Allen Raul Rudd was a Colombian trafficker turned government informant who reported to the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]] that [[Medellin Cartel|Medellín cartel]] boss Pablo Escobar claimed the cartel had made a deal with Vice President George Bush to supply American weapons to the [[Contras]] in exchange for free passage for cocaine deliveries to the United States.[^1] ### Escobar's Claims Rudd was questioned by Justice Department officials and the U.S. Attorney's office in Tampa during 1988 debriefings. In a February 1988 memo marked "Sensitive," Assistant U.S. Attorney Walter E. Furr told his boss that Rudd "is a very articulate individual and there has been no indication to date that he has not been totally candid. In a real sense his life is on the line for the cooperation he has given so far."[^1] Rudd said that in the spring of 1987 he met in [[Medellin|Medellín]], [[Colombia]], with Escobar to arrange a drug deal. During their conversation at Escobar's home, the cocaine lord began railing against Bush and his South Florida Drug Task Force. "Escobar then stated that Bush is a traitor who used to deal with us, but now he is tough," Rudd told officials. Escobar described "an agreement or relationship between Bush and the American government and members of the Medellín cartel which resulted in planes similar to C-130s (but smaller) flying guns to the cartel in Colombia. According to Rudd, Escobar stated that the cartel then off-loaded the guns, put cocaine aboard the planes and the cocaine was taken to United States military base(s). The guns were delivered and sold to the Contras in [[Nicaragua]] by the Cartel."[^1] Escobar explained "it was a swap of cocaine for guns." Rudd said Escobar did not explicitly say the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] was involved, "but that was the tenor of the conversation." Escobar stated the cartel members were "very supportive of the Contras and dislike the [[Sandinistas]] as they dislike the guerrillas which operate within Colombia."[^1] ### Photographic Evidence Rudd claimed Escobar had photographic proof: "photographs of the planes containing the guns being unloaded in Columbia," and a picture of Bush posing with Medellín cartel leader Jorge Ochoa in front of suitcases full of money. Escobar stated "the photograph was genuine, it would stand up to any test" and "would be made public at the 'appropriate time.'" Rudd said the photo was being held as blackmail. By 1993 Escobar was dead and Ochoa was in jail; the photos, if they existed, were never heard of again.[^1] ### Aftermath The memo of Rudd's debriefing was sent to Iran-Contra prosecutor Lawrence Walsh by the Justice Department with a note from Associate Attorney General Stephen S. Trott stating "no action is being taken by the Department pending a determination by your office as to whether you intend to assert jurisdiction." Walsh's office apparently filed the memo away; National Archives researchers found it in the Iran-Contra prosecutor's closed investigative files. A Walsh lawyer told the CIA in 1997 that investigating Contra drug dealing comprised "only about one percent" of the probe's interest.[^1] ### Footnotes [^1]: Gary Webb, *Dark Alliance*, Chapter 13: "The wrong kind of friends"