In Their Own Words

Based largely on primary sources not previously utilized, this book traces the career of Harvey Matusow, an ex-Communist "professional" informer in the McCarthy era, and describes how the government maintained a stable of paid informer-witnesses to testify in "Communist" cases. Matusow, a flamboyant witness, recanted much of his testimony and was prosecuted for perjury--for his recantation, not his original testimony.