An upstate New York business owner was forced to cover his massive ‘Vote for Trump’ sign atop his building as the city battles over the installation.
The city of Amsterdam obtained a restraining order on Friday blocking custom printing company Sticker Mule from illuminating the sign, reported WRGB.
Amsterdam Mayor Michael Cinquanti said the $150,000 sign violates city code and could lead to increased traffic on the surrounding roads.
However, Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino believes the decision to block the sign is political.
‘[The sign] symbolizes a global Fight for Free Speech which, sadly, the Democrat Party seems hell bent on taking away,’ Constantino said.
The city of Amsterdam obtained a restraining order on Friday blocking custom printing company Sticker Mule from illuminating their ‘Vote for Trump’ sign (pictured)
The 100-foot wide white and red ‘Vote for Trump’ sign was covered in black bags
‘Their rhetoric must have poisoned the mind of my local mayor who should be happy that a beautiful, artistically designed sign will be uplifting my hometown’s skyline, encouraging economic growth and inspiring people far and wide to dream BIG!’
Cinquanti told WNYT Sticker Mule’s political action committee came to the city code enforcement office in August with a description of their project but were told they would need a variance because of the height of the sign.
He said the variance was never obtained and they did not hear from the company until October 1 when the sign went up.
The 100-foot wide white and red sign says ‘Vote for Trump’ in block letters and sits on top of the former Fownes glove manufacturing building where a massive sign for the company sat for decades.
Constantino had plan an official lighting ceremony for the sign on Monday but had to halt the event when the Montgomery Supreme Court issued the temporary restraining order.
‘The enthusiasm just went through the roof. We’ve got three UFC superstars that wanted to come see it. We’ve got people that want to come from all over the state of New York, people that want to fly in or drive in from all over the country, really, to see the sign get lit up,’ Constantino told Fox News.
Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino (pictured) believes the decision to block the sign is political
The ‘Vote for Trump’ sign sits on top of the former Fownes glove manufacturing building where a similar sized sign sat for decades (pictured)
‘I brought nearly a thousand jobs to my hometown, which was decimated when the Fownes company and other companies left. And I’m trying to do something positive, exciting for the community.’
Constantino was forced to cover the sign with black bags and hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
They mayor insists the legal battle is not about the message of the sign, but simply because it is not in compliance with the law.
‘They do know that they are in violation. They’ve been cited and we’ll just let that play out as we would with any code violation,’ Cinquanti told The Daily Gazette.
‘I don’t care what the sign says, but detracting the attention of drivers on the freeway is something that needs to be looked at and that’s what we’re doing.’
