Law Commons^™

Constitutional Law - Unreasonable Search And Seizure - Unauthorized Examination Of Telegrams, Peter S. Boter

Michigan Law Review

A special committee of the United States Senate, appointed to investigate lobbying activities in connection with the so-called "holding company bill" sought to obtain from telegraph companies, under blanket subpoena duces tecum, all telegrams passing through their offices in Washington from February 1, 1935 to September 1, 1935. When the telegraph companies expressed reluctance to comply with the subpoenas, the Senate Committee sought aid from the Federal Communications Commission. The commission by formal resolution detailed a member of its staff to work with an examiner of the Senate Committee in the examination and copying of the telegrams. Among the messages …