session." On March 6, 1948, a Washington Post editorial stated, "There is an abundance of precedent for the Secretary's refusal to turn over his department's loyalty board files on Dr. Edward U. Condon." The Post also objected to an alternative proposal to send files on the Condon case to the top-level "Loyalty Review Board" in the Civil Service Commission. The Commerce Department's own loyalty board had already cleared Condon, and the Post argued that this decision should stand. On March 8, 1948, Representative Chester E. Holifield (Dem-CA) noted: "...calling the attention of the Members to H. R. 4641, a bill which I introduced December 4, 1947. The purpose of this bill is to prescribe the procedures of investigating committees of the Congress and to protect the rights of parties under investigation by such committees. If this bill could be enacted, it would extend to a world-famous scientist, such as Dr. E. U. Condon, the same protection which is now available to a chicken thief or a traffic violator; that is, the right of defense against his accusers. Character assassination under the cloak of congressional immunity by a Member of Congress or a Congressional committee is a dangerous and abominable travesty." On March 9, 1948, Representative Glen H. Taylor (Dem-ID), then Progressive Party vice presidential candidate, stated: On the same day, Representative Emanuel Celler (Dem-NY) stated: On the same day, Representative Leo Isacson (ALP-NY) stated, "It is no coincidence that this attack on Dr. Condon—an attack abhorred and shamed in all responsible opinion of press and science comes at this particular moment—at this moment when the House Committee on Un-American Activities seeks the most swollen appropriation it has ever Ventured to ask of a Congress." Holifield added, "The technique used by the committee counsel is biased and prejudiced ... We have a flagrant example ... in the partial report on Dr. Condon ... I want to comment here on the use of the word 'partial' ... The committee counsel omitted a line of the [FBI] letter ... 'There is no evidence to show that contacts between this individual and Dr. Condon were related to this individual's espionage activities' ... This man, Dr. Condon, has been pilloried before the American people now for over 8 months. He has asked for a chance to tell his story; that chance has been denied" Defenders included Albert Einstein and Harold Urey. The entire physics department