The Talbot Republican Central Committee (TCRCC) has worked hard to promote our candidates, including the erection of a couple dozen large Trump, Andy Harris, and Hogan signs around the county. In just a week we have had one large sign near Trappe stolen, replaced, and stolen again, and last night had two signs spray-painted on St Michaels Road just ouside of St Michaels. These signs cost an average of $100 each plus $15 for lumber, and sweat equity to dig post holes and erect the signs.
Vandalism of political signs is against the law and is punishable by jail time and hefty fines. Complaints have been filed with the Sheriff’s Office. Many signs are now monitored by trail cameras. If we catch the responsible parties, we will prosecute vigorously. TCRCC will pay a $500 reward to anyone whose testimony leads to conviction.
While spending two hours cleaning the paint off the signs, I was cursed at twice by people driving by:”F–k You” and “F–k Trump.” (This was offset by some dozen or more friendly honks and thumbs-ups and two people who stopped to ask if they could help.)
This behavior is typical of people who have no respect for the Constutution, and specifically the First Amendment, or of the election process in which we all express our opinions by peaceful, respectful means. Sadly, the Democratic Party has encouraged behavior that stifles freedom of expression for several years (witness Obama’s “get in their face” remarks and the pressuring of Facebook and Twitter by the Biden/Harris Administration to censor conservative thought.
If we are to have a democracy of, by, and for the people, we must respect each other’s right to think and say what we will. I hope that Democrats who are put off by this behavior will chastise their brethren for acting this way. It isn’t pretty.
To be silent is to condone this behavior.
Kent Robertson
Talbot County
P. K.. Pfeiffer says
The two people who stopped to ask if they could help you clean up the signs — maybe they were Democrats who respect the US Constitution as you do…
Kent Robertson says
No, stanch conservatives.
Michael L Pullen says
Oh, so you are implying only “staunch conservatives” respect the Constitution?
Do you believe Trump respects the Constitution? Is he a “staunch conservative” in your opinion?
William Keppen says
” … behavior is typical of people who have no respect for the Constutution …” There are many that have little respect for the Constitution. Think about some people who want to be a dictator, for at least day one.
Calvin Yowell says
maybe if you had viable candidates people would show some respect to them and the signs you post to endorse them. Trump is a joke and Harris has done little or nothing
Michael Estrella says
I can only wonder if those folks who drove by while you were cleaning up your yard signs and voiced their opinion of your candidate were VETERANS. But, that said, what happed to your sign isn’t a single happening. Yours is the third sign I’ve seen defaced so far this campaign cycle. During the 2020 cycle the number of your candidate’s signs damaged was much greater. It is almost as if there was a bounty on them. As for me, I believe that those who damage signs are not doing service to our neighborhoods. Without signs, how do we know just how diverse our neighborhoods are?
Mike Estrella
St. Michaels
Katherine Foster says
This same defacement and destruction occurred to some Biden signs on Oxford Road during the 2020 election season. I guess there are people who “have no respect for the constitution” on both sides of the political chasm.
Barbara Perry says
I agree with you since I too have had my Biden and Harris signs stolen this year.
Elena Vidal says
I’ve never seen a Biden-Harris sign. What do they look like?
Kent Robertson says
I’m sure there are. And I hope they get caught and pay a price for undermining the First Amendment.
Gerry Levin says
I imagine some people do not want a convicted felon for our President. Go figure.
Kent Robertson says
So, does that means you think this behavior is justified because you don’t like the candidate? Half the country doesn’t like your candidate, does that give them license to destroy your political advertising?
Barbara Perry says
You are not the only one who has suffered the loss of yard signs. Mine were not the 4 x 8 large signs but I had two Biden signs stolen from my yard after he had ended his campaign. These were signs that I was going to remove the day after but they were already gone. I then had a Harris sign and a Vote for the Democrats sign stolen after Harris had received the virtual nomination as the Democratic Party’s candidate for President. So stop blaming the Democrats for not respecting the First Amendment. I now have more signs up and have attached some to my house that will be difficult to steal. I have been putting signs up for MANY years and this is the FIRST time that I have had any stolen.
Kent Robertson says
I’m sorry to hear that, Ms Perry. I hope that whomever is responsible is caught and prosecuted equally to the fullest extent of the law, no matter what their political view.
Elena Vidal says
I hope whoever did that gets caught. It is a shame that we have to put hidden cameras everywhere because people do not respect private property.
Bill Aiken says
I’m certainly not a supporter of Donald Trump, but I do believe we need,to show respect and that includes not defacing their signs. Don’t deface, vote!
Kent Robertson says
Finally, a response to my post about violation of first Amendment rights that is willing to say so. Every other reply seems to be making excuses.
Thank you, Bill Aiken, for defending our Constitution.
Michael L Pullen says
This behavior is typical of people who have no respect for the Constutution, and specifically the First Amendment, or of the election process in which we all express our opinions by peaceful, respectful means”.
Donald Trump’s attempted overthrow of our government and the first assault on the peaceful transfer of power in the history of the United States comes to mind.
Political violence is wrong. Trump’s withholding of aid to Ukraine unless Zelenskyy opened a (false) political investigation of Trump’s opponent was wrong. Are you outraged by those, or does the rule of law only apply to Democrats?
Michael L Pullen says
“This behavior is typical of people who have no respect for the Constutution, and specifically the First Amendment, or of the election process in which we all express our opinions by peaceful, respectful means”.
Donald Trump’s attempted overthrow of our government and the first assault on the peaceful transfer of power in the history of the United States comes to mind.
Political violence is wrong. Trump’s withholding of aid to Ukraine unless Zelenski opened a (false) political investigation of Trump’s opponent was wrong. Are you outraged by those, or does the rule of law only apply to Democrats?
Kent Robertson says
I was appalled at what happened on Jan 6. I watched President Trump’s speech several times. What I saw and heard was a man who truly believed that the election was stolen and said why he believed that. I heard him encourage the crowd to march PEACEFULLY to the Capitol to express their outrage at what appeared to him to be fraud. He never suggested anything like what happened. Whether the election was stolen is not relevant to his right to say what he believed to be true. That is the essence of the First Amendment. It is the essence of free speech.
It’s not relevant to the free speech discussion, but I don’t hear you ranting about Biden bragging about withholding Ukrainian aid unless they fired a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma. Or the millions of dollars paid to the Biden family by Chinese and Ukrainian (and other countries) companies for Presidential influence. Your outrage seems disingenuous to me.
Elena Vidal says
Mr. Robertson, thank you for your interesting letter and clear, logical defense of your position. I do not know why there had to be remarks about Trump when you are merely calling attention to those who break the law by stealing and/or defacing political signs. As if disapproval of Trump’s behavior makes it alright to break the law. I may not agree with the other party but I respect their right to put signs around. I have seen the large Trump Vance signs defaced; that’s terrible. I drive down the highway all the time and was shocked to see the vandalism. I am sorry to hear that other signs were defaced, although I have never seen a Harris Walz sign along the highway and do not even know what they look like.