 A federal judge struck down Ohio's campaign truth squad Thursday, issuing a significant First Amendment decision that pushes the state out of the business of trying to referee "political truth" in campaign advertising.
| Even the most liberal judge in the country could not have approved this... |
| One man's truth is another man's flaming trousers. |
Judge Black's ruling closes out a four-year-old lawsuit that began when the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life political group, wanted to post billboards accusing an incumbent U.S. House Democratic lawmaker of having voted to support government funding for abortion because he voted for Obamacare. Then-Rep. Steve Driehaus challenged the billboards under an Ohio law that declared it illegal to publish or broadcast "a false statement concerning the voting record" of a candidate. The law also gives the power to decide truth and falsehood to the state elections commission.
| Of course he challenged it using a new law that warped the 1st amendment. That's what progressives do... |
Judge Black, an Obama appointee to the bench, spotted several problems with the law. But he said the biggest objection is that in political speech, it's not always possible to tell truth and falsehood and that judgment should be left to voters, not the government. |