U.S. political scandal.
In 1985 Robert McFarlane, head of the contra s, in direct violation of a 1984 law banning such assistance. A Senate investigation resulted in the conviction of North and Poindexter on charges of obstructing justice and related offenses, though their convictions were later overturned on the ground that testimony given at their trials had been influenced by information they had supplied to Congress under a limited grant of immunity. Pres. {{link=Reagan, Ronald Wilson">Ronald Reagan accepted responsibility for the arms-for-hostages deal but denied any knowledge of the diversion.