Ed Helms

As the court's decision came down, they ruled it was not a punishable crime for his, ahem, customers to purchase alcohol. In other words, while George was taking the fall, every gin-guzzling senator preaching the good word of prohibition was effectively immune from charges. The law wasn't going to lay a finger on them.

As the court's decision came down, they ruled it was not a punishable crime for his, ahem, customers to purchase alcohol. In other words, while George was taking the fall, every gin-guzzling senator preaching the good word of prohibition was effectively immune from charges. The law wasn't going to lay a finger on them.

So George decided if the courts weren't going to give his sanctimonious customers their due, he would do it himself.

So George decided if the courts weren't going to give his sanctimonious customers their due, he would do it himself.

Back in his budget hearing turned culture war interrogation, James Duran is fending off charges that he's been diabolically poisoning American drinkers and cackling behind his spindly fingers. Robert Bacon, the New York congressman asking the questions, wants to force Duran to admit mass poisoning through the denaturing program. But it's not just about that.

Back in his budget hearing turned culture war interrogation, James Duran is fending off charges that he's been diabolically poisoning American drinkers and cackling behind his spindly fingers. Robert Bacon, the New York congressman asking the questions, wants to force Duran to admit mass poisoning through the denaturing program. But it's not just about that.

He's trying to attack prohibition itself. So Bacon brings up a case where drinkers in upstate New York had tapped into a vat of methanol and dropped dead. He points the finger at Duran. This is you. This is your fault. These people died because of Prohibition. Duran deflects.

He's trying to attack prohibition itself. So Bacon brings up a case where drinkers in upstate New York had tapped into a vat of methanol and dropped dead. He points the finger at Duran. This is you. This is your fault. These people died because of Prohibition. Duran deflects.

Bacon's convinced these deaths came from industrial denaturants. Duran counters that the wood alcohol could have come from anywhere. These deaths by methanol aren't on him. In fact, since he's facing a congressman from New York, he pulls in the testimony of one famous New Yorker as evidence for his side. He brings in analysis from Alexander Gettler.

Bacon's convinced these deaths came from industrial denaturants. Duran counters that the wood alcohol could have come from anywhere. These deaths by methanol aren't on him. In fact, since he's facing a congressman from New York, he pulls in the testimony of one famous New Yorker as evidence for his side. He brings in analysis from Alexander Gettler.

Now this moment is, for lack of a better word, bananas. Because as we know, if it weren't for Prohibition, no one would be breaking into industrial warehouses to drink aftershave ingredients. They could just walk down to the liquor store on the corner and pick up some gin.

Now this moment is, for lack of a better word, bananas. Because as we know, if it weren't for Prohibition, no one would be breaking into industrial warehouses to drink aftershave ingredients. They could just walk down to the liquor store on the corner and pick up some gin.

For Duran to say deaths like this had, quote, no relation to the National Prohibition Act, it's just, well, it's an insult to anyone's basic intelligence.

For Duran to say deaths like this had, quote, no relation to the National Prohibition Act, it's just, well, it's an insult to anyone's basic intelligence.

To be clear, it's true in the case of these particular methanol deaths that Gettler's analysis showed they were killed by pure wood alcohol, not wood alcohol that was mixed into liquor. But Duran is using Gettler's judgment of this one case to deflect from Norris and Gettler's bigger analysis, that prohibition was causing people to turn to denatured alcohol and that it was poisoning them.

To be clear, it's true in the case of these particular methanol deaths that Gettler's analysis showed they were killed by pure wood alcohol, not wood alcohol that was mixed into liquor. But Duran is using Gettler's judgment of this one case to deflect from Norris and Gettler's bigger analysis, that prohibition was causing people to turn to denatured alcohol and that it was poisoning them.

And by the way, James Duran knows what he's doing. See, behind the scenes, after the Christmas poisonings in 1926, Duran must have gotten a little nervous. Could those deaths actually be his fault? He wrote directly to the New York Health Commissioner and asked for the city's data on the deaths. The commish wrote back.

And by the way, James Duran knows what he's doing. See, behind the scenes, after the Christmas poisonings in 1926, Duran must have gotten a little nervous. Could those deaths actually be his fault? He wrote directly to the New York Health Commissioner and asked for the city's data on the deaths. The commish wrote back.

So Duran had it right there in black and white. The New York Health Commissioner made the damning connection denaturing alcohol was killing people. But back in the present, now sitting in front of Congress, Duran has the audacity to tell the committee that Gettler's work exonerated him. It was a bold strategy, but then Duran was never gonna just roll over.

So Duran had it right there in black and white. The New York Health Commissioner made the damning connection denaturing alcohol was killing people. But back in the present, now sitting in front of Congress, Duran has the audacity to tell the committee that Gettler's work exonerated him. It was a bold strategy, but then Duran was never gonna just roll over.