Donald R. Fortier (January 9, 1947 – August 23, 1986) was a member of the United States Intelligence Community. Biography Fortier was born on January 9, 1947, in Columbus, Ohio. He received his B.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and his M.A. in political science and international relations from the University of Chicago, where he studied under Albert Wohlstetter. He was the recipient of a Ford Foundation fellowship in Chicago. Prior to working for the U.S. Government, Fortier also worked as a consultant to the Rand Corporation on national security issues. Federal service National Security Council Donald Fortier joined the National Security Council in September 1982 as Director for Western Europe and NATO. In June 1983, he assumed the position of Senior Director for Political-Military Affairs and Special Assistant to the President. In December 1983 he was appointed to the rank of Deputy Assistant to the President with responsibility for policy development. From February 1981 until joining the National Security Council staff, Fortier served as deputy director for Policy Planning at the State Department. He received the Department's Superior Honor Award for his work in that position. Prior to his service in the State Dept., he served for 5 years as a senior member of the professional staff of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. On December 10, 1985, President Reagan announced that Fortier would serve as the Principal Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, succeeding John Poindexter. He was the 14th person to serve in this role. Iran-Contra Fortier's name appears in several internal NSC emails that have been released to the public in conjunction with the Iran-Contra affair and other matters from that time period. As Poindexter's deputy, and Oliver North's direct superior, Fortier had a central role in the Iran-Contra affair, having been present at key meetings where alternative funding sources for the U.S.-backed paramilitary incursion into Nicaragua and the use of third parties for arms transfers were discussed, and having given permission to North to engage in fundraising via the so-called Channel-Miller Operation, whereby wealthy Americans were encouraged to make "donations" to ad hoc front organizations such as the National Endowment for the Preservation of Liberty, which would be routed either to the Nicaraguan paramilitaries or to Richard Secord and Albert Hakim's for-profit venture, known to its principals as the "Enterprise" as needed. According to the Walsh commission, especially generous "donors" were rewarded