Lamont's uncle was called before the House Un-American Activities Cmte

[Rose Siding]

From a long front page piece in Hartford's paper, "Out Of The Political Shadows"-

His grandfather's brother, Corliss Lamont, famously opted out of the family business, becoming a Social Democrat who was called in December 1945 to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee. In the 1970s, he successfully sued the CIA over domestic spying - the opening of his mail, including two love letters to his wife.

Ned Lamont speaks passionately about the impropriety of the Bush administration's monitoring of phone calls and e-mails without warrants in the name of national security, though Uncle Corliss is not yet part of his stump speech.

[Zen Democrat]

1. His grandfather's brother? How about *'s grandfather?

He was charged with trading with the enemy during WWII and lost his company. And the enemy he was trading with was Hitler.

I don't think the Republicans would want to get into family histories.

Besides, sounds like Lamont's great-uncle would be a poster boy for government surveillance run amok.

[Rose Siding]

2. Exactly. It would be a point of pride for me

to have a relative that endured McCarthyism and then WON a suit against the CIA for invasive practices.

It doesn't define Lamont one way or another beyond, maybe, some personal motivation to combat govt abuse of power. And that *would* be a plus to me as a voter.

[abluelady]

3. A Friend of Mine Said Something Very Important

If any present Dem or Repuke says something trying to shame someone, the response should be:
....if the present Democrats are not already ashamed of their behavior....People living in glass houses should not be throwing stones.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Corliss Lamont?! I met him. He was a founder of the American Humanist

Association and a founder of the American Civil Liberties Union. Now, there's a PATRIOT.

Here are some interesting facts about Corliss Lamont:

In 1924 he drew criticism from the Harvard University administration when they vetoed his choice of speakers, Eugene V. Debbs, the jailed leader of the American Socialist movement. His efforts led to a more diverse group of speakers at Harvard.

In 1934 he was arrested and briefly jailed for picketing on behalf of the Furniture Workers Union in Jersey City. His actions collided with the policy of Mayor Frank Hague, whose motto was "I am the law." Lamont's subsequent lawsuit eventually won the right to organize workers in Jersey City and resulted in New Jersey's high court cracking down hard on the renegade mayor.

In 1946 Lamont was subpoenaed by the Un-America Activities Committee of the House of Representatives. He was cited by the Committee for contempt of Congress when he refused to produce correspondence and financial records of his organization, the National Committee of American-Soviet Friendship. He faced jail and a high penalty. The U.S. Attorney General dropped the case due to lack of merit.

Finally, Lamont could brag about his one-on-one with Senator Joe McCarthy, the chairman of the Senate Sub-Committee on Government Operations in NYC in 1953. McCarthy believed that American security was threatened by Lamont's book which studied ethnic groups with the U.S.S.R. Lamont refused to answer any of McCarthy's questions on the ground of violation of freedom of the press and freedom of scholarship. Lamont was given another contempt of Congress but a lower court dismissed the charge on the ground that the McCarthy Committee had no right to conduct such an investigation. A federal appeals court confirmed the dismissal and the Government did not appeal the decision.

Aside from his impressive scholarship and intelligence, I found Mr. Lamont to be very friendly and personable. He lived into his 90s.

[Rose Siding]

5. Wow! That is so cool

I love a chance for poetic justice

[IndianaGreen]

6. This is a great article about Ned Lamont, when you get down to it

He is persona non grata among the Democratic elite, but liberal bloggers love him and the party rank-and-file are intrigued.

Lamont, a successful cable television entrepreneur, seems to be the new Howard Dean, a patrician riding a populist wave of opposition to the war in Iraq.

He is a boyish 52-year-old with an unlined face, tousled dark hair and the slight build of a runner. His speaking style is conversational. He projects an affable earnestness that his staff hopes suggests Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Lamont favors gay marriage, abortion rights, universal health care and finding a way to put undocumented workers on the path to citizenship. And, of course, he faults Lieberman for supporting the invasion of Iraq and failing to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito, who succeeded the centrist swing vote, Sandra Day O'Connor.

Joe Lieberman has reason to worry about Ned, and rightly so.

[saltpoint]

7. Lamont's profile becomes more interesting and more appealing with

each new item I read, and I appreciate your passing this along, Rose Siding. Thank you.

Humphrey Bogart once said, "The UnAmerican Activities Committee will nail anyone who ever scratched his ass during the National Anthem."

You Connecticut Democrats sure seem to have a good soul in Ned Lamont for this primary.