Judge Rules in Favor of SBA List
A U.S. District Court Judge ruled the government cannot regulate political speech, even if the government thinks it false. Susan B Anthony List sued the Ohio Elections Commission after the latter decided one of SBA’s ads claiming a candidate voted for government-funded abortions was false and violated the state’s election law. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which kicked it back down to the District Court level where Judge Timothy Black wrote, “We do not want the government (i.e., the Ohio Elections Commission) deciding what is political truth – for fear that the government might persecute those who criticize it. Instead, in a democracy, the voters should decide.” Black then went on to describe a “fundamental principle of American law” with a House of Cards reference, quoting fictional politician Francis Underwood: “There’s no better way to overpower a trickle of doubt than with a flood of naked truth.” More…
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- Ohio
- free speech