Court to weigh law barring false statements in campaigns - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Court to weigh law barring false statements in campaigns

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By STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts highest court is set to hear arguments Thursday on a law that critics say unfairly limits free speech during elections.

The 1946 law bans the publishing of false statements about candidates meant to affect their chances.

At issue is whether a political action committee crossed that line last year.

State Rep. Brian Mannal says a flyer paid for by the Jobs First PAC wrongly suggested he could benefit from a bill he filed that would have notified indigent sex offenders of their right to a public defender.

The Barnstable Democrat says he's not certified to handle sex offender cases.

The case is galvanizing a range of groups - including newspaper publishers - urging the court to rule the law unconstitutional.

Mannal narrowly won re-election.

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