A smear campaign is an attempt to require response to hearsay that impugns the reputation and status of a person.

It usually comes up to the limits of slander? and libel and relies on the inability of most groups and persons to track and respond to a lot of lying spread across a lot of persons by various means and channels.

As just one example, Michael Pastore of the AFP conducted a smear campaign against Tooker Gomberg in early 2003 - and by applying false legalisms to Gomberg's TOTV? and Kyoto or Bust? campaigns, By these tactics Pastore gained the support of Green Party of Canada officers John Anderson and Jim Harris who helped to drive Gomberg from his Toronto home - he was unable to cash cheques from his donors nor even contact them. This was a direct breach of contract? by the GPC which had begun on the long road of lost integrity to the GPC Council Crisis that eventually destroyed it.

Shortly thereafter came the Julian West smear campaign by Harris himself.