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A federal judge has struck down Ohio's law barring people from knowingly or recklessly making false statements about candidates.

 

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black in Cincinnati on ruled Thursday the Ohio law is unconstitutional.

 

The U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that an anti-abortion group should be able to challenge the law, in a case growing out of a 2010 congressional race. The Susan B. Anthony List contended the Ohio statute violates free speech rights and chills a variety of political speech.

 

The case began after then-U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus (DREE'-hows) filed a complaint when the group planned to post billboards claiming the Democrat's support for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul was support for abortion, which he opposed.

 

The Ohio attorney general's office had no immediate comment.