Carl Byoir, whose court martial as a reserve officer was demanded by Rep. Patman for alleged Nazi propaganda activities, has officially been cleared of suspicion of un-American activities following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Justice Department has announced.
The Department stated: “The investigation made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning allegations against Carl Byoir discloses no evidence whatsoever that he has been engaged in any un-American activities. No basis for departmental action has been found and the case is regarded as closed.”
Byoir said in a statement: “Naturally, I am most happy that the Department of Justice has let the public know that the F.B.I. investigation completely refutes charges of un-American activities made against me by Congressman Patman.
“I know that the public is not interested in an individual case, but I feel there is an important principle involved here. It would be a terrible situation if, in times of great public feeling, citizens had no protection against malicious accusations attacking their loyalty made on the floor of Congress by a Congressman abusing his legal immunity. Many people do not know that under this immunity a Congressman cannot be sued for slander for anything he says in Congress.
“Mr. Patman, of course, had attacked me in the hope of discrediting some of the opposition to his now dead chain store tax bill which I frankly opposed as a public relations counsel. The promptness with which the Federal Bureau of Investigation made a thorough investigation of Mr. Patman’s charges seems to me to serve notice that no citizens will be burned at the stake in this country by irresponsible attacks even in high places.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
