The Town of Oyster Bay has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit brought by a former Oyster Bay Candidate who asserted that when he ran for office in the Town, Town employees ripped down his campaign signs, and assisted his opponents on Town time. He additionally asserted that a Town sign law was unconstitutional, because it prohibited the display of political signs for more than a very short period, while allowing the Town’s politicians to keep their re-election campaign signs up for more than sixty (60) days.
As attorney for the Candidate, Andrew J. Campanelli filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court, Eastern District of New York.
The Town agreed to settle the case by reimbursing the Candidate $5,000 for his attorneys fees, and of greater import, changed its sign law to permit all political signs to be displayed for the same length of time, with the same size limitations, and the same number limitations, as re-election campaign signs. The Town additionally agreed to pay the Candidate $120,000 to settle a negligence claim a month earlier.
