Aide Protests Citation Over Campaign Sign

The campaign manager for a city councilman Thursday said his 1st Amendment rights were violated when sheriff’s deputies cited him for a sign promoting his candidate.

Jeff Nelson said he was cited after Mayor Robert Huff complained to authorities about a sign on Nelson’s car promoting the candidacy of Councilman Clair Harmony, a Huff opponent. Nelson was ticketed Tuesday for violating an ordinance prohibiting vehicle signs for the principal purpose of advertising or display, according to the citation.

“Political signs don’t come under that jurisdiction,” Nelson said.

Huff acknowledged that he called sheriff’s deputies to enforce the local law, adopted in 1991. “A resident called me. So I said I would take care of it,” Huff said. “I called the sheriffs and they ignored me. So I went and checked it out and called again, and they sent out two units.”

On Monday, the city sent Harmony, who is up for reelection in November, a letter informing him that if the sign was seen “on any public street it would be removed and brought to City Hall.” But an attorney for Harmony that same day had challenged the law’s legality.