juries, but 75 percent of those decided judges. Such odds scare off journalists contemplating controversial stories about government.
Lewis suggests a remedy. "Public figures," whether officials or pri- vate citizens, could sue for libel only when a story did not concern gov- ernment business. Otherwise, libel suits would be barred. Public officials' performance, in particular, should be fair game for press criti- cism, even inaccurate criticism. "Their recourse is not litigation...