Court critical of Ohio law punishing campaign lies

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is expressing serious doubts about the constitutionality of an Ohio law that bars people from making false statements about political candidates during a campaign.

Most of the justices during argument at the high court Tuesday appeared likely to let an anti-abortion group move ahead with a challenge to the law as a violation of free-speech rights.

The case has attracted widespread attention, with liberal and conservative groups saying it has a chilling effect on political speech.

The case began during the 2010 election, when the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List accused an Ohio congressman of supporting taxpayer-funded abortion because he backed the new health care law. The congressman claimed the group's billboard ads violated the speech law.