Biography

Became known for his practice of making wild and unsupportable accusations of "subversive", "traitor" and "Communist" against his opponents or anyone he perceived as a possible opponent and being unwilling--or unable--to back up the charges. The practice became known, and is still known, as "McCarthyism".

Was censured by the Senate in 1954.

Claimed that the purpose of his infamous hearings was not to weed out alleged Communists in the government, but to find who was supposed to have hired them in the first place. He initially refused to reveal any of the names on his list of 205 people he claimed were Communists, but was eventually compelled to do so; as it turned out, there weren't 205 names on the list, and the majority of the names that were on it had nothing to do with Communists or Communism.

His real fame came in Wheeling, WV, when during a speech he waved a paper he claimed was a list of 57 Communists working in the US government; he also said he had the names of approximately 205 individuals (the 57 were part of this list) who were loyalty and security risks, being either Communists or Communist sympathizers (aka "fellow travelers"). Most of these names came from a list drawn up and titled the "Lee List". According to the Congressional Record and many books by historians and scholars produced over the years, none of the names were ever shown to have been Communists or have any connection to Communist activities.

Struggled with alcoholism throughout his life.