This will be a fascinating 1st Amendment case to watch (yes, we’ve linked to that before, but we still like it).  In short – the 1st Amendment protects you from the government, and lets you criticize the government – be it state or federal.  From Ohio.com:

COLUMBUS: The state ban on issue ads that mention political candidates by name within 30
days of an election should be overturned because it violates the First Amendment, an
anti-abortion group said in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The U.S. District Court should either permanently or temporarily stop enforcement of the ban on broadcast ads so that the Ohio Right to Life Society can fully participate in this fall’s election, the group said in the lawsuit against the Ohio Elections Commission and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

”Ohio Right to Life is presently not permitted to advocate for an issue when voters are most engaged,” said Mike Gonidakis, Ohio Right to Life’s executive director. ”Such a speech blackout period is entirely contrary to the First Amendment and harms grass-roots organizations of all ideologies.’

The ban was included in a campaign finance bill passed by lawmakers in a special session in December 2004.

Ohio Right to Life pointed to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last June in a similar case. The 5-4 decision upheld an appeals court ruling that said a Wisconsin anti-abortion group should have been allowed to air ads during the two months before the 2004 elections.

Read the Rest…