What claim did Senator McCarthy famously make about government employees?

Senator Joseph McCarthy famously claimed that he had a list of communists employed within the U.S. government. This assertion was a significant part of his anti-communist campaign during the early 1950s, a period marked by heightened fears of communist infiltration and influence in American institutions. McCarthy's claim sparked a national crisis, leading to investigations and dramatic hearings that aimed to root out alleged communist sympathizers from various sectors, including government, entertainment, and education.

His assertion capitalized on the fears of the Cold War era and transformed him into a prominent, albeit controversial, figure in American politics. While he never produced concrete evidence to support his list, the mere allegation created an atmosphere of distrust and paranoia, leading to the term "McCarthyism," which describes the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.