Mr. VAN CLEVE: Colonel North, I have the—what I regard as the
personally painful task of asking you the following questions.
You've admitted before this committee that you lied to representatives of the Iranians in order to try and release the hostages; is
that correct?
Mr. NORTH: I lied every time I met the Iranians.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: And you have admitted you lied to General
Secord with respect to conversations that you supposedly had with
the President; is that correct?
Mr. NORTH: In order to encourage him to stay with the project,
yes.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: And you've admitted that you've lied to the Congress; is that correct?
Mr. NORTH: I have.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: And you've admitted that you lied in creating
false chronologies of these events; is that correct?
Mr. NORTH: That is true.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: And you've admitted that you created false documents that were intended to mislead investigators with respect to
a gift that was made to you; is that correct?
Mr. NORTH: No.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: I think I understand the reason for your hesitation. You certainly have admitted that the documents themselves
were completely false; is that correct?
Mr. NORTH: That is correct.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: And they were intended to create a record of an
event that never occurred; is that correct?
Mr. NORTH: That is correct.
Mr. VAN CLEVE: Can you assure this committee that you are not
here now lying to protect your Commander in Chief?
Mr. NORTH: I am not lying to protect anybody, counsel. I came
here to tell the truth.
I told you that I was going to tell it to you, the good, the bad, and
the ugly. Some of it has been ugly for me. I don't know how many
other witnesses have gone through the ordeal that I have before arriving here and seeing their names smeared all over the newspapers and by some members of this committee. But I committed
when I raised my right hand and took an oath as a midshipman
that I would tell the truth, and I took an oath when I arrived here
before this committee to tell the truth, and I have done so, painful
though it may be for me and for others. I have told you the truth,
counsel, as best I am able.