Clay Risen

No, no. You know, there were people identified and found out to have been spies for the Soviet Union, but not through this program. And, you know, the other thing that I think is important, and it's very—you can't prove a negative, but—

No, no. You know, there were people identified and found out to have been spies for the Soviet Union, but not through this program. And, you know, the other thing that I think is important, and it's very—you can't prove a negative, but—

This was a real deterrent for anybody who might have something in their background or just someone who didn't want to be investigated that way to ever join the government. And this at a time when the government really needed smart, capable, motivated people to come in and commit to public service.

This was a real deterrent for anybody who might have something in their background or just someone who didn't want to be investigated that way to ever join the government. And this at a time when the government really needed smart, capable, motivated people to come in and commit to public service.

This was a real deterrent for anybody who might have something in their background or just someone who didn't want to be investigated that way to ever join the government. And this at a time when the government really needed smart, capable, motivated people to come in and commit to public service.

He did. Oh, no, he did in his memoirs. He said that it was a mistake.

He did. Oh, no, he did in his memoirs. He said that it was a mistake.

He did. Oh, no, he did in his memoirs. He said that it was a mistake.

There are a couple of reasons. The first is Hollywood, like today, was super sexy. And it was a target for anybody who wanted to raise their own profile. And so the chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee at the time, his name was J. Parnell Thomas from New Jersey. he thought this would be a great way to raise the profile of the committee.

There are a couple of reasons. The first is Hollywood, like today, was super sexy. And it was a target for anybody who wanted to raise their own profile. And so the chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee at the time, his name was J. Parnell Thomas from New Jersey. he thought this would be a great way to raise the profile of the committee.

There are a couple of reasons. The first is Hollywood, like today, was super sexy. And it was a target for anybody who wanted to raise their own profile. And so the chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee at the time, his name was J. Parnell Thomas from New Jersey. he thought this would be a great way to raise the profile of the committee.

But he also had come to believe that Hollywood was this den of radical, subversive leftists. And it wasn't. There were a lot of left-leaning people in Hollywood, but it was hardly a subversive hotspot. But You know, there was an active Communist Party in Hollywood. And it did – it also saw Hollywood as a great place to be to raise money and to raise its own profile.

But he also had come to believe that Hollywood was this den of radical, subversive leftists. And it wasn't. There were a lot of left-leaning people in Hollywood, but it was hardly a subversive hotspot. But You know, there was an active Communist Party in Hollywood. And it did – it also saw Hollywood as a great place to be to raise money and to raise its own profile.

But he also had come to believe that Hollywood was this den of radical, subversive leftists. And it wasn't. There were a lot of left-leaning people in Hollywood, but it was hardly a subversive hotspot. But You know, there was an active Communist Party in Hollywood. And it did – it also saw Hollywood as a great place to be to raise money and to raise its own profile.

It was never very successful because if you're living in Hollywood and you're a star, who wants to – You go to a five hour meeting where you talk about Marx all night when you could go hang out at a club or who wants to have to hand out communist newspapers on the street corner if you're a star. So it never really got far.

It was never very successful because if you're living in Hollywood and you're a star, who wants to – You go to a five hour meeting where you talk about Marx all night when you could go hang out at a club or who wants to have to hand out communist newspapers on the street corner if you're a star. So it never really got far.

It was never very successful because if you're living in Hollywood and you're a star, who wants to – You go to a five hour meeting where you talk about Marx all night when you could go hang out at a club or who wants to have to hand out communist newspapers on the street corner if you're a star. So it never really got far.

But that didn't keep Parnell Thomas and his committee from making that target number one.

But that didn't keep Parnell Thomas and his committee from making that target number one.

But that didn't keep Parnell Thomas and his committee from making that target number one.