Journalists Sam Hananel and Hope Yen wrote for The Associated Press 16 April 2014:
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Negative campaigning and mudslinging may be a fact of life in American politics, but can false accusations made in the heat of an election be punished as a crime? That debate makes its way to the Supreme Court next week as the justices consider a challenge to an Ohio law that bars false statements about political candidates during a campaign. The case has attracted national attention, with groups across the political spectrum criticizing the law as a restriction on the First Amendment right to free speech.
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It's a shame that someone could lose an election because of a campaign lie, but then, there are libel laws. Also, a re-election could be held, at the expense of the one who propounded the lie.
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Negative campaigning and mudslinging may be a fact of life in American politics, but can false accusations made in the heat of an election be punished as a crime? That debate makes its way to the Supreme Court next week as the justices consider a challenge to an Ohio law that bars false statements about political candidates during a campaign. The case has attracted national attention, with groups across the political spectrum criticizing the law as a restriction on the First Amendment right to free speech.
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article
It's a shame that someone could lose an election because of a campaign lie, but then, there are libel laws. Also, a re-election could be held, at the expense of the one who propounded the lie.
