Judge orders removal of illegal signs in Central Bucks school board race. What we know

Jo Ciavaglia, Bucks County Courier Times
·2 min read
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A Bucks County judge has ruled that illegal campaign signs featuring negative slogans against Democrat candidates running for five school board seats in the Central Bucks School District can be immediately removed.

Ahead of Tuesday’s General Election, Judge Jeffrey Trauger released his five-page order Thursday granting a preliminary injunction sought by the Bucks County Democratic Committee.

Trauger authorized the Democratic Committee or a representative to remove the signs from public property and any “similar signs which do not contain the “paid for by” information required under the law through Election Day.

One of the allegedly "illegal" political signs placed around the Central Bucks School District recently that the Bucks County Democratic Committee is seeking a court order to remove.
One of the allegedly "illegal" political signs placed around the Central Bucks School District recently that the Bucks County Democratic Committee is seeking a court order to remove.

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The removed signs will be turned over to the police departments in the jurisdiction where the signs were removed and follow department directions for storing and handling.

Trauger also retained the Democratic Committee’s rights to pursue a potential defamation suit against the “John Doe” defendants as well as potential criminal prosecution.

The signs can remain posted if they are located on private property outside any public right-of-way or easement.

The signs started appearing across the district on Oct. 19 prompting Democrat leaders to file a petition seeking an injunction last week. The committee contended the signs  “clearly violate state law” for failing to disclose who authorized the signs.

The signs feature 13 slogans and claims that touch on recent and ongoing controversies revolving around culture wars that Central Bucks has become mired in over the past two years, as well as personal attacks on four Democratic candidates.  Some of the signs also include a sticker to a website, www.LetsGoBrandon.com, but the committee claimed that sticker is a false disclaimer that leads to a “decentralized meme cryptocurrency.”

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks School board campaign signs need to come down, judge