On this day, Nov. 21, in 1986, National Security Council staff member Oliver North and his secretary, Fawn Hall, started shredding documents that would have exposed his participation in what became known as Iran-Contra.

North admitted to being involved in the illegal sale of weapons to Iran and the diversion of the money to support the Contra rebel groups in Nicaragua.

During televised hearings, North said the entire Reagan administration had known about the plan. President Reagan and Vice President Bush said they did not know about the scheme.