HAZEL PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — When it comes to placing political campaign signs, it’s not a free-for-all. There are rules candidates and their volunteers must follow.
“We don’t put signs anywhere unless they’re approved," said Jim Fouts, who's running for state representative.
The former mayor of Warren said when he learned two of his campaign signs were removed from outside a business in Hazel Park, he requested surveillance footage from inside Hazel Park City Hall from that day.
In it, he said city clerk Lisa Mayo is seen carrying the signs.
7 News Detroit spoke with Mayo today about why she removed Fouts' signs.
Mayo explained, “Because somebody called and said that they were on the easement. Signs are not allowed on the easement."
She said Fouts' signs were placed between the curb and the sidewalk.
Fouts said, “That is absolutely not true. But even if it were true, why is she going out as the city clerk of Hazel Park. Why is she going out and taking up signs?”
Mayo explained, “Well, it’s my job or the DPW. They get phone calls. I get phone calls. It just depends on who gets the phone call.”
Fouts said he feels targeted.
He said, "What's the number one issue today is election integrity."
Mayo said, “It’s not that he’s a victim or anything. I mean, I have removed political signs from other political parties and so forth. As a matter of fact, I picked up one of Mike McFall’s today.
State Representative Mike McFall is Fouts opponent in the race.
Mayo also showed 7 News Detroit McFall's campaign sign sitting in the room where the signs are stored until candidates come to pick them up.
She explained why she retrieved it.
“Actually, it was in a planter container that belongs to the city," Mayo said.
As it states in the city ordinance, Mayo said the bottom line is “it cannot be on public property.”
7 News Detroit reached out to state representative Mike McFall who said the following in a statement:
The rules around campaign sign placement are pretty clear. You can't place them on city-owned property. I, too, have had signs removed in the past when a volunteer who was not aware placed them where they should not have. It's the rules that anyone who has run for office before should be aware of. There's no conspiracy against anyone.