[4] To break this impasse, Fly urged Walter R. G. Baker to found the National Television System Committee, or NTSC, and negotiations were soon reached.

[8] In 1941 Sam Hobbs, U.S. Representative from Alabama, introduced a bill that would legalize wiretapping by the FBI, or any other government agency, if it was suspected that a felony was occurring.

In 1943, a House committee investigating the FCC accused Fly of allowing the attack on Pearl Harbor by preventing wiretap legislation.

[12] Fly left the FCC in November 1944, and opened a private law practice in New York City.

Judge Learned Hand conceded that "the guilt is plain," but overturned the conviction due to the evidence collected through illegal methods, as well as other misconduct, including the fact that Coplon had been arrested without a warrant.

[15] In 1949 Fly represented labor leader Harry Bridges, who faced deportation due to accusations that he had lied when saying he had never been a Communist.

[1] As retribution for this case, Fly faced numerous legal and business difficulties; newspaper columnists questioned his patriotism, and he was named a "concealed Communist" by a loyalty board[1][16] In 1953 Fly debated House Majority Leader Charles A. Halleck on the use of wiretaps, on Edward R. Murrow's "See It Now" television program.

[17] Fly also wrote numerous print editorials speaking against wiretapping, and testified before a Senate subcommittee about the practice.