Elected from Prison: Matthew Lyon
Convicted of violating the unconstitutional Sedition Act of 1798, Congressman Lyon was seen by his constituents as a martyr for free speech – and a hero. And he won his reelection bid – while in jail – by a landslide. Path to Liberty: April 5, 2023...
Free Speech Under Attack: The Sedition Act of 1798
On July 14, 1798 – John Adams signed the Sedition Act into law. This is one of the most egregious violations of the Constitution in history – criminalizing free speech and the press just years after the 1st Amendment was ratified. Path to Liberty: July 14,...
Criminalizing Free Speech: The Sedition Act Trials
Attacks on the Freedom of Speech are nothing new. Benjamin Franklin warned about them as far back as 1722. And the Sedition Act of 1798 was a direct assault. Learn the stories of some of the people arrested and prosecuted under one of the worst federal acts in...