Published June 1985 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Espionage: An Unforgivable Crime The news that several members of a U.S. Navy family have been charged with selling military secrets to the Soviet Union has shocked our nation, and new details in the case that emerge almost daily have caused many top officials to fear that our country's security has been seriously compromised. In fact, over the past decade nearly 40 Americans have been charged with espionage, jeopardizing our national interests and calling into question the way our country handles those who betray us. Espionage, treason against our country, is an unforgivable crime that merits the ultimate punishment. That is why I was pleased when the Senate recently adopted my amendment requiring a mandatory sentence of life in prison for individuals found guilty of espionage for the Soviet Union or any other communist country. My amendment rules out any possibility of parole for convicted spies. Our country has the responsibility to take the strongest possible measures against those who would sell our military secrets to the communists. Before a person takes that step, he or she must know that the punishment will be swift and irrevocable. Personally, I would prefer to see convicted spies face the death penalty, but our Supreme Court has ruled it unconstitutional to mandate capital punishment for any crime. That being the case, I believe that those who are convicted of spying against our country should know, at the very least, that they will spend the rest of their lives behind bars, with no possibility of ever again enjoying the freedoms that our country has to offer. As the latest sad tale of treason against our country unravels, my conviction is strengthened that no punishment is too severe for those who would sell out America for a few pieces of silver. June 19, 1985