THE WINGNUTS ARE DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN AMERICAN LIFE

Duane Clarridge was the CIA's chief of the Latin American division from 1981 to 1984 and was one of the malefactors caught by the Iran-Contra investigation:

Duane R. Clarridge -- Indicted November 26, 1991, on seven counts of perjury and false statements about a secret shipment of U.S. HAWK missiles to Iran. The maximum penalty for each count was five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. U.S. District Judge Harold H. Greene set a March 15, 1993, trial date. Clarridge was pardoned December 24, 1992.

Of the 7 indictments, a federal judge found that 2 pairs of them were essentially duplicates, so the real number is reduced to 5 counts.

Now, one would think that this fellow would be barred from any sort of clandestine work, whether public or private, but you would be wrong.

Former Spy With Agenda Operates a Private C.I.A.
By MARK MAZZETTI
Published: January 22, 2011
NY Times

WASHINGTON — Duane R. Clarridge parted company with the Central Intelligence Agency more than two decades ago, but from poolside at his home near San Diego, he still runs a network of spies.

Over the past two years, he has fielded operatives in the mountains of Pakistan and the desert badlands of Afghanistan. Since the United States military cut off his funding in May, he has relied on like-minded private donors to pay his agents to continue gathering information about militant fighters, Taliban leaders and the secrets of Kabul’s ruling class.

The Times article notes that Clarridge retained his ties with Oliver North and apparently developed one with author Brad Thor, one of Glenda Beck's favorite authors.