Democratic Campaign Worker Charged With Swiping Campaign Signs
Washington DC man charged with theft after allegedly stealing Republican election signs from along Route 17. Allegedly tells police it was in retaliation for the theft of campaign signs for Senator Robert Menendez.
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A Democratic campaign worker from Washington, DC was arrested in Mahwah early Tuesday morning after allegedly stealing Republican freeholder election signs from along Route 17, police said.
Mahwah Detective Kevin Herbert and Officer Michael Blondin allegedly saw David Gins, who police said works for the Democratic Coordinating Campaign in New Jersey, removing a "Re-Elect Hermansen and Watkins" freeholder sign from the median at the intersection of Mountainside Road and Route 17 at about 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, Police Chief James Batelli said.
When police approached Gins’s Chevy Traverse, they found eight more Hermansen-Watkins signs behind the drivers seat and a pile of re-elect Senator Menendez signs in the back of the car, Batelli said.
Gins admitted to taking down the freeholder signs, and said he took them “because other unknown people had been taking Senator Menendez signs,” Batelli said.
Gins was arrested and charged with theft, police said. Two other people in the car with him, who police said work for the Democratic Coordinating Campaign, were not arrested or charged, police said.
Gins is scheduled to appear in Mahwah Municipal Court on Nov. 13.
Hermansen called the incident "sad," and said he hopes his signs will all be returned to where they were. "Unfortunately this is something you have to deal with every year, but I hope we can get them back up and move on," he said.
Calls to Menendez's campaign offices in Newark and DC Tuesday night were not answered.
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Paul Hahrrgis
12:46 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
The Traverse was not around in 2002.
Ramsey Mom of Boys
8:24 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
LOL!! That has to be a typo. They didn't come out until 2008. So, I'm assuming it was supposed to read 2012; not 2002. ...Funny.
Pete Malvasi
7:12 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Idiots from both sides do this every year. It's adult cabbage night stuff I guess. But where does MPD get off charging people for theft when these signs are placed on private and public property without permission. I really don't think this is a valid use of the PD and these signs are just really mostly unsolicited trash. If a person. Allows them on their lawns I think that's different case but taking pol signs from highway? Would pd do that the day after the election when these people leave their signs to rot anyway. I hope there is no political issue with MPD here!!
Ralph
2:12 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Pete, what you fail to realize is that these signs cost the candidate plenty of money to produce and they are owned by the candidate's committee. In Mahwah there is a sign ordinance saying that in order to place signs on the public right of way, the candidate needs to get permission from the council. I know that Mr. Hermansen has received permission and thus he is allowed to place his signs there. Other candidates have not and quite frankly their signs should be removed. As for private property, that is up to the owner of that property to decide if he or she wants signs on their property and they should remove them if they do not want it but I would find it surprising if someone placed a sign on private property without permission. Good work MPD for arresting someone for stealing in our town.
hsr
8:39 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
If you don't know who is running without those signs you're not qualified to vote. They do become an eye sore after the elections because they are not removed in a timely fashion.
Hank
2:46 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
if you notice the candidates who are just overkilling our town with signs are:
THE TWO FREEHOLDERS!
Hank
5:34 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Last week there were no signs at all on Mc Arthur from end to end except for a slug of Hermensen signs at McArtuthur/Darlington. It was almost like McArthur was off limits for signs but nobody told Hermensen. Now the other candidate has a sign next to each Hermensen sign. You will notice in town that except for a stretch of 202
by Ramapo College the local candidates are just going for 1 sign. Quite interesting about signs. West Mahwah is Sinclair sign country, Fardale is big time LaForet sign country. Franklin tpk is Laforet sign country as well. It's funny to see Roth signs on both LaForet and Sinclair lawns. If you drive around you can see that Marcus only bought about 10 signs. Aren't you glad you asked
Andy Schmidt
6:15 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
>> Marcus only bought about 10 signs <<
I guess then HE just earned my vote ;-)
Hank
7:26 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
good point
Mona Lot
6:24 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Andy while your out riding your bike around town you must have missed a lot of signs
didn't you see all the ones for Van duren,oh and by the way the fellow that was stealing the signs just became an independent .
Andy Schmidt
6:36 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Glad that you too see the humor in this.
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