James Cannon Jr. was the chairman, and Ada L. Burroughs the treasurer, of a political election committee from July 22, 1928, to March 16, 1929.

Cannon and Burroughs claimed that each count of the indictment failed to allege an offense under the FCPA, and that the FCPA violated Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution The district court found all 11 counts of the indictment to be imperfect, rendering judgment on the constitutional violation moot.

Justice George Sutherland, writing for the majority, argued that the ninth charge contained enough information to uphold all 10 counts in the indictment.

Regarding the constitutionality of the Act, the court held that Congress has the power to pass legislation to protect the integrity of the federal election process.

The importance of his election and the vital character of its relationship to and effect upon the welfare and safety of the whole people cannot be too strongly stated.

Congress, undoubtedly, possesses that power, as it possesses every other power essential to preserve the departments and institutions of the general government from impairment or destruction, whether threatened by force or by corruption.Justice James Clark McReynolds, however issued a stinging dissent regarding the court's ruling regarding the indictment.

An experienced trial judge was unable to find proper description of crime in any of the ten counts of the indictment.