roorback

or roor·bach

[ roo r-bak ]
/ ˈrʊərˌbæk /

noun

a false and more or less damaging report circulated for political effect, usually about a candidate seeking an office.

Origin of roorback

1844, Americanism; after a fictitious Baron von Roorback, in whose travelogue occurred an account of an incident damaging to the character of James K. Polk

British Dictionary definitions for roorback

roorback
/ (ˈrʊəˌbæk) /

noun

US a false or distorted report or account, used to obtain political advantage

Word Origin for roorback

C19: after Baron von Roorback, invented author of an imaginary Tour through the Western and Southern States (1844), which contained a passage defaming James K. Polk