McCarthy as Senator

Republican Ralph Flanders from Vermont asked for McCarthy's censure in July 1954. Flanders' charge went to committee for review under the chairmanship of Utah's Republican Senator Arthur Watkins. The Watkins Committee reported back to the Senate in September recommending McCarthy's censure.

A 21 day Senate censure debate began on November 8, 1954, led by Republican senators. In December, McCarthy's colleagues voted 67 to 22 to "condemn" him for contempt and abuse of Senate committees. McCarthy continued in office, but lost the power to influence senators and legislation.

Republican members led the censure debate under pressure from the Eisenhower administration. The White House wanted to stop McCarthy's attacks because they disrupted government administration and divided Republicans.
McCarthy called the Watkins Committee "the unwitting hand maiden" of the Communist Party.
After censure, many of McCarthy's colleagues ignored him when he walked into a room. The press dropped him from its front pages.

Republican Senator Ralph Flanders handing McCarthy a message during Army-McCarthy hearings, June 11, 1954
Courtesy of Marquette University Archives and Corbis

The message asked McCarthy to attend Senate the afternoon of June 11, 1954. That afternoon, Flanders offered a resolution demanding that McCarthy be removed as chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Flanders had attacked McCarthy since early 1954.

Vice President Richard Nixon (sitting center) posing with members of the Watkins Committee in charge of reviewing a censure resolution against McCarthy, August 5, 1954. Seated left to right: Senator Arthur V. Watkins (R-Utah), Nixon, and Senator Edwin C. Johnson (D-Colo). Standing left to right: Senators Francis Case (R-SD), Frank Carlson (R-Kans), John C. Stennis (D-Miss), and Sam J. Ervin, Jr., (D-NC).
Courtesy of Marquette University Archives and Corbis

Nixon had tried to temper McCarthy's crusade since 1953, working to avoid a split in loyalty among Republican Party members. The Watkins Committee deliberated from August 31 until September 13, 1954. Its final report said McCarthy deserved censure for his conduct in Senate and treatment of General Ralph Zwicker. Earlier in the year, McCarthy told Zwicker that he "was not fit" to wear a military uniform after Zwicker refused to help the Senator in an investigation of Camp Kilmer.

Catholic War Veterans of New York presenting McCarthy with 250,000 signatures of citizens protesting his censure, November 8, 1954
Courtesy of Marquette University Archives and Corbis

Vincent Ferrari (left) and Rocco Picarone (right) presented McCarthy with signatures of support on the opening day of the Senate debate over McCarthy's censure. Senate members voted 67 to 22 to "condemn" McCarthy for contempt and abuse of Senate committees on December 2, 1954.

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Republican Ralph Flanders from Vermont asked for McCarthy's censure in July 1954. Flanders' charge went to committee for review under the chairmanship of Utah's Republican Senator Arthur Watkins. The Watkins Committee reported back to the Senate in September recommending McCarthy's censure. A 21 day Senate censure debate began on November 8, 1954, led by Republican senators. In December, McCarthy's colleagues voted 67 to 22 to "condemn" him for contempt and abuse of Senate committees. McCarthy continued in office, but lost the power to influence senators and legislation.
Republican members led the censure debate under pressure from the Eisenhower administration. The White House wanted to stop McCarthy's attacks because they disrupted government administration and divided Republicans. McCarthy called the Watkins Committee "the unwitting hand maiden" of the Communist Party. After censure, many of McCarthy's colleagues ignored him when he walked into a room. The press dropped him from its front pages.

Republican Senator Ralph Flanders handing McCarthy a message during Army-McCarthy hearings, June 11, 1954 Courtesy of Marquette University Archives and Corbis The message asked McCarthy to attend Senate the afternoon of June 11, 1954. That afternoon, Flanders offered a resolution demanding that McCarthy be removed as chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Flanders had attacked McCarthy since early 1954.
Vice President Richard Nixon (sitting center) posing with members of the Watkins Committee in charge of reviewing a censure resolution against McCarthy, August 5, 1954. Seated left to right: Senator Arthur V. Watkins (R-Utah), Nixon, and Senator Edwin C. Johnson (D-Colo). Standing left to right: Senators Francis Case (R-SD), Frank Carlson (R-Kans), John C. Stennis (D-Miss), and Sam J. Ervin, Jr., (D-NC). Courtesy of Marquette University Archives and Corbis Nixon had tried to temper McCarthy's crusade since 1953, working to avoid a split in loyalty among Republican Party members. The Watkins Committee deliberated from August 31 until September 13, 1954. Its final report said McCarthy deserved censure for his conduct in Senate and treatment of General Ralph Zwicker. Earlier in the year, McCarthy told Zwicker that he "was not fit" to wear a military uniform after Zwicker refused to help the Senator in an investigation of Camp Kilmer.
Catholic War Veterans of New York presenting McCarthy with 250,000 signatures of citizens protesting his censure, November 8, 1954 Courtesy of Marquette University Archives and Corbis Vincent Ferrari (left) and Rocco Picarone (right) presented McCarthy with signatures of support on the opening day of the Senate debate over McCarthy's censure. Senate members voted 67 to 22 to "condemn" McCarthy for contempt and abuse of Senate committees on December 2, 1954.