The Sedition Case

The Great Sedition Trial of 1944 was a political show trial engineered by the American Jewish Committee, ADL, and B'nai B'rith with the purpose of imprisoning anti-communist patriots who opposed FDR and his schemes to bring the country into World War II. The Smith Act of 1940 was used to prosecute the defendants. The case was designated as United States v. McWilliams where the defendants were charged with conspiracy to aid in establishment of a National Socialist form of government within the United States and attempting to demoralize the armed forces of the United States. A conviction carried a $10,000 fine and ten years imprisonment. The entire case was declared a mistrial after the presiding judge suddenly died. Months later another judge dismissed the charges against the defendants and called the case "a travesty on justice."