Overview

Duane Ramsdell "Dewey" Clarridge (1932-2016) was a senior CIA officer who served as chief of the Latin America Division and later head of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center. He played a central role in CIA operations in Central America and was indicted by Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh for perjury and false statements related to the Iran-Contra affair. Clarridge was one of the most aggressive and controversial operatives in CIA history. As Latin America Division chief in the early 1980s, he was instrumental in organizing CIA support for the Nicaraguan Contras, including the mining of Nicaraguan harbors in 1984, an operation that drew international condemnation and a ruling against the United States by the International Court of Justice. He was also involved in early discussions about using the proceeds from arms sales to Iran to fund the Contras. When congressional committees investigated Iran-Contra, Clarridge testified that he had no knowledge of a November 1985 shipment of HAWK missiles to Iran that was facilitated by the CIA. Walsh's investigation revealed that Clarridge had in fact known about the shipment and had helped arrange CIA logistical support for it. In November 1991, Clarridge was indicted on seven counts of perjury and making false statements to congressional investigators and the Tower Commission. Clarridge was scheduled to stand trial in March 1993, but on December 24, 1992, President George H.W. Bush pardoned him along with five other Iran-Contra defendants, including Caspar Weinberger and Clair George. Walsh condemned the pardons as completing the cover-up of Iran-Contra. After retirement from the CIA, Clarridge ran a private intelligence network and remained active in conservative foreign policy circles until his death in 2016.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports