Swiftboating

Swiftboating is when someone spreads false or unfair claims about another person or group and tries to damage their reputation. It's named after the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a political action committee that spread lies and false rumors about John Kerry when he was running for President in 2004. The lies were spread in newspapers and on TV, and their goal was to make people think less of John Kerry and hurt his chance of becoming President.