Maurice Braverman was a 20th-century American civil rights lawyer and some-time Communist Party member who was convicted in 1952 under the Smith Act, served 28 of 36 months, then immediately faced disbarment, against which he fought in the 1970s and won reinstatement in Maryland and federal courts.
28 Facts About Maurice Braverman
1.
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Maurice Louis Braverman was born to a Jewish family in Washington, DC, on February 1,1916.
3.
Maurice Braverman's family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, when he was five years old.
4.
Maurice Braverman worked in a post office in Baltimore for a few months.
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Maurice Braverman worked in the US War Department for a few months, and worked in the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
6.
On October 7,1941, Maurice Braverman passed the Maryland Bar and opened on his own office in Baltimore, where he would practice law for the next eleven years.
7.
Mr Maurice Braverman: I think any questions would be in that regard.
8.
On September 8,1948, Maurice Braverman appeared again before HUAC as counsel to Addie Rosen.
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Mr Maurice Braverman: I am sorry, I do not want to be in contempt of this committee, but if I am sworn as a witness I want the right to consult counsel.
10.
On September 9,1948, Maurice Braverman appeared again before HUAC, both as counsel to Rosen and as witness himself.
11.
Once on the stand as witness and his background discussed, Maurice Braverman found himself accused of Communism:.
12.
Maurice Braverman was an official of the Communist Party for several years before joining the Democratic Party as a district leader.
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Maurice Braverman was the lawyer who handled the business of the legacy for the Communist Party.
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Mr Tavenner: Mr Maurice Braverman is one of those who has appeared before this committee, I believe back in 1948, and refused to testify.
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Maurice Braverman often attended the meetings of the board, particularly during election campaigns.
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Maurice Braverman was particularly active with the political-action committee of the organization.
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Maurice Braverman had already appeared as counsel to Herbert Kransdorf, Michael Howard, Peter Edward Forrest, and Eli Isadore Schwartz.
18.
Later during that month, his wife later said, Maurice Braverman became aware that FBI agents were following him.
19.
Maurice Braverman received a fine of $1,000 and a sentence of imprisonment for three years.
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Maurice Braverman served time in Lewisburg Penitentiary in the same area as Alger Hiss.
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Maurice Braverman was released after 28 months and was released on May 19,1955.
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Maurice Braverman joined other groups: the New Democratic Coalition, St John's Council on Criminal Justice, and the Baltimore Free University.
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Maurice Braverman asked the Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union for help; they agreed.
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Maurice Braverman's lawyers included John C Roemer III of the ACLU, and Stanley Mazeroff.
25.
The ACLU's case for Maurice Braverman made national news on January 15,1974, when filed.
26.
Maurice Braverman married Jeanette Block, with whom he had two daughters ; they divorced.
27.
Maurice Braverman died age 86 of pneumonia in Elkton, Maryland, on March 25,2002.
28.
When Hiss was about to be released, Maurice Braverman told him the Communist Party would expect him make a statement.