements I made to FBI SA Stan Curry in Los Angeles in 1978. Factual assertions of that statement were corroborated in hearings before the Senate Subcommittee on Improvements in Judicial Machinery one year after I made them in 1979.

I have expressed these objections to the Honorable Maxine Waters and to the intelligence committees of both houses.

The Inspector General's report constitutes an enormous disservice to the American people and to the truth as a whole.

Sincerely,

Michael C. Ruppert

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August 4, 1998

Mr. John Mattes
2600 Douglas Rd.
Douglas Center - Suite 1108
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Dear John:

I need your help in solving a mystery. As you know the Department of Justice recently released its Inspector General report of investigation into allegations of Contra and CIA involvement in drug trafficking arising out of stories in the San Jose Mercury News. That report, signed by Michael Bromwich, almost unilaterally found no DoJ knowledge or evidence of CIA involvement in drug trafficking during the contra era.

In particular, the report addressed allegations and statements made by me to Office of the Inspector General investigators after my confrontation with DCI John Deutch in November 1996. In those statements, when I was asked whether I knew any past or present DoJ employees with knowledge of CIA involvement in drug trafficking and Department of Justice awareness of same I, of course, gave them your name.

In order to simplify the mystery I will quote what the DoJ report (Chapter 4, page 9) says that I said. It is substantially accurate - at least as reported there, although I do not recall saying that your home was burglarized. But I do recall clearly that you had expressed concerns for your safety and that of your family. I did absolutely say that you were threatened and intimidated. I have no idea what they told you that I said before soliciting your reaction, which is the first part of the mystery. I also specifically said that I did not have my notes present and that DoJ should clarify any questioned points with you. However, as you will see, my statement was surprisingly accurate.

The IG reports states, "John Mattes was a federal defender assigned to defend Jesus Garcia on a weapons charge in Miami in 1985 resulting from Garcia's involvement in running guns to the Contras. According to Ruppert, Garcia had told Mattes about his involvement with the CIA, and Mattes himself had been in houses where weapons were stored 'within hours of the drugs having been removed.' Ruppert said that Mattes had traced calls made from the houses to George Bush's office. Thereafter Mattes was threatened and intimidated, and his home burglarized."

The report says next, "When questioned about this story, Mattes laughed. Mattes acknowledged knowing Ruppert, but denied the truth of Ruppert's claim. Mattes opined that Ruppert has taken elements from books about the Contra revolution, and misrepresented them…"

The report continues to say that you reported that "neither Garcia nor his codefendants claimed to have been involved with CIA…"

As you know, you and I met in 1986 when introduced by an award winning investigative

journalist and author who had met you while working on a book related to cocaine trafficking in south Florida. We had three conversations via telephone in the 1986-7 time period. That journalist had prior experience as a crime and investigative reporter for the Detroit Free Press, The Los Angeles Daily News and the San Diego Union. For the moment that journalist prefers to remain anonymous insofar as written statements are concerned, but I have spoken to him recently and he confirms those elements of your story as stated above. In addition, I am in possession of a 1986 document he wrote, which was registered at that time, which recounts his meeting with you and, apparently, your investigator Rafael Maestri. I shall refer to that as "The Synopsis" in subsequent paragraphs.

In addition I am in possession of two videotaped lectures you gave which I shall refer to as "Fairfax" and "Brown". The "Fairfax" lecture was recorded March 15, 1997 at Fairfax High School at a symposium where I gave a lecture with you, Celerino Castillo, Maxine Waters, Peter Dale Scott, Gary Webb and others. I refer here to tape number three from that event. The "Brown" lecture was taped on November 20, 1996 in the bay area at a symposium sponsored by former California Governor Jerry Brown. Both tapes are currently being sold through the Center for the Preservation of Modern History in Santa Barbara, California.

On the Brown tape at 1:03:35 you say that there was evidence of CIA and NSC involvement, "based on phone numbers, including one into the White House."

On page 6 the Synopsis states that you revealed, "for yet another thing, Jesus Garcia, the lowly jail guard, had in his possession the Washington telephone number of Lt. Col. Douglas Menarchik, an aide to Vice President George Bush."

These statements are in complete agreement with my recollection of our conversation.

At 1:05:51 of the Brown tape you state, "The war was an excuse for cocaine." At 2:28 of the Fairfax tape you state, "The Costa Rican end of the Contra War was an excuse… a pretext for cocaine." At 4:59 of the Fairfax tape you state. "John Hull was coordinating the cocaine…" "[He was] a drug dealing terrorist asset of the CIA."

At 1:08:20 of the Brown tape you state, "two admitted CIA agents admitted that they made an alliance with him [Morales] to fly their cocaine into the U.S."

On page 6 of the synopsis the investigative reporter describes information given to him by you regarding Jesus Garcia. "He knew, for example, of Contra involvement in cocaine trafficking. Some of the men who had stored the weapons in their Miami-area homes were major drug smugglers and dealers." Both the investigative reporter and I recall you telling us that you, as part of your investigation had visited these homes and that you had subsequently come across the name of Oliver North's aide, Rob Owen.

As to threats and intimidation on the Fairfax tape at 6:26 you state that "[Jeffery Feldman] had received a call from The U.S. Attorney stating that Mattes was in trouble and facing serious repercussions… " On the synopsis at page 16 you are quoted as saying [the CBS reporter slipped Mattes a note saying] "You are in grave danger. Be warned. Hull is after you, and the Embassy is assisting. Get out." On page 12 of the Synopsis, after being advised of your rights by your supervisor you are quoted as saying that he screamed at you, "Mattes, don't you understand what we're telling you? Get out! You've crossed the line… or you're going to be on the wrong side of a grand jury!…"

In at least one place in both the Brown and Fairfax tapes you refer to threats from the U.S. Attorney.

After the investigative reporter quotes you as describing a live artillery shell placed outside of Defendant Garcia's residence he quotes you on page 21 of the synopsis as stating, "It's amazing that, except for Carr, we're all unscathed. I take a lot of physical precautions. I'm just very careful in dealing with cars, and places and weird things."

Finally, as to the context of your statements, I think that point is clearly addressed by a statement you made at 16:40 of the Fairfax tape, "If all the little people are forced to go to jail for little bits of cocaine, why not the CIA?" and a statement you made at 1:21:20 of the Brown tape, "They [the CIA] are criminally liable."

Clearly then my recollections and statements to the Inspector General's office are not out of context at all. Your own words provide the context.

So now the mystery.

The only explanations for what appeared in Mr. Bromwich's report are that: A), The Department of Justice asked you to respond to outrageous statements which I did not make; or B), that your statements, as reported, are completely inaccurate; or C), that you did, in fact, make the statements they attributed to you.

I know you to have been an eloquent and outspoken critic of CIA's involvement in the drug trade for many years and at great personal risk. Therefore, I will not make any conclusions in this letter as to what transpired. I will merely ask for your input to help me and others who are concerned on this issue understand what happened. I have called your office twice and faxed you the relevant passages of the report and I await your response with best wishes.

Sincerely,

Michael C. Ruppert

cc: The Hon. Maxine Waters Janet Reno Michael Bromwich The House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

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Following is the response I received from John Mattes on Friday August 21, 1998. If the confirmation seems tepid please note that Cele Castillo is reporting that John Mattes is allegedly representing former CIA agent Wally Grasheim in a suit against the government. Grasheim was a pivotal figure in CIA drug operations at Ilopango airfield in El Salvador whose activities are thoroughly described in Cele's written statement for the House Permanent Select committee on Intelligence. I have written to John asking if this is correct and I urge everyone to avoid conclusions of any kind until the facts are in.

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