http://www.oyez.org/issues/first-amendment/legislative-investigations/ U.S. Supreme Court Oral Arguments, presented by The Oyez Project (www.oyez.org) en-us http://www.oyez.org/images/oyezfeed.jpg U.S. Supreme Court Audio Recordings, presented by The Oyez Project (www.oyez.org) Tue, 18 Nov 1958 12:00:00 -0500 <p>During hearings of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, Lloyd Barenblatt, a university professor, refused to answer questions concerning his political and religious beliefs along with his associational activities. He was found in contempt of Congress for failing to cooperate with the committee investigation.</p> <p>Did the House Committee's investigation into Barenblatt's affiliations with the Communist Party transgress his First Amendment protections which limit congressional inquiries?</p> 35_19581118-argument http://www.oyez.org/cases/1950-1959/1958/1958_35/argument/ supreme, court, oyez, rehnquist Wed, 22 Jan 1975 12:00:00 -0500 <p>In an effort to investigate the "administration, operation, and enforcement" of the Internal Security Act of 1950, the Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security subpoenaed a bank for the financial records of the United States Servicemen's Fund. This nonprofit organization had actively published newsletters and sponsored coffeehouses in which discussions critical of the Vietnam War took place. The Fund challenged the subpoena arguing that its enforcement would violate the organization's First Amendment rights since the bank records contained information about the Fund's membership.</p> <p>Did the actions of the Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security fall within the sphere of legitimate legislative activity and not violate the First Amendment?</p> 73-1923_19750122-lq-argument http://www.oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1974/1974_73_1923/argument/ supreme, court, oyez, rehnquist Tue, 05 Dec 1961 12:00:00 -0500 <p>In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) received much criticism from state legislators as it pushed ahead with litigation to combat segregation. The State of Florida, in 1959, established a Legislative Investigation Committee to study what were called "subversive organizations." Gibson, president of the Miami branch of the NAACP, was subpoenaed before the committee and asked to produce a membership list of his organization. He refused and was found in contempt.</p> <p>Did the Florida Committee, in attempting to inform itself about activities of subversive organizations, violate Gibson's right to free speech and association as protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments?</p> 6_19611205-argument http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1961/1961_6/argument/ supreme, court, oyez, rehnquist Thu, 07 Mar 1957 12:00:00 -0500 <p>In 1954, John Watkins, a labor organizer, was called upon to testify in hearings conducted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Watkins agreed to describe his alleged connections with the Communist Party and to identify current members of the Party. Watkins refused to give information concerning individuals who had left the Communist Party. Watkins argued that such questions were beyond the authority of the Committee.</p> <p>Did the activities of the Un-American Activities Committee constitute an unconstitutional exercise of congressional power?</p> 261_19570307-argument http://www.oyez.org/cases/1950-1959/1956/1956_261/argument/ supreme, court, oyez, rehnquist