Fourth Circuit comes down against NC’s political lies ban

RICHMOND, Va. — The Fourth Circuit ruled that a 90-year-old North Carolina law, which aims to ban knowingly lying about candidates for public office, is “likely unconstitutional.” The law would criminalize at least some truthful statements because it renders “derogatory reports” illegal when the speaker acts “in reckless disregard of [the] truth or falsity” of the statements.