Portsmouth: Lawn sign suit has no merit and will be vigorously defended
Newport Daily News
PORTSMOUTH In response to a lawsuit filed by a homeowner against the town of Portsmouth regarding lawn signs, the town in a statement Saturday said the “lawsuit has no merit and will be vigorously defended by the Town.”
Michael DiPaola, with the backing of the state ACLU, claims the town deprived him of, and unlawfully restricted, his right to free speech under the First Amendment after he received a notice earlier this month that ordered him to remove political signs from one of his properties.
The ALCU of RI filed the federal lawsuit this week. Photo: ACLU
A federal lawsuit has filed by ACLU of Rhode Island cooperating attorney Richard Sinapi challenging a Portsmouth town ordinance that bans the posting of political signs on residential property.
The lawsuit is on behalf of town resident Michael DiPaola, who recently erected a series of signs on his property that express “his opinions criticizing perceived selective and corrupt code enforcement by the Town.”
According to the ACLU, DiPaola has had a running feud with town building officials. The suit claims he “posted the first sign after five years of frustration and perceived harassment” from them, “both in excessively enforcing codes against him and refusing to enforce building codes against others.”GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
ACLU sues Portsmouth over political sign ordinance
THE ACLU OF RHODE ISLAND has sued the town of Portsmouth related to an ordinance banning political signs on residential properties. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Michael DiPaola, whose property is pictured above. / COURTESY AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF RHODE ISLAND PROVIDENCE – The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island has filed a federal lawsuit against the town of Portsmouth over a town ordinance banning the posting of political signs on residential property, the ACLU announced Friday. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Portsmouth resident Michael DiPaola, who has recently erected signs on his…