 In 1939, he was indicted and charged with attempting to bribe US Customs officials while operating as an agent for the Irish Sweepstakes.He was politically active in Clan na Gael, and after 1948 was leader of the few branches that had remained loyal to the rump of the IRA.In 1949, Stynes supported a decision, which split the Clan, to use its funds for a monument in Dublin to Seán Russell rather than retaining them for a future IRA campaign.