Commonwealth v. Wadzinski

OPINION OF THE COURT

KAUFFMAN, Justice.

The issue presented in this appeal is whether Section 1614 of the Pennsylvania Election Code is unconstitutional because it imposes criminal sanctions upon a candidate for public office who publishes a political advertisement referring to an opponent without first complying with prescribed notice requirements.1 For the reasons set forth below, we *39conclude that Section 1614 unreasonably restricts protected speech in contravention of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.2

I

Appellant, Frank J. Wadzinski, a candidate for mayor…