Roy Cohn
As the right-hand-man of Joseph McCarthy, Roy Cohn targeted homosexuals. But he himself was a closeted homosexual, denying his homosexuality, and later, denying the AIDS he had been afflicted with the last two years of his life. Cohn possessed a large collection of stuffed animals -- adorable! Dated Barbara Walters (total beard).
Cohn pulled strings for one of McCarthy's assistants (and Cohn's lover), G. David Schine, to get out of the Army. A cropped photo was used to imply that Army Secretary Robert Stevens had promoted Schine and sent him home. But the complete photo hung on Schine's wall. During the Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954, Special Council for the Army, Joseph Welch (the "Have you no decency?" guy) questioned subcommittee member James Juliana, who doctored the photo, about the discrepancy while simultaneously needling Cohn's sexuality:
| WELCH: |
You were asked for something different from the thing that hung on Schine's wall?
|
| JULIANA: |
I never knew what hung on Schine's wall.
|
| WELCH: |
Did you think this came from a pixie? Where did you think this picture that I hold in my hand came from?
|
| JULIANA: |
I had no idea.
|
| MCCARTHY: |
Will the counsel for my benefit define - I think he might be an expert on that - what a pixie is?
|
| WELCH: |
Yes, I should say, Senator, that a pixie is a close relative of a fairy. Shall I proceed, sir? Have I enlightened you?
|
Known lovers: David Schine, Richard Dupont, Peter Fraser.
Timeline
| 20 Feb 1927 |
Roy Marcus Cohn born, New York City. |
| 1951 |
Assisted in the prosecution of the Rosenbergs. |
| 1952 |
Joseph McCarthy appoints Cohn chief counsel, Government Committee on Operations of the Senate. |
| 25 Oct 1952 |
Cohn's homosexuality is revealed by the Las Vegas Sun in an article by Hank Greenspun. Cohn's partner is David Schine, with whom he works. |
| 15 Dec 1953 |
Columnist Drew Pearson publishes a story that Cohn used influence to prevent his boyfriend David Schine from getting drafted. |
| 1954 |
Cohn resigns. |
| 22 Sep 1981 |
"You saw Roy Cohn testify, you saw that face, star of the magazine covers. I suggest to you that when you looked at that face, you were looking at the face of very real evil... Evil can be charming. If evil always came in a disgusting guise it would easy to recognize, it wouldn't be a much of a threat, would it? Evil can be witty, nothing saying that evil people are dumb. Evil can be cool, particularly when it marshals itself, when it's vital interests are at stake. The face of evil can be quick and sharp, and can be smarter than any lawyer Richard Dupont can get. But the face of evil is a face of evil." Summation of People v. Dupont, 111 M.2d 592, 444 N.Y.S.2d 810 (N.Y. Cty. 1981.) |
| 1986 |
Disbarred by the State of New York, unethical and unprofessional conduct. |
| 2 Aug 1986 |
Roy Cohn dies of AIDS. |
| 16 May 1999 |
In episode AABF20 of The Simpsons, money management guru Chuck Garabedian explains that he got his suit cheap "because Roy Cohn died in it." |
|