Campaign lawn sign follies in NJ

[brentspeak]

My attempts to place Menendez signs in my local area of NJ have so far proven to be unsuccessful.

This sad story begins about a week ago, when I placed two Menendez signs at exits for two local highways. Both exits had previously had one or two Menendez signs, but they were later removed by Kean supporters, who replaced the Menendez signs with about 15 Kean signs -- 15 signs at each exit, that is (talk about overkill). I tried to rectify this by placing one Menendez sign at those two exits. Sometime the following day, however, the Menendez signs were removed.

Well, this was really rubbing me the wrong way. So, the next day, I brought along more Menendez signs to replace the stolen ones.

And here's where I ran into the Powers That Be. After placing the first of Menendez signs at a particular interstate exit, and returning to my car, there was a municipal cop waiting for me in his vehicle. He ordered me to remove the sign I had just placed, because I had placed it on state property.

What about the other signs? I asked. Cop: "Well, I could call the state. But you have to remove your sign." Which I did, not happily.

How about if I remove the other signs for you? I suggested. (They were mostly Kean, Garrett -- RW wacko congressman of my district -- and one Aronsohn sign -- Dem challenger to Garrett who is not predicted to unseat the incumbent.) You know, because it's illegal for them to be there?

Cop: "You just worry about your own sign, OK?"

Later on, after making phone calls inquiring about placing election signs on the highways, calling everyone from the NJ Attorney General's office to the county election dept. to the local sub-station of the NJ State Police, I discovered that NJ law regarding placing campaign signs at highway exits is so vague -- maybe purposefully so -- that, for all practical purposes, it allows local police to selectively enforce which signs can be placed at the highway exits adjoining their jurisdiction.

I can't say for sure if the cop had a political bias in all this, and I didn't accuse him of that, but it was impossible not to at least wonder about it.

[Ignacio Upton]

1. What part of New Jersey do you live in?

n/t.

[brentspeak]

5. North-eastern part, in the 5th district

[babylonsister]

2. Oh, I would really wonder about his motives. Seems a bit

too selective to me.

[Habibi]

3. Actually, it pisses me off to see any campaign signs on public

property.

Maybe, after hearing your story, I might, in a similar sitch, just remove *all* the signs without asking permission of the cop. But that's with your heads-up. After all, what would he/she say?

[Earth_First]

4. You sure it wasn't the COP removing your lawn signs?

?

[brentspeak]

6. I called Menendez HQ to ask their opinion on it

and the guy who answered the phone believed that the cops in my part of NJ are heavily Republican, and wasn't surprised to hear that I was ordered to remove my sign.

[BeFree]

7. He's a damn PIG!

[ellenfl]

8. there are some clay shaw and joe negron signs along the

road on my way from work. i have been thinking about just 'accidentally' losing control of my car and running them over. it would be very easy. today, however, those signs were not there. instead there were ron klein/tim mahoney signs where the others used to be! ha! take that repugs!

ellen fl