The nonprofit group is called the the Arkansas Judicial Campaign Conduct and Education Committee. It was organized by two former state Supreme Court justices, according to The Associated Press.
There are potentially contentious elections on March 1 for chief justice and associate justice of the state Supreme Court, and for appellate court judgeships.
Former Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Annabelle Imber Tuck said the committee will police false and misleading judicial election ads, according to Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
The need for the group was demonstrated in a 2014 state Supreme Court election, Tuck said. That year, the Law Enforcement Alliance of America aired more than $400,000 in TV advertising that accused candidate Tim Cullen of believing that child pornography is a victimless crime. Cullen, who lost to then-Court of Appeals Judge Robin Wynne, and his supporters said the ad distorted his views, and FactCheck.org called it “misleading” and “beyond the pale” (see Gavel Grab).