Richard Taus played it right and played it straight for 10 long years as an FBI agent. He swore to uphold the Constitution, obey the law and protect the American people from enemies both foreign and domestic.

What a shock, though, when he found out others in the department, including higher-ups in the Justice Department and the White House were playing a completely different game, playing a highly deceitful and illegal game of drug-running and money laundering.

And the tentacles of what came to be known as Iran Contra led to Taus being set up, arrested and sentenced to a 33-99 year federal prison term, a sentence that conveniently started just prior to "Daddy" Bush's 1988 election as President.

Many court observers close to former FBI agent, including his son, David, 42, said his father was "railroaded to the hilt right before the election" in order to protect Bush and others since the sensitive information pinning the former President was irrefutable, according to records compiled by Taus.

"He is a good man and was set up big time after he wouldn't back down to signing a document saying he wasn't aware of any criminal activity in the department," said his son, David, appearing as a guest on Greg Szymanski's radio talk show, The Investigative Journal.

"When he refused that's when the government started to try and frame him. First, they tried to say that he misused his government credit card, which, of course was not true and didn't stick. Then they went after him with trumped up child abuse charges.

"The trial lasted 8 months and it was like a kangaroo court. Witnesses and jurors were compromised. It was a joke as the judge disregarded every objection made in my father's defense. Finally, he was given an incredibly harsh sentence, 33-99 years. He has been in jail since 1988 and it has been incredibly difficult on him and his family, as his health been failing and we have no money to mount what may be a final appeal."

He said his father is basically being held as "political prisoner" without any hope of being released through the corrupt system. What is needed and his only hope, said his son, is for an outpouring of American people to insist that justice be served and the real criminals in the drug trafficking scam be put behind bars.

Although it is difficult to communicate with agent Taus from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY, he recently wrote a letter to the Arctic Beacon emphasizing his illegal incarceration as well as the illegal government drug trafficking ring he uncovered while serving as an agent.

"My combat tours in Vietnam initially uncovered the CIA's involvement in drug trafficking and other aspects contributing to U.S. intervention in foreign affairs, affairs that this nation should have avoided," wrote Taus from his prison cell. "Affairs that brought death and destruction to so many innocent lives with little or no benefit to mankind.

"Professor Noam Chomsky of MIT best described this imperialistic phenomenon in his work "The Culture of Terrorism." But, rather than discuss philosophy or political science, it was acaemic to me as a soldier and as an FBI agent that great harm was being done to this nation and its people by the shadowy government run by corrupt government officials."

Concerning the direct CIA connection to drug trafficking in the 1980's involving North, Bush and others he added:

"The CIA's own "privateers, which really are undercover agents, used the ploy termed "plausible deniability" to hide their crimes. The CIA was operating domestically both in violation of its congressional charter and in violation of U.S. criminal laws. Decent FBI agents were aware of this, but failed to act as they were cowered by their FBI superiors based upon political orders from higher-ups going up to the White House.

"There was denying that the CIA was heavily involved in various criminal operations, domestically. The Pizza Connection case proved that, although the CIA tried to cover its trail. Further, my organized crime cases in New York against the Mafia disclosed a sinister relationship with the CIA and Mafia. For example, the five families' Godfather Paul Castellano, killed by Gotti, was the first cousin to Vito Castellano who occupied key capitol positions in Albany as Commissioner of Commerce."

Given Taus' deep loyalty to his country and his Vietnam experience, he couldn't turn away from doing his duty even though he was up against insurmountable odds, saying he wanted to speak the truth on what he called the "new domestic battlefield."

"Our country, the one we soldiers felt we were fighting for its survival, is now in the grips of selfish and greedy men intent upon their own preservation and profit," wrote Taus.

When Taus was eventually confronted with the ultimate decision of his life leading to the long prison term, he decided to take the high road, refusing to sign a Senate and House Intelligence Committee oversight form acknowledging he witnessed no government wrongdoing.

"I refused," said Taus. "I reached out to senators and congressman after my appeals to higher FBI superiors, including two directors, Webster and Sessions, failed to respond. Indeed the very members of the two congressional committees also did not respond. One can only wonder how many other dutiful law enforcement officers and agents were also ignored.

And in more recent times, Taus added, several FBI agents have been ignored concerning the events leading to the 9/11 tragedy, including Colleen Rowley, Kenneth William, Robert Wright and the late John O'Neill.

Regarding the truth and accuracy of what he uncovered as an agent, he added:

"For 25 years, from 1981 to my false arrest in 1988 and my incarceration up until now, my story has proven to be true and accurate with many of the revelations being disclosed by serious investigative reporters to the American people and the world."

To verify Taus' accusations regarding the illegal CIA-government sponsored drug trafficking, former DEA agent Cele Castillo, who uncovered the same facts as Taus, has been speaking nationwide, trying to make Bush and others accountable.

Also, former government agent and whistle blower, Rodney Stich, who uncovered facts verifying Taus' claims, said Taus was railroaded into jail and kept quiet to protect the wrongdoings of higher-ups in the government.

"Richard made the same mistake I did, the mistake of going to the Senate and Congress," said Stich, who has fought the government tooth and nail over many issues over the years, including the 9/11 cover-up. "I believe Richard 100 per cent and have placed parts of the manuscript he wrote up my web site in order to spread the word.

"He will never receive any justice within the system so his only hope is for an outcry from the American public, demanding justice."

Taus's manuscript can be viewed at Stich's web site at www.defraudingamerica.com.