By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Derived from an episode of Church and State.

Imagine a local council passing a proclamation that turns a small Washington town into a “Second Amendment sanctuary” while, half a world away, secret government agents are allegedly shipping cocaine into the United States to fund covert wars.

Spokane Valley’s Sanctuary Proposal

Councilman Caleb Collier introduced a motion to have Spokane Valley issue a proclamation declaring the city a Second Amendment sanctuary. The proposal, discussed on the program, reflects a growing trend among local officials to assert constitutional rights in the face of perceived federal overreach. While the sanctuary movement has traditionally focused on immigration policy, Collier’s initiative expands the concept to gun rights, signaling a shift in how municipalities frame their resistance to federal directives.

The CIA’s Historical Role in the Drug Trade

Guest Bill Conroy, an investigative journalist with a career spanning since 1988, outlined the CIA’s involvement in drug trafficking during the 1980s. He explained that the agency facilitated the movement of cocaine to fund the Contra rebels after Congress banned official funding, a scheme that helped spark the crack epidemic in American cities. “They used assets… the Contras needed money to buy guns. And so the CIA facilitated the transportation of cocaine into the country,” Conroy said.

From Iran‑Contra to Modern Cartel Warfare

Conroy connected past scandals like Iran‑Contra to present‑day operations in Mexico. He described how the CIA, often through contractors and former special‑ops personnel, provides intelligence that pits rival cartels against each other, allowing the agency to achieve objectives while keeping its hands clean. “They don’t send a CIA employee to do the hit; they leak intel to a cartel so the cartel does the killing,” he noted.

The discussion also highlighted a recent timeline of events: the overt operation that helped eliminate cartel leader El Mencho in February, followed by a covert, unilateral CIA action that resulted in the assassination of Francesco Beltrán in March, and the mysterious death of two CIA agents in a car accident in Chihuahua in April. These incidents illustrate the layered nature of U.S. involvement in Mexico’s drug war.

Domestic Impact: Addiction, Community, and Policy

Conroy emphasized that the fallout from these covert operations has been felt most acutely in U.S. inner‑city neighborhoods, where the influx of crack cocaine devastated Black communities. He warned that the drug trade remains interwoven with both foreign policy and domestic crime, creating a “money problem” that fuels corruption on both sides of the border.

Local leaders, like Councilman Collier, are responding to the domestic consequences by championing constitutional safeguards, yet the broader narrative suggests that addressing the drug crisis requires confronting the hidden role of intelligence agencies in its origins.

Why the Past Still Matters

The conversation underscores a crucial point: the legacy of CIA‑backed drug operations continues to shape policy debates today, from sanctuary city proposals to calls for greater transparency in covert actions. Understanding this history is essential for citizens who seek accountability and for policymakers aiming to craft effective drug‑control strategies that do not repeat past mistakes.

As the nation grapples with both the resurgence of drug‑related violence and the push for local constitutional declarations, the hidden connections between foreign covert operations and domestic fallout demand renewed scrutiny.

The full episode of Church and State is available on OBBM Network TV.