Jury verdict can't end golden age of political dishonesty

Last week, a Sioux City jury awarded $231,000 to a state lawmaker who sued his vanquished foe for running a television ad that defamed his good name.

The ad charged that Republican Rep. Rick Bertrand “put profits ahead of children's health” while working for a drug company. It was paid for by the Iowa Democratic Party, and clearly, dishonestly, twisted facts. The verdict is being appealed.

In the days since, I've read comments from politicos who insist this will put the brakes on dishonest political ads, make candidates cautious and alter the way campaigns operate. I wish it were a game-changer.

But I don't think much will change. Maybe a candidate or two will think twice before assailing an opponent's business or private life. That's a good thing. But the vast majority of scurrilous campaign muck is tied to issues, policies and votes.

By all means, feel free to sue someone for accusing you of gutting preschools, supporting a government takeover of health care or heating sidewalks. Let us know how that turns out. Nice stimulus for lawyers, at least.

What that brave jury could not do is change the fact that elections, even local legislative races, can have enormous consequences. Legislative control, the fate of important issues, command of the massive state budget, can hinge on a district or two. The stakes can be very high, so the notion that party strategists are going to pull back or get cold feet for fear that someday, maybe, a jury somewhere might make them pay a defamation award seems really far-fetched. In this win-at-all-costs era, only the election matters.

We've also learned over the past several months that when truly dirty work needs to be done, it won't be a candidate doing it. Outside groups, Super PACs, etc., are more than willing to level charges corrosive enough to peel paint, at arm's length from a candidate they back. These groups, with sketchy organizations and fuzzy donor lists, may evaporate after Election Day. Good luck suing a vapor trail.

I'd love to wave this Sioux City verdict in the air and proclaim political honesty in our time. But that's sort of tough when you're up to your neck in bile. This is a golden age of political dishonesty.

The quaint notion that you can catch candidates or campaigns telling a whopper, and embarrass them into coming clean, is pretty much dead. Legions of unshakable partisans are willing to line up and swear the whopper is true, and shout loudly that the real culprit worthy of shame is the biased fact-checker. Add that to the apathy of folks who pay no attention, and you've pretty much got a license to lie. On the bright side, TVs turn off.

So kudos to the jury for striking a blow. But I fear the beast will need only a small Band-Aid.