WUNC: “A federal appeals court on Tuesday blocked a local North Carolina district attorney from prosecuting state Attorney General Josh Stein or anyone else for his 2020 campaign ad through a criminal libel law.
The majority of a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, granted the request by Stein’s campaign committee and others associated with his campaign to prevent enforcement of the law while they sue to attempt to have the law overturned as unconstitutional.
The 2-1 decision came the day after a Wake County grand jury formally asked the Wake district attorney’s office to submit an indictment against Stein and two of his advisers or any one of the three for jurors to consider. Wake County DA Lorrin Freeman said Monday that could have happened as soon as next month.
Any formal charges could harm the political future of Stein, a Democrat and possible 2024 gubernatorial candidate.”