You’d Think They’d Know Better, But These Politicians Committed The Wildest Crimes Of The 20th Century

James R. Lewis Tried To Build A Laser-Gun That Could Blind People

In 1979 James R. Lewis, a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, pleaded guilty to perjury and lying to a federal grand jury about a laser-gun scheme. Lewis was part of a group that attempted to persuade Myron Muckerheide, a laser scientist who previously worked for NASA, to build a laser-gun “designed to blind people.” The group planned to sell the laser-gun to Guatemalan Colonel Federico Fuentes and use the funds to build a laetrile factory in South America. Lewis and the group were caught after Muckerheide contacted the FBI. Lewis lost his Assembly seat as a result.