What’s in a name? Potentially, quite a lot of trouble, particularly in the 1940s when the Red Scare was at its height. This is the story of two men, both named Irving Adler, which were investigated by the FBI, and how MuckRock accidentally got its hands on their files.

One Irving Adler was a a serviceman and federal employee. The other Irving Adler was a renowned activist and author. The FBI had trouble telling the difference.