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Sheriff fined for making stores take down Bennett signs

The Globe reports Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins has paid a $2,500 fine to the state Ethics Commission for going into Egleston Square stores during the 2013 campaign, flashing his official badge and demanding they take down signs supporting Doug Bennett.

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Comments

Shocking

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I admit I am shocked by the actions of the sherrif, but equally shocked someone would willingly put up a Bennett sign.

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Can't speak much to Doug's politics, but he's an A+ guy. Anyone who knows him would likely agree.

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IMAGE(http://memecrunch.com/meme/5FH/not-sure-if-serious-fry/image.jpg?w=552&c=1)

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equally shocked someone would willingly put up a Bennett sign.

Or be threatened enough by Doug that they'd insist someone take his crappy sign down. How insecure do you have to be?

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Another quality Deval Patrick, Andrea "fan" Cabral appointment. While technically the Sheriff/politician gets a badge, I doubt many of them are carrying guns. While we all read the occasional bad story of academy trained police officers, it would be a stretch to place any of the elected (or in this case appointed) Sheriff's in the same category. No training, just a good day at the ballot box or even better, a gubernatorial appointment.

As for the Menino comments below, you'd hardly know there was any bullying based on his hagiography / beatification. "Never a hint of scandal." His one stroke of brilliance, hiring unemployed reporters in every city department as spokesmen. The reporters who still had jobs would never jeopardize their former colleagues jobs.

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tacky green plywood?

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I had a landlord demand I take down my flaherty for mayor sign because she worked for menino. The rich and powerful get to pick who gets and stays rich and powerful.

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It says I won't hang any banners or signs from my apartment in my lease. I think this is a pretty reasonable clause on my landlords part and I'd do the same in her shoes.

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It was inside my window. The menino signs on other tenants were allowed to stay. She said it was a problem as a city employee to have any of her properties displaying anything but menino.

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I think political speech is exempt. I remember reading something about HOAs not being able to restrict political signs on lawns.

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Our condo association restricts all signs--for sale, open house (except on the day of the showing), contractor signs, etc. We have asked people to take down political signs as well.

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A trial judge ruled that “communication by signs and posters is pure speech” and that the First Amendment protected Preu. The condo board appealed and the Massachusetts Appeals Court also ruled in favor of Preu in its Oct. 31 decision in Board of Managers of Old Colony Village Condominium v. Preu.

“The United States Supreme Court has made clear in the context of civil actions that the ‘application of state rules of law in state courts in a manner alleged to restrict First Amendment freedoms constitutes state action,’” the appeals court wrote.

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Don't you know that this piece is the equivalent of the (moon)batsignal?

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Why the hate bro?

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people did get riled up about that one with the priest and nun making out.

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This is a scary brazen abuse of power that should prompt the feds to investigate what other corruption might be going on in that office.

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A $2,500 slap on the wrist? This seems a helluva lot worse than that.

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And you'd probably be right, but still, I guess he wasn't blowing smoke about this thing.

The thing is, Tompkins was going to win regardless, with incumbency and all, but now I view him as yet another pol in charge of the jails of Suffolk County. But don't blame me, I voted for Hassan Williams.

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Shocking from the same guy who made a prison rape "joke" about those who didn't support him during last Saint Patrick's Day breakfast, if memory serves me correctly.

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Those business owners should file a civil suit. Any public official violating a Constitutional right can be sued individually.

(See 42 U.S.C. § 1983)

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I wonder if there's going to be a fine coming for using the office to campaign as well. I seem to remember Sheriff Department cruisers driving in the Dot Day parade in an official capacity plastered with Tompkins signs.

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