JOE McCARTHY, ROY COHN (1954) Press photo

UPI. No binding. Near Fine. [New York]: United Press International (UPI), 1954. Vintage original 7 x 9" (18 x 23 cm) black-and-white photo. UPI stamp on verso, original descriptive text loose but present. Near fine. This photo is dated 7/14/54. The Army-McCarthy hearings ended disastrously a month later for McCarthy who, as the text notes, was facing calls to fire some of his staff (which he refused to do). Standing behind McCarthy is a 27-year old Roy Cohn, whom McCarthy hired a year prior as chief counsel for the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Cohn was known for ruthless, aggressive tactics, focusing on headline-grabbing hearings that destroyed reputations, such as those targeting the Army. Despite being a closeted gay man, a source from The Advocate notes that Cohn actively helped purge LGBTQ+ individuals from government, viewing them as security risks. Cohn was loyal to McCarthy, later stating in his autobiography that he "never worked for a better man or a greater cause".