Constitutional Educational League

The Constitutional Educational League was an American anti-communist organization. Founded during America's First Red Scare, the group gained major influence during the aftermath of the First World War. In the 1930s, they were known for printing an anti-communist newspaper entitled "Headlines and What's Behind Them."

In 1942, the organization was listed as one 28 organizations indicated by a special grand jury as having conspired against the United States Army and Navy, being an instrument of the Axis Powers.[1]

In the 1944 presidential campaign, the organization published a brochure, Vote CIO and Get A Soviet America. A congressional investigation into the 1944 campaign expenditures sought to find out who the financial backers were of the League, as it deemed this brochure to be political. However, Joseph P. Kamp, vice-president of the League refused to hand over this information.[2] Because Kamp refused to act on a subpoena, he was tried for Contempt of Congress. In 1950, he was convicted, and sentenced to four months in prison.[3] Kamp was tried another time for congressional defiance in 1952, when he failed to produce records for the House Lobby Investigating Committee.[4] This time, Kamp was acquitted of the charge, as the House Committee failed to orderly disclose why Kamp was in default.[5]

See also

References
  1. "28 Organized Groups Linked to Fascist Plot". The Washington Post. 1942-07-24. p. 4.
  2. "Kamp Blames Trial for Contempt on 'Smearbund'". The Washington Post. 1945-12-13. p. 3.
  3. "Kamp is sent to Jail for Defying Congress". The New York Times. 1950-06-17. p. 2.
  4. "Kamp Again on Trial for Contempt". The Washington Post. 1952-02-05. p. 7.
  5. "Kamp Freed in Contempt Case". The Washington Post. 1952-02-07. p. 15.
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