Revisiting the Iran-Contra Affair: 30th Anniversary Special Report

Thirty years ago, the nation’s capital was gripped by an investigation that involved the highest levels of the Reagan Administration and would come to be known as the “Iran-Contra Affair.” Then ABC News Correspondent, John Martin was following the trail that led from the Iran and Nicaragua to the White House. His work is recognized as some of the finest reporting on the story. He joins us to revisit the investigation in this edition of Wilson Center NOW. Guest John Martin, a Wilson Center Public Policy Fellow, served as an ABC News national correspondent based in Washington and New York (1975-2002). He covered events in the United States, Europe. China, Central and South America, the Middle East and South Africa. His reports appeared on Nightline with Ted Koppel, This Week with David Brinkley, 20/20, and World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. Upon retiring, he taught at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism (2002-2010). Martin began his journalism career as a reporter and copy editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune, Augusta (GA) Chronicle, and The New York Times International Edition (1956-66). Martin entered television journalism at the NBC News affiliate, KCRA TV, in Sacramento, CA, where he covered local, state and national issues and organized and conducted reporting trips to Africa and the Middle East (1966-75) His reports, analysis and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Washington Monthly. Host John Milewski is the executive producer and managing editor of Wilson Center NOW and also serves as director of Wilson Center ON DEMAND digital programming. Previously he served as host and producer of Dialogue at the Wilson Center and Close Up on C-SPAN. He also teaches a course on politics and media for Penn State’s Washington Program.