Sixth Circuit Rules Falsely Linking Candidates to Political Positions Isn't Defamation

The Sixth Circuit has ruled that a congressman wasn't defamed when an anti-abortion advocacy group falsely tied his vote in support of Obamacare to supporting abortion, Courthouse News' Kevin Koeninger reports. Steven Driehaus, a pro-life Democrat, lost reelection, and he filed a complaint with the Ohio Election Commission, alleging that the Susan B. Anthony List group falsely advertised that his vote in support of Obamacare supported "taxpayer-funded abortion." Even if the SBA List's statements were actually false, the former politician couldn't prove that SBA List knew the statements were false or entertained serious doubts as to their truth, the Sixth Circuit ruled.