A city in Upstate New York now features a massive “Vote for Trump” sign lighting up the sky after a ruling from a judge.
Montgomery County Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Slezak overruled outraged local Democrats and greenlit the sign.
On Monday night, the huge sign was finally switched on as a crowd of President Donald Trump’s supporters gathered to witness the event.
The 100-foot “Vote for Trump” sign lights up atop a Sticker Mule facility in Amsterdam, New York.
The city, about 35 miles northwest of Albany, is home to 18,000 residents.
The event would not have happened if Slezak hadn’t lifted a restraining order just two hours earlier.
The restraining order, from angry local Democrats, targeted the sign and the man responsible for it – Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino.
In August, a representative from Sticker Mule approached Amsterdam officials about the planned campaign sign.
However, the company rep was instructed to get a permit and some zoning variances before moving forward with the project, the New York Post reported.
When the company failed to follow instructions, Democrats launched a campaign to block it.
A legal team working with Amsterdam’s Democrat Mayor Michael Cinquanti and other city officials then filed a lawsuit.
The lawsuit claimed that the sign presented “a dangerous distraction” that would impede “traffic flow.”
They also allegedly worried that people would stop and take a selfie with the “novelty sign.”
This would risk “injuring other operaters [sic] and/or passengers in traveling vehicles,” the lawsuit claimed.
Those arguments failed to persuade Justice Slezak, however.
The judge determined that the sign was far enough away from major thoroughfares that it would not pose any danger.
However, WRGB noted that the sign is clearly visible from the New York State Thruway.
Slezak also gave plaintiffs until October 18 to refile their case.
The lawsuit reportedly contained clerical errors.
In a statement, Constantino’s lawyer, Sal Ferlazzo, said:
“All I know is tonight the party is on and the lighting will occur, and there is no court order prohibiting the lighting and display of the sign.”
“So it’s obviously a nice victory for Anthony and his team.”
Constantino, who also happens to lead a political action committee to support the candidacy of President Donald Trump, is cheering the decision.
He notes that the ruling is a victory for Trump and for free speech.
Democrats “want to get rid of free speech and censor America, and so the sign now signifies something even bigger than what I thought,” Constantino said.
“In America, I got a First Amendment right.”
“It’s my building, it’s a beautiful sign, and whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, the sign is an uplifting thing for community enthusiasm,” he added.
