On August 9, two Ohio advocacy groups asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an Ohio law that makes it a crime for anyone to knowingly or recklessly make a “false” statement about a candidate or a ballot measure. Here is the cert petition. The case is Susan B. Anthony List and Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes v Driehaus, 13-193.

The lower courts had refused to make a decision about the constitutionality of the law. Ever since the law has existed, there have been many lawsuits in both federal and state courts to overturn this law, but the courts invariably find procedural reasons to abstain from deciding whether the law violates the First Amendment.

The Richmond, Virginia Times-Dispatch has this op-ed, criticizing the League of Women Voters and other organizations that are sponsoring debates. All such organizations, so far, have refused to invite the Libertarian nominee, even though in some neutral polls he has been as high as 7%.

On the afternoon of August 13, four more independent candidates filed for U.S. Senate in the New Jersey special election. They are:
(1) Stuart Meissner, whose ballot label is “Alimony Reform Now”, submitted 833 signatures
(2) Eugene LaVergne, whose ballot label is “D-R Party”, submitted 864 signatures
(3) Pablo Olivera, whose label is “Unity is Strength”, submitted 996 signatures
(4) Robert DePasquale, who has different labels in different counties, submitted 976 signatures.

New Jersey is the only state in which an independent candidate for statewide office can have different labels in different counties. In some counties DePasquale is using “No Amnesty Period”; in others, “American Citizens First”; and in yet others, “Jobs for Americans.”

If anyone challenges any of these petitions, some of them might not survive. 800 valid signatures are needed. If all of these candidates remain on the ballot, there will be eight candidates.