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| Lessons From a ‘California Witch Hunt’ | Lessons From a ‘California Witch Hunt’ |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Good morning. | Good morning. |
| (Here’s the sign-up, if you don’t already get California Today delivered to your inbox.) | (Here’s the sign-up, if you don’t already get California Today delivered to your inbox.) |
| In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy was the architect of a series of investigations into supposed communist influence in the United States, expanding on the work of the House Un-American Activities Committee. The investigations cost many their livelihoods, and the term “McCarthyism” has since become synonymous with unfounded fearmongering. | |
| What may come as more of a surprise is that McCarthy’s playbook was influenced by another un-American activities committee — in California. | What may come as more of a surprise is that McCarthy’s playbook was influenced by another un-American activities committee — in California. |
| Recently, I spoke to Bill Mabie, who pulled together an expansive digital exhibit for the California secretary of state’s office, detailing the rise of a legislator named Jack Tenney. | Recently, I spoke to Bill Mabie, who pulled together an expansive digital exhibit for the California secretary of state’s office, detailing the rise of a legislator named Jack Tenney. |
| In December, Mr. Mabie retired from the state government, where he had most recently served as chief deputy secretary of state. | In December, Mr. Mabie retired from the state government, where he had most recently served as chief deputy secretary of state. |
| He told me he finally had more time to hunker down on one of his favorite activities: browsing the state’s archives, where he’d spent the last four years stealing away on lunch breaks to research the committee. | He told me he finally had more time to hunker down on one of his favorite activities: browsing the state’s archives, where he’d spent the last four years stealing away on lunch breaks to research the committee. |
| “This was a story that wasn’t in a hurry to be told,” Mr. Mabie said. | “This was a story that wasn’t in a hurry to be told,” Mr. Mabie said. |
| What he found was, in some ways, a classic California narrative: Mr. Tenney started out as an attorney moonlighting as a musician. He wrote a hit song — “Mexicali Rose,” made famous by Gene Autry — and became a leader of the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 in Hollywood. When he first ran for State Assembly, he ran as a Democrat. | What he found was, in some ways, a classic California narrative: Mr. Tenney started out as an attorney moonlighting as a musician. He wrote a hit song — “Mexicali Rose,” made famous by Gene Autry — and became a leader of the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 in Hollywood. When he first ran for State Assembly, he ran as a Democrat. |
| But in 1939, he was beaten out as union president. What followed was a true ideological about-face, Mr. Mabie said: Mr. Tenney blamed communists for organizing his defeat and got the legislative green light to start investigating “communist infiltration” at a state agency in Los Angeles. | But in 1939, he was beaten out as union president. What followed was a true ideological about-face, Mr. Mabie said: Mr. Tenney blamed communists for organizing his defeat and got the legislative green light to start investigating “communist infiltration” at a state agency in Los Angeles. |
| Mr. Tenney and his colleagues had broad investigative power because they were “fact-finders,” and not law enforcement agents. This translated into extensive surveillance that would be almost comical if it hadn’t been so unsettling. | Mr. Tenney and his colleagues had broad investigative power because they were “fact-finders,” and not law enforcement agents. This translated into extensive surveillance that would be almost comical if it hadn’t been so unsettling. |
| At one point, a file on Frank Sinatra included a list of questionable activities like putting on a “nationwide tour of talks against discrimination.” | At one point, a file on Frank Sinatra included a list of questionable activities like putting on a “nationwide tour of talks against discrimination.” |
| Investigators peppered their reports with racist and anti-Semitic language. | Investigators peppered their reports with racist and anti-Semitic language. |
| By 1949, public pushback against Mr. Tenney had risen and he was ousted as the committee’s leader, in no small part due to the betrayal of a former ally. (You can read about the rest of Mr. Tenney’s less-than-distinguished political career in Part 3 of the exhibition.) | By 1949, public pushback against Mr. Tenney had risen and he was ousted as the committee’s leader, in no small part due to the betrayal of a former ally. (You can read about the rest of Mr. Tenney’s less-than-distinguished political career in Part 3 of the exhibition.) |
| The California committee’s work would continue for decades more, keeping close ties with the early F.B.I. | The California committee’s work would continue for decades more, keeping close ties with the early F.B.I. |
| Mr. Mabie said he was drawn to the story not just for the famous names — Katharine Hepburn, John Steinbeck, Ronald Reagan — but also because he viewed it as a cautionary tale. | Mr. Mabie said he was drawn to the story not just for the famous names — Katharine Hepburn, John Steinbeck, Ronald Reagan — but also because he viewed it as a cautionary tale. |
| “It shows what happens when you allow power to go unchecked,” he said. “Politicians are crafty people, man — they will find a way to survive.” | “It shows what happens when you allow power to go unchecked,” he said. “Politicians are crafty people, man — they will find a way to survive.” |
| [See all of the state’s digital history exhibits here.] | [See all of the state’s digital history exhibits here.] |
| (We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times coverage, but we also encourage you to support local news if you can.) | (We often link to sites that limit access for nonsubscribers. We appreciate your reading Times coverage, but we also encourage you to support local news if you can.) |
| • President Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued their scrapping on Thursday, as Ms. Pelosi bashed the president publicly while trying to keep her colleagues from impeaching him. Things got personal. [The New York Times] | • President Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued their scrapping on Thursday, as Ms. Pelosi bashed the president publicly while trying to keep her colleagues from impeaching him. Things got personal. [The New York Times] |
| • John Walker Lindh, the California man known as the “American Taliban,” was released from an Indiana prison on Thursday. President Trump said he had tried to stop it. [The New York Times] | • John Walker Lindh, the California man known as the “American Taliban,” was released from an Indiana prison on Thursday. President Trump said he had tried to stop it. [The New York Times] |
| • The Senate passed a long-delayed disaster relief funding package. It included $19.1 billion for recovery efforts nationwide and did not include funds for the southwestern border. [The New York Times] | • The Senate passed a long-delayed disaster relief funding package. It included $19.1 billion for recovery efforts nationwide and did not include funds for the southwestern border. [The New York Times] |
| • But President Trump recently escalated his fight with California by seeking to withhold money for firefighting on federal lands. [The Los Angeles Times] | • But President Trump recently escalated his fight with California by seeking to withhold money for firefighting on federal lands. [The Los Angeles Times] |
| • Another reason California’s wildfire recovery and preparation process has been hamstrung: Pacific Gas & Electric’s difficulty finding workers to perform the “Cirque du Soleil up in the trees” that the company needs done to prevent its equipment from coming into contact with dry branches. [The New York Times] | • Another reason California’s wildfire recovery and preparation process has been hamstrung: Pacific Gas & Electric’s difficulty finding workers to perform the “Cirque du Soleil up in the trees” that the company needs done to prevent its equipment from coming into contact with dry branches. [The New York Times] |
| • Harvey Weinstein, the movie mogul whose abusive behavior toward women was among the first to be condemned in the #MeToo moment, reached a tentative $44 million settlement deal. [The New York Times] | • Harvey Weinstein, the movie mogul whose abusive behavior toward women was among the first to be condemned in the #MeToo moment, reached a tentative $44 million settlement deal. [The New York Times] |
| • “I was in diapers when my parents left me with the babysitter to participate in an armored car robbery,” Chesa Boudin said. “They never came home.” The child of Weather Underground radicals wants to be D.A. of San Francisco. [The New York Times] | • “I was in diapers when my parents left me with the babysitter to participate in an armored car robbery,” Chesa Boudin said. “They never came home.” The child of Weather Underground radicals wants to be D.A. of San Francisco. [The New York Times] |
| • The U.C. Santa Barbara community marked the fifth anniversary of a student’s horrific rampage through Isla Vista, which left six people dead and 13 others wounded. Now that many of those who were there have moved on, the campus is determined not to forget. [The Daily Nexus] | • The U.C. Santa Barbara community marked the fifth anniversary of a student’s horrific rampage through Isla Vista, which left six people dead and 13 others wounded. Now that many of those who were there have moved on, the campus is determined not to forget. [The Daily Nexus] |
| • A bill targeting “unscrupulous” doctors, who give out “fake” medical exemptions for children who should be vaccinated, got one step closer to passing this week. [The Sacramento Bee] | • A bill targeting “unscrupulous” doctors, who give out “fake” medical exemptions for children who should be vaccinated, got one step closer to passing this week. [The Sacramento Bee] |
| • San Jose lost residents and San Francisco dropped to 15th most populous city in the nation, according to new census data. But another Bay Area city was the 11th fastest growing in the nation: Dublin. [The Mercury News] | • San Jose lost residents and San Francisco dropped to 15th most populous city in the nation, according to new census data. But another Bay Area city was the 11th fastest growing in the nation: Dublin. [The Mercury News] |
| • Marijuana legalization has profoundly changed Humboldt County — a place where generations have grown up tending to “the plant.” [The New Yorker] | • Marijuana legalization has profoundly changed Humboldt County — a place where generations have grown up tending to “the plant.” [The New Yorker] |
| • Stevie Wisz needed heart surgery — again. But the U.C.L.A. softball standout who didn’t think she’d make the team has been scoring runs anyway as the team goes for the national title. [ESPN] | • Stevie Wisz needed heart surgery — again. But the U.C.L.A. softball standout who didn’t think she’d make the team has been scoring runs anyway as the team goes for the national title. [ESPN] |
| California Today will be off on Monday for Memorial Day. Enjoy your long weekend. I’ll leave you with this recommendation from Tejal Rao that you should also take some time to consider the California prune: | California Today will be off on Monday for Memorial Day. Enjoy your long weekend. I’ll leave you with this recommendation from Tejal Rao that you should also take some time to consider the California prune: |
| I wrote a column about my love for prunes, and the rise of their squishy, sticky deliciousness in California. That was back in 2017 and at the time, even the California Prune Board was calling itself the California Dried Plum Board because the word “prune” was so off-putting to so many Americans. | I wrote a column about my love for prunes, and the rise of their squishy, sticky deliciousness in California. That was back in 2017 and at the time, even the California Prune Board was calling itself the California Dried Plum Board because the word “prune” was so off-putting to so many Americans. |
| “We thought maybe the stigma was too much of a challenge for us to overcome,” Donn Zea, the board’s director, told me. | “We thought maybe the stigma was too much of a challenge for us to overcome,” Donn Zea, the board’s director, told me. |
| But this week, almost 20 years after the board remarketed prunes as dried plums, it’s going back to its original language. The board’s new slogan reads, quite confidently: “Prunes. For life.” | But this week, almost 20 years after the board remarketed prunes as dried plums, it’s going back to its original language. The board’s new slogan reads, quite confidently: “Prunes. For life.” |
| I laughed while reading the upbeat news release, but as a person who cares deeply about word choice, and who has insisted on calling them prunes all along, I have to admit, I dig it. If you need to be converted to the ways of the prune, one of the simplest things you can do is braise a handful in wine, with a little sugar and cinnamon, and eat them with a big dollop of cold mascarpone, drizzled in their cooking syrup. It’s a gorgeous, no-nonsense dessert. | I laughed while reading the upbeat news release, but as a person who cares deeply about word choice, and who has insisted on calling them prunes all along, I have to admit, I dig it. If you need to be converted to the ways of the prune, one of the simplest things you can do is braise a handful in wine, with a little sugar and cinnamon, and eat them with a big dollop of cold mascarpone, drizzled in their cooking syrup. It’s a gorgeous, no-nonsense dessert. |
| California Today goes live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for California Today here. | California Today goes live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time weekdays. Tell us what you want to see: CAtoday@nytimes.com. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for California Today here. |
| Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan. | Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan. |
| California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley. | California Today is edited by Julie Bloom, who grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from U.C. Berkeley. |