Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio Foundation announced it will represent the family of Alex Arshinkoff in it’s battle with the City of Hudson over a 4x8 foot Bush/Cheney campaign sign currently posted in their front yard.
Since October 1, 2004, the City of Hudson has been fining Karen Arshinkoff $75 a day for violating the City’s sign ordinance. That ordinance forbids the posting of any number of temporary signs if the combined total signage is more than eight square feet. Karen is the wife of Summit County GOP Chairman and prospective presidential elector Alex Arshinkoff.
Recently, Ms. Arshinkoff received a summons to appear in Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court on October 20, 2004 for violating Hudson’s sign ordinance. The ACLU of Ohio Foundation will send a representative to defend Ms. Arshinkoff on October 20th and seeks to have the restrictions struck down as a violation of the Arshinkoffs’ First Amendment rights.
“Everyone, regardless of party affiliation or ideology, deserves a chance to exercise the right to free speech in this manner,” said Jeffrey Gamso, Legal Director for the ACLU of Ohio Foundation. “The only thing the Arshinkoffs are guilty of is attempting to make their political views known to their community. For that, they have been fined hundreds of dollars by government officials who apparently are unfamiliar with the First Amendment,” added Gamso.
