State panel rips campaign tactic

The Arkansas Ethics Commission on Friday condemned the use of campaign communications that mislead voters about complaints filed against candidates.

"The use of statements such as 'a sworn complaint has been filed against Candidate A' or 'the Arkansas Ethics Commission is investigating a complaint against Candidate A' are inappropriate attempts to mislead the public," the commission said in a resolution adopted Friday. "Accordingly, it is the unanimous opinion of the [Ethics Commission] that the use of that type of language in campaign communications is an unfair practice and should be viewed as such by voters."

Graham Sloan, the commission's executive director, said on Friday in an email to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that commissioners Tony Juneau of Rogers, Sybil Jordan Hampton of Little Rock and Ashley Driver Younger of Little Rock attended Friday's meeting and each voted for the resolution.

"We are not the only state to have such a resolution," he said, adding Texas also has approved one. "Hopefully, it will discourage someone from filing a complaint and trying to use the fact that a complaint has been filed against a candidate. The outcome of a case is what matters."

Read more: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/jun/22/state-panel-rips-campaign-tactic-201906-1/?news-politics