- Founder and head of the nativist, ultra-right-wing and anti-Semitic American political organization The Silver Legion of America, nicknamed the "Silver Shirts," founded in Asheville, NC, in 1933 and disbanded in 1940. He was active in Hollywood and New York film circles from 1921 until 1929, at which date he became a publisher of metaphysical magazines with strong political flavor. His closest friends during those years were Lon Chaney, William Boyd and Neil Hamilton.
- Ran for President in 1936 on the Christian Party ticket. Washington was the only state that allowed him on the ballot (received 1,500+ votes).
- Founded five publications: "Liberation", "Pelley's Silvershirt Weekly", "The New Liberator", the "Galilean" and "Roll-Call", which featured such headlines as "Why You Are Opposed by Invisible Persons", "Take Your Cues From the Great Pyramids" and "You Can Remember Before You Were Born".
- He was widely believed to be responsible for creating the myth of the "Benjamin Franklin Prophecy".
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