Advise Consent 1962 Robert Leffingwell is the presidents nominee for Secretary of State Prior to his approval, he must go through a Senate investigation to determine if hes qualified Leading the Senate committee is idealistic Senator Brig Anderson, who soon finds himself unprepared for the opposition and political dirt thats revealed, including Leffingwells past affiliations with a Communist organization When Leffingwell testifies about his political leanings, he proves his innocence Later, however, Anderson learns that he lied under oath and asks the president to withdraw Leffingwell from consideration, especially after the young senator and his wife begins receiving blackmail threats about a skeleton in his own closet