April 20, 2010
$1,000 Reward for Stolen Political Sign Information
“Blatant Thief” Targeting Signs
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – When campaign season rolls around every two to four years, lots and yards sprout signage. “No one likes election signs,” said candidate Scott Caserta, but they serve an informative purpose for the electorate.
Election laws regulate some placements. For instance, those either purposefully or accidentally placed on city or state right-of-ways are retrieved by employees and returned to the candidate.
City councilman Scott Caserta has made an initial venture into county politics running for county clerk. Candidates expect to “lose” about two out of ten signs, but Caserta has had about 100 of his signs vanish.
During a Meet the Candidates meeting in Milton, Magistrate Dan Goheen informed the audience that he has experienced a high number of disappearing signs. Caserta told HNN that Michael Maxey, candidate for County Commission, and Teresa Fulks, candidate for magistrate, have also complained of high numbers of missing signs. “A lot of their signs are missing from the same locations as mine,” Caserta said.
Stealing campaign signs violates the law.
Caserta has offered a $1,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of a person or person(s) taking his signage. According to a news release, the last sign was taken from Forest Road and Sandalwood Drive in Huntington, Monday, April 19, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“I feel my signs are being targeted, but I don’t know why,” the District 7 councilman stated. “In retracing my steps, these signs were not gathered by the state or city.”
Agreeing that the First Amendment protects election signs as political expression on private property , Caserta added, “it’s also obstruction of the election process. It’s unfair to the public and the candidates.”
He admitted that sometimes mistakes occur, particularly address or rule mix ups with campaign workers. “If a sign is on private property without permission, call the candidate. They will come and get it, I guarantee you. We all have people putting signs out for us. It happens, you can get an address confused or mixed up. It does happen.”
However, in the circumstances which he refers pertaining to his own signs and perhaps others, “this is a blatant thief driving around the area stealing signs.”
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$1,000 Reward for Stolen Political Sign Information
“Blatant Thief” Targeting Signs
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – When campaign season rolls around every two to four years, lots and yards sprout signage. “No one likes election signs,” said candidate Scott Caserta, but they serve an informative purpose for the electorate.
Election laws regulate some placements. For instance, those either purposefully or accidentally placed on city or state right-of-ways are retrieved by employees and returned to the candidate.
City councilman Scott Caserta has made an initial venture into county politics running for county clerk. Candidates expect to “lose” about two out of ten signs, but Caserta has had about 100 of his signs vanish.
During a Meet the Candidates meeting in Milton, Magistrate Dan Goheen informed the audience that he has experienced a high number of disappearing signs. Caserta told HNN that Michael Maxey, candidate for County Commission, and Teresa Fulks, candidate for magistrate, have also complained of high numbers of missing signs. “A lot of their signs are missing from the same locations as mine,” Caserta said.
Stealing campaign signs violates the law.
Caserta has offered a $1,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of a person or person(s) taking his signage. According to a news release, the last sign was taken from Forest Road and Sandalwood Drive in Huntington, Monday, April 19, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“I feel my signs are being targeted, but I don’t know why,” the District 7 councilman stated. “In retracing my steps, these signs were not gathered by the state or city.”
Agreeing that the First Amendment protects election signs as political expression on private property , Caserta added, “it’s also obstruction of the election process. It’s unfair to the public and the candidates.”
He admitted that sometimes mistakes occur, particularly address or rule mix ups with campaign workers. “If a sign is on private property without permission, call the candidate. They will come and get it, I guarantee you. We all have people putting signs out for us. It happens, you can get an address confused or mixed up. It does happen.”
However, in the circumstances which he refers pertaining to his own signs and perhaps others, “this is a blatant thief driving around the area stealing signs.”
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
