A staunch defender of Nevada politics and the "American way of life", Senator Pat McCarran had a long and checkered career as a fat cat lawyer in the Silver State. His ambitions and connections would eventually take him to Washington, DC, where he became involved in several causes, from women's suffrage to sin taxes. McCarran's name became inextricably linked with the Cold War when he hooked up with HUAC stalwarts J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare in 1950s America.
Senator Pat McCarran, 1947. Wikimedia Commons
McCarran was known for a virulent strain of antisemitism. However, that didn't stop him from maintaining popularity in his home state, where he could accomplish many popular legislative feats. Who was Pat McCarran, and what was the origin of the controversy surrounding his name? Let's peer behind the curtain and get a glimpse of the man and his time in this explanation.
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Senator Pat McCarran
Democratic Senator Pat McCarran served in the United States Senate from 1933-1954. He ran for the Senate as early as 1913 on a campaign supporting women's suffrage but failed, retreating from politics to concentrate on farming. When McCarran finally did enter the political fray in earnest, his successes included paying the tuition of Nevada law school students. He also scrapped a plan to increase gambling taxes substantially, which he insisted would be the death knell to the state's economy.
Pat McCarran Act
There exists a world Communist movement which, in its origins, its development, and its present practice, is a world-wide revolutionary movement whose purpose it is, by treachery, deceit, infiltration into other groups (governmental and otherwise), espionage, sabotage, terrorism, and any other means deemed necessary, to establish a Communist totalitarian dictatorship in the countries throughout the world through the medium of a world-wide Communist organization. - The McCarran Act of 19501
The Internal Security Act, also known as the McCarran Act, was passed into law in 1950, despite being vetoed by President Harry Truman. Enacted during the Red Scare in the United States during the 1950s, it introduced the Subversive Activities Control Act.
Communist flag, Wikimedia Commons.
The McCarran Act allowed sweeping investigations of anyone suspected of communist activity. However, it claimed not to infringe upon the freedom of speech guaranteed in the US Constitution. The McCarran Act also required the registration of any group intending to propagate communism.
What was the Red Scare?
In 1947, the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was formed with the goal of monitoring communist and fascist activity, as well as other extremist movements. They investigated ten writers in Hollywood, known as the Hollywood Ten, who were imprisoned and blacklisted based on their past political activity, true or not. HUAC later returned more focused on the Communist threat, newly emboldened by the McCarran Act. Their fervid investigations continued in 1951 with new assaults on freedom. Police squads were installed in major American cities to monitor so-called subversive activities. However, the police far outnumbered the number of actual communists. Senator Joseph McCarthy cozied up to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Senate Committee on Government Operations. Anti-Communist propaganda was everywhere.
Pat McCarran Accomplishments
Democratic Senator Pat McCarran (active 1933-1954) was a tireless champion of the rights of Nevadans in Washington. He enacted legislation to fund the law degrees of young men in local law schools, then expected their political support down the line. He was also a staunch supporter of the aviation industry and was the namesake of Pat McCarran Airport. McCarran was also anti-union and pro-employee rights.
Pat McCarran suggested FDR was "packing the court" in order to pass his New Deal legislations, Wikimedia Commons
Despite his contributions to his home state, his orchestration of the Internal Security Act of 1950 had underscored a dark chapter of American history: the communist witch hunts of the Second Red Scare. These investigations breached the rights of many citizens, rendering them guilty until proven innocent and wreaking havoc on the careers and lives of their targets. Further, McCarran had a history of unsavory remarks and actions that threatened to tarnish Nevada's solid reputation as a beacon of tolerance.
Pat McCarran Controversy
Controversy ensued regarding the namesake airport when reports publicized McCarran's past racist, xenophobic, and anti-semitic remarks. A debate raged about whether the name should be changed. Officials ultimately went with a new name in 2021, dubbing the Nevada hub the Harry Reid Airport after Senator Harry Reid, the former House Majority Leader in DC, who hailed from Searchlight, Nevada.
Xenophobia (noun)
An irrational fear of foreigners or immigrants.
Pat McCarran Racism
In 2020, state officials responded to calls to remove McCarran's statue in Washington due to his questionable past actions and remarks. Some Democrats from Nevada signed a letter in support of the removal, which stated:
While Sen. McCarran fought for workers’ rights and sponsored legislation that helped shape the modern air travel industry, his dark legacy of virulent racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia have no place representing Nevada, especially in the United States Capitol.2 - Letter to state lawmakers requesting the removal of Pat McCarran statue
The senators and house members who signed the letter cited McCarran's complicated legacy by listing some of his less than stellar accomplishments. These included his repressive policies and outdated attitudes toward minorities:
- Played a key role in limiting the number of Jews allowed to immigrate to the US post-World War II
- Responsible for the Internal Security Act
- Responsible for the formation of the Subversive Activities Control Board, which punished Americans for communist activity during the Red Scare, regardless of the integrity of the charges
- Made antisemitic remarks
- Blocked President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Jewish judicial nominees.
The letter's signees declared that the capitol statue did not represent the state's "compassionate, diverse and welcoming" values.
Senator Pat McCarran - Key takeaways
- Pat McCarran was a United States Senator from Nevada. He was a Democrat and served in the Senate from 1933-1954.
- McCarran, a lawyer and farmer, ran on campaigns featuring such issues as women's suffrage and workers' rights.
- McCarran heavily criticized President Franklin D. Roosevelt for packing the Supreme Court. He opposed the appointment of Jewish justices, blocking many of Roosevelt's nominees.
- A controversy erupted in 2020 over a statue of McCarran in Washington. In light of his past antisemitic remarks and actions, it was suggested that the statue be removed.
- In 2020, after a number of attempts over the years, Pat McCarran Airport was changed to Harry Reid Airport following the outcry over McCarran's past remarks.
References
- Sen. John McCarran, The Internal Security Act of 1950 (the McCarran Act), US Statutes at Large, 1950
- John Sadler, Lawmakers want Sen. McCarran Statue removed over racist legacy, Las Vegas Sun, 2020
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