Intentionally lying for political gain ruled protected free speech by federal judge

Lies(NaturalNews) There is an old expression that goes something like this: “You can always tell when a politician is lying: his/her lips are moving.” Well, as we stare down yet another approaching political cycle, most of us expect to be lied to — a lot — in the coming weeks.

And just so you know, while you can’t commit perjury or fail to deliver on promises contained in a contract, a politician can lie through his teeth to get you to vote for him/her, and that is now protected speech, according to a federal judge.

Even though some states have laws against political fibbing.

One such state is Minnesota; its law prohibits the distribution and solicitation by candidates of campaign literature that intentionally spreads falsehoods and fibs in an attempt to get people to vote for them. But the 8th U.S. Circuit Court recently ruled that that law tramples the First Amendment’s free speech protections.

According to a report by Courthouse News Service, Citizens for Quality Education and 281 Care Committee brought the original legal challenge in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis. In court papers, they claimed that the law — the Minnesota Fair Campaign Practices Act — is a violation of their First Amendment rights, because it ostensibly prevents them from being able to speak freely against school-funding measures that they oppose.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/046859_politics_free_speech_lying_politicians.html#ixzz3Dzq2ezHi