McCarthyism vs. Clinton Jencks Paperback – Illustrated, 30 Aug. 2019

McCarthyism Vs. Clinton Jencks by Raymond Caballero is a book about many things: a movie that is a part of the history of American cinema, an unjust prosecution of an innocent man that after conviction and appeal changed our criminal justice system, an era in American history that resonates today in our current political debate, and much more.The movie Salt of the Earth is based on some of the events that led to the prosecution of Clinton Jencks. It was produced, written by, and directed by people who couldn't get work at the time because of their political beliefs. It was "blacklisted" (not distributed) in the United States for decades. It is now preserved for posterity in the Library of Congress and can be viewed by anyone for free on YouTube.Caballero meticulously reviews the criminal prosecution of Clinton Jencks for falsely swearing before the National Labor Relations Board that he was not a Communist, detailing the prosecutor's abuse of power and the trial court judge's refusal to give the defendant a fair trial. The defendant was convicted. When the government's main witness recanted, Jencks filed a Motion for New Trial. The motion was denied. The case was appealed. The United States Supreme court overturned the conviction and issued an opinion that transformed pre-trial discovery rights in criminal cases throughout the United States.The McCarthy era resonates today in our political debate. The perceived threat to the nation's safety and culture now comes mostly from foreign migrants. The names of the actors have changed. But the dynamics are similar. History may not repeat itself but it certainly rhymes.

Fascinating, well-researched, and readable!