Pubdate: Fri, 11 Oct 2002
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2002 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/23
Author: Howard Fischer

CAMERAS LOOKING FOR SIGN THIEVES

PHOENIX - Disappearing signs are one of those facts of life during 
political campaigns.

But a spate of thefts has gotten the attention of the Maricopa County 
Attorney's Office - and has spawned a hidden camera investigation. So far 
it has produced fuzzy video images of two people tearing down some signs 
and a few leads from their broadcast on TV but no arrests.

Hundreds of signs have vanished, both in Maricopa and Pima counties. And 
the main targets of the sign thefts appear to be the campaign against 
Proposition 203 - the medical marijuana initiative - and the gubernatorial 
efforts of Democrat Janet Napolitano.

Barnett Lotstein, a special assistant Maricopa County attorney, said that 
with the signs costing $60 or more apiece, this is more than just petty 
theft. And Scott Bales, an attorney for the Napolitano campaign, said in a 
formal complaint to Lottstein's office that the practice, which has taken 
300 signs from the Democratic nominee, is starting to infringe on the free 
speech rights of affected candidates and issues.

Gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon also has been affected, losing 
somewhere between 60 and 100 signs, according to campaign publicist Camilla 
Strongin. But the GOP contender has not filed a formal complaint.

Lottstein said his agency would not have gotten involved if only a dozen or 
so signs had disappeared or someone had been busy drawing a mustache on a 
candidate's face.

He said the sheer volume of missing signs, coupled with the fact that the 
thefts were taking place all over the county, convinced investigators this 
was an organized effort.

He said the cameras, mounted on poles, were set up at two sites in Phoenix 
where signs had repeatedly disappeared. One produced nothing. But the other 
captured thefts on four separate days.

Lottstein agreed with Bales that First Amendment issues are at stake.

He noted, for example, that Battleground Arizona, which is waging the 
anti-203 campaign, lost something in the neighborhood of 300 signs. At more 
than $60 each, he said, that amounts to close to $20,000 - a significant 
chunk of the campaign money raised so far.

"For some campaigns, that's the only way of communicating with the 
electorate," he said.

"It's not just theft," Lottstein said. "It's interfering with an election."

His agency has set up a hot line for tips at (602) 506-7111. The phone is 
staffed during normal business hours.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom