REMINDER — Speakeasy featuring John Mattes and Jack Bryan of Lawyers, Guns and Money Podcast

Please register for our Speakeasy with Lawyers, Guns and Money director Jack A. Bryan and investigative reporter John Mattes, who broke the Iran-Contra scandal as a Miami lawyer—TODAY 12/17, 4 pm PT

***Speakeasy invites are for paid members. Please take out a membership to join our community and to access all archives and podcasts.***

Put on your espadrilles and pastel shirts, and re-hang your Nagel paintings, because we’re taking a trip to Miami in the ‘80s for a limited hangout with Lawyers, Guns, and Money today, Sunday, 12/17 at 4 pm PT. Those who joined us a few weeks ago when director Jack A. Bryan was our Speakeasy guest will know how exciting it is to have the return of Bryan, who will be joined by LGAM star John Mattes. Both Bryan and Mattes will answer questions about the series and particularly the explosive finale. The final episode — Ep7 — maps out how the network behind the illegal Iran-Contra scandal is linked to the network behind the January 6 Insurrection.

For a preview, please listen to RadPod’s recent interview with Mattes:

For new members, keep scrolling through to the end, and you will find the registration link below the paywall.

If you are not yet a paid member, please take out a membership to not only support my work, but to also network with an amazing global group of pro-democracy activists.

Here are event details:

BETTE’S SPEAKEASY FEATURING JACK A. BRYAN AND JOHN MATTES:

• Today, Sunday, 12/17, 4 pm PT/7 pm ET

• Guest details:

  • John Mattes is an American investigative journalist who has won five Emmys, one Golden Mike Award, one Edward R Murrow award for exposing fraud and corruption in government. Before working in broadcast news, he served as a county supervisor and city council member in Madison, Wisconsin and practiced law in Miami, Florida, where he helped uncover illegal Contra gun and drug running in Central America and the role of Oliver North in the scandal. That story is the subject of Lawyers, Guns, and Money podcast. In addition to breaking the Iran-Contra scandal, Mattes served as Investigative Counsel to the United States Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. Mattes conducted a nationwide investigation of bogus fundraisers who were claiming they would rescue POWS. After serving as counsel to the committee, Mattes began his own investigation of POWS abandoned in Vietnam. He uncovered a group of CIA assets left in Prisoner of War camps for decades. Based on what he uncovered Mattes filed suit in 1995 demanding back pay and recognition for the group, known as the Lost Army Commandos. Be sure to ask him about that.

  

  Photo courtesy John Mattes

  • Jack A. Bryan is an award-winning filmmaker who directed and produced the acclaimed documentary film Active Measures, which premiered theatrically in 2018 and featured interviews with John McCain and Hillary Clinton. In 2021, he wrote and co-produced the documentary series Qanon: The Search for Q for Vice TV, which was the channel’s highest-rated program in three years. Since then, Jack has written and produced two hit podcast documentaries, American Psyop, which he produced with Stacey Sher (Django Unchained), and Lawyers Guns and Money, which is narrated and produced by Jon Cryer. Jack has been invited to speak at Yale College, The University of Chicago, and before The European Parliament on matters regarding US foreign policy. Jack has also worked as an opposition researcher and has advised multiple members of the US Congress. His production company, Bunker Crew Media, currently produces ads for and advises some of the largest labor unions in America. Jack wrote and directed the scripted feature film The Living, which premiered theatrically in 2014.

Photo courtesy Jack A. Bryan

• Synopsis of LGAM series:

  • When Miami public defender John Mattes met his first felony defendant in 1985, what he heard pulled him into a world of danger and intrigue that would change the course of American history. His client, a Cuban American, had been arrested for having a machine gun as part of what he claimed was a CIA gun-running operation. After collecting a ragtag group of witnesses, including drug-running and mercenaries Mattes connects with a young Senator (John Kerry) as they follow a trail that leads directly to the White House. The podcast produced by Bryan and narrated and produced by Jon Cryer was released on Oct. 29, and if you would like to access bonus content, you can support their work here or cut and paste this link:

    • https://lawyersgunsandmoney.supercast.com

What connects Bryan’s work thematically is he reports on ongoing assaults on Democracy, and how today’s attacks are often rooted in history — a history where high-level criminals skated to come back and interfere with our democratic processes again.

I also recommend watching RadPod’s interview with Bryan and watching his incredibly important film, Active Measures:

REGISTER BELOW PAYWALL FOR THE SPEAKEASY EVENT.

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Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members. Thank you as well to all those who support my work with your generous coffee tips and who buy my ebooks. Some of you prefer making subsidizing donations via venmo, and it’s always greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all who are contributing to the raffle to try to win a copy of my rarest book, Sublime’s Brad Nowell Crazy Fool — Portrait of a Punk. Runner-up will win a signed copy of Vans Warped Tour book. The winner will be announced at the beginning of the Speakeasy.

Details on how to win here:

Crazy Fool — Raffling My Rarest Book

Members access all content and receive invites to our weekly Happy Hour, and our Speakeasy guest events.

Here are reports from recent Speakeasys:

‘Russia Needs to Collapse as an Empire State’ — That’s How to End the War in Ukraine

A BEAUTIFUL TRUTH — Sgt. Aquilino Gonell Speaks His Truth About J6 at Bette’s Speakeasy

Members who support me at the premium level will be invited to our monthly Founder’s Day events — please upgrade to Founding Member if you would like to join us for these special intimate occasions to meet global experts.

Among our recent Founder’s Day was a visit with war photojournalist Paul Conroy. Here is a print recap:

‘Hold Your Nerve’ — A Q & A with War Photojournalist Paul Conroy

Also, a private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous/gmail. 🥹

More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.