I accept the possibility that the several historians who put together this exhibit are biased, but being as the exhibit has been on display for over a year in McCarthy's own home town, I would think that people who knew McCarthy would want to defend his name if the statement could be proved false. The way it is written, the statement would be an outrageous accusation if there wasn't a considerable amount of evidence behind it. Probably there is someone who has tracked down the true story about this and I'll see what I can find out.
McCarthy has been dead since 1957. That is a very long time and I would be surprised if there are any old acquaintances left who have the energy or the inclination to bring scorn upon themselves by defending the "evil" Senator McCarthy.
To say that it is politically incorrect to defend Joe McCarthy is an understatement in the extreme. The liberal press and Hollywood have had decades to smear and demean the man. Some of the criticism of McCarthy is certainly deserved - - he brought it on himself with his clumsy heavy-handedness and his inability to handle the sudden fame of becoming a "television star". Power and fame went to his head and he abused it in a sorry display of arrogance, pomposity, and self-righteousness.
But given decades to smear a dead man who is not around to defend himself, the liberals have spun McCarthy's reputation as the devil incarnate way, way, way out of proportion and worse, they have managed to cloud or bury the truth of what McCarthy investigated and exposed.
It is my opinion that McCarthy did more to help his nation than all of the Hollywood scumbags who ever whined and lied about him put together ever did.
Please let me know what your research turns up.
Regards,
LH