Tower Commission facts for kids
The Tower Commission was a special group created on November 26, 1986. It was set up by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The reason for creating it was a big political event known as the Iran-Contra affair.
President Reagan chose three important people to lead this commission:
- John Tower: He was a former Senator from Texas and a member of the Republican Party.
- Edmund Muskie: He had been a Secretary of State before.
- Brent Scowcroft: He was a former National Security Advisor.
The main job of the commission was to investigate what happened during the Iran-Contra affair. They wanted to find out who knew what and what mistakes were made.
What the Commission Found
The Tower Commission released its report on February 26, 1987. Their findings showed that William Casey, who was the head of the CIA, played a big role. The report said that Casey supported the secret deals in the Iran-Contra affair.
The commission believed that Casey should have taken charge of the operation. They also said he should have told the President about the risks involved. It was also important for him to tell the U.S. Congress, as required by law.
After the Tower Commission
The work started by the Tower Commission didn't stop there. Other groups continued to investigate the Iran-Contra affair:
- The Congressional Committees Investigating The Iran-Contra Affair were formed in January 1987. They published their own report in November 1987.
- An Independent Counsel named Lawrence Walsh was appointed on December 1, 1986. He worked on the investigation for many years and released his final report in 1993.
These investigations helped the public understand more about the Iran-Contra affair and how the government works.
Images for kids
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President Ronald Reagan (center) receives the Tower Commission Report regarding the Iran-Contra affair in the Cabinet Room with John Tower (left) and Edmund Muskie (right)
