the.com/mudslinging
Politics minus the policy: just throwing dirt and hoping it sticks.
means Attacking an opponent with insults, scandal, and accusations instead of arguing the actual issues.
from From the literal image of flinging mud at someone to soil them; the political sense took hold in 1800s American campaigns, where reputations got dirtier than the roads.
Old proverbFling enough mud and some will stick.
Backfire riskSlingers often dirty their own hands too.
Campaign stapleNegative ads are mudslinging with a budget.