Leland Olds hearing

[1] It was a left wing news agency which served Trade Union newspapers but had an ambiguous relationship with the American Communist Party.

[4] In 1948 in the debate over the deregulating Kerr Bill, Olds together with another Commissioner Claude L. Draper published a study, and also testified,[6] that forcefully argued that the Federal Power Commission had both the authority and the duty to regulate the prices that Natural Gas was sold to wholesalers.

The Federal Power Commission did not take a position on the Bill[7] and it was opposed by Senators from the gas-producing Southwest, including Robert Kerr of Oklahoma, who was seen at the time as Olds' principle opponent for re-nomination,[5] and Lyndon Johnson of Texas.

[6] As well as Lyndon and Edwin Johnson the members of the subcommittee were Ernest McFarland, Herbert O'Conor, Clyde Reed, Homer Capehart and John Bricker[8] The witnesses who testified against Olds were all directly or indirectly connected to oil and natural gas interests.

[6] The subcommittee in charge of reappointment was stacked against Olds,[citation needed] with the main anti-Olds witness, Representative John Lyle being coached by Johnson.