Posted on 10/10/2004 8:27:16 AM PDT by joeclarke
See Video http://www.krd1.com/quicktime/bush_sign.mov
• Watch the video of the sign being torn down. Men videotaped vandalizing sign
Summit elections official catches culprits tearing down Bush-Cheney poster
By Marilyn Miller and Andale Gross
Beacon Journal staff writers
Two men who tore down a Bush-Cheney sign and urinated on it were caught on videotape by Summit County Republican officials early Friday morning.
The videotape shows the men sneaking into the yard of a West Market Street home and bending the sign to the ground. The men struggled to rip the sign out of the ground by shaking it and pulling it but couldn't get it off the posts, so they knocked it down. Sounds heard on the tape suggest the men urinated on the sign. They were white males, about 30 to 35 years old, well-dressed and well-groomed. They parked across the street in what police think was a foreign car, a Toyota or Honda.
The homeowner, Steve Kotsatos, who is also assistant to the director of the Summit County Board of Elections, called Akron police dispatchers at 10:38 a.m. Friday and told them about how his campaign sign was vandalized.
He said he caught the vandals on a night-vision camera he had installed the day before.
``A couple of days ago my neighbor's sign was set on fire with a blowtorch so I figured I might be next,'' Kotsatos said. ``This is not only criminal damaging but a safety hazard.''
The large 4-by-8-foot, red, white and blue sign was tipped over in Kotsatos' yard about 1 a.m. Friday.
John Kerry's name was scrawled across Bush's name in black marker on one side of the sign -- the work of previous vandals, Kotsatos said.
He discovered the bent sign at 6:45 a.m.
Police took a report of the incident and retrieved a copy of the videotape to review. No arrests have been made.
Akron police Lt. Sylvia Trundle said depending on the amount of damage -- officials estimate the sign's value at $200 to $400 -- the culprits could be charged with vandalism, but if the value is $500 or more they could face criminal damaging or criminal mischief charges. They are all misdemeanors and would carry a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
Local Republicans and Democrats say the stealing and damaging of campaign signs has been worse this presidential race than in past races. In some cases, the signs have been shredded and burned.
According to the Summit County Republican Party, about 3,000 of the 4,000 signs the GOP has handed out supporting Bush and Cheney have been taken from yards or damaged.
More than 1,000 signs backing Sen. Kerry, D-Mass., and running mate Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., have been taken from yards, according to the Summit County Democratic Party.
Both parties deny taking part in any sign stealing.
Even political leaders like Summit GOP Party Chairman Alex Arshinkoff and Summit Democratic Party Finance Chairman Wayne Jones have seen their signs targeted.
Officials in Medina, Wayne and Portage counties also have reported thefts of campaign signs.
Area police departments say they investigate sign theft complaints when they get them. They say it's best when a description of the vandals or their vehicle can be given.
Kotsatos said he had a Bush sign in his yard four years ago and nobody bothered it. The Republican Party is looking into a possible $1,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the men.
Anyone have an update on these two jerks being caught/IDed yet?
reminds me of the sienfeld episode were Jerry is busted for pblic urination
"So you thought youd have a little Pee Party?"
OCTOBER SURPRISE AD:
Political Operative Veterans Against George W. Bush (POVAGWB) Meeting: Mr. Kerry Reports (Serious Parody):
“When I attended a POVAGWB meeting recently, I heard testimony from Campaign Operative Veterans that they had:
• Cut off the locks and bashed in doors of regional Republic Campaign Headquarters
• Raped and defiled various Republican office machines
• Randomly shot weapons into Republican Campaign Headquarters
• Defiled US Mail delivered to the Republican Regional Campaign Headquarters
• Razed Republican campaign offices across the country in the manner reminiscent of Genghis Kahn
• Destroyed foodstuffs found in campaign office refrigerators
• Kicked Republican dogs
• Urinated on campaign signs
• Used large union thugs to destroy GWB campaign signs held by three-year-old girls
• Told story after story of falsely accusing Republicans the gruesome act of denying minorities the right to vote
• Committed other violent campaign atrocities under the tacit control and support of the DNC commanders”
Mr. Kerry denies being at a DNC meeting where these tactics were discussed and planned, but witness say he was there. Others are accusing him of meeting with Carl Rove in an attempt to end the campaign early and declare GWB the winner.
Paid for by a Swift-Thinking Freeper in America
I don't want to 'see the video' I want to see prosecution, as well as a civil case for violating civil (free speech) rights.
A perfect example of Democratic Party values.
And has any media shown the tape? No? Oh. The perps weren't Republican? I see.
Not to mention the arson from the night before.
Can't wait to watch the expose - including video - on NBC tonight.
Sarcasm off.
Diva's Husband
lol
These people remind me of the line from the old Jimmy Buffett song: "we are the people our parents warned us about."
They have become the very people they claim to hate.
I live here in Akron and that's the way some of these people act. They tear down Bush signs and they chase people in cars who have Bush-Cheney stickers on their cars. The Bush-Cheney backers that I am one of may not be perfect but the people that have become Cultural Marxists that call themselves democrats are way out of line and they don't realize how they are destroying America. If they get what they wish for and I pray that they don't I'm not going to feel sorry for them. I'm am literally scared to death of that happening and I pray to my Lord and Savior that it dosen't. I don't want to live in Hitler's Germany or Stalin's Russia.
#12
Did you notice they appeared to be wearing "brown shirts"?
Yes it does get lower, but I will not post that alternative.
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