New Jersey Supreme Court to Decide If Town Can Display Super-Sized Inflatable Rat

ASSociated Press ^ | 9/13/2007 | ASSociated Press

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TRENTON, N.J. — The state Supreme Court has dealt with such weighty issues as gay marriage, education funding and abortion rights. Now, the high court will turn its attention to whether a 20-foot inflatable rat can be kept out of a New Jersey town. A three-judge appeals panel ruled Thursday that Lawrence Township could ban the big black rat. But the litigants can appeal automatically to the state Supreme Court because of one judge's partial dissent. "We're disappointed, but the dissent gives us an automatic appeal to the Supreme Court of New Jersey. That's the silver lining," said Andrew Watson, a lawyer arguing for the right of a union local to display the rat during a job site protest. The super-sized rat — on its hind legs and bearing fangs — had been blown up and situated at a 2005 labor event until police ticketed the senior union official onsite for violating a local sign law. The event, at Gold's Gym in Lawrence, was staged by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to protest low wages being paid to electricians by an out-of-area contractor. The rat is a symbol used by organized labor to signal a labor dispute or the use of nonunion workers.

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The title squeaks for itself.

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(Pic unrelated to article)

[BallyBill]

New Jersey, Giant Rat.

I see a new state slogan in the making.

[Michael.SF.]

Maybe this is the giant rat they want out:

[neverdem]

bump & a ping

[Noumenon]

What’s this? The Democratic Party parade float?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I see a new state slogan in the making.

I've got a better one: "New Jersey is Forever."

[AGreatPer]

Last year we had a super sized pig baloon here at the PA state capitol.

[tcostell]

I actually thought it might be the Democratic party suing.

[freekitty]

ROTFLMBO

[DGHoodini]

???....I thought the DNC Convention was going to be held in Colorado...

[Popman]

Union thugs using a giant rat to send a message ?

I guess it better than a whack on the kneecap with a steel pipe

[gridlock]

The Big Rat is a locally famous symbol of the IBEW. It goes all over the state and into NYC all the time. It is part of the landscape.

[Popman]

NJ rat bump

[wearearepublic]

They have a supersized ted kenney latex doll?

[meyer]

Now, the high court will turn its attention to whether a 20-foot inflatable rat can be kept out of a New Jersey town.

Corzine's home town?

[Williams]

WSJ had an article about the company that makes these rats, not too long ago.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

"New Jersey Supreme Court to Decide If Town Can Display Super-Sized Inflatable Rat"

I agree. This should be banned.

[pandoraou812]

Hmmmm The town should just Corslime to appear..he is a Big RAT. Or get the even bigger RAT Gay McGreedy to come to the town.