Family Fights City Over Right to Display Bush-Cheney Sign

CLEVELAND -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio announced today that it will represent Summit County's Republican Party Chairman Alex Arshinkoff and his wife in their battle with the city of Hudson over a 4x8-foot Bush-Cheney campaign sign currently posted in their front yard.

"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 of 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."

Since October 1, 2004, the city of Hudson has been fining Alex and 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 space used exceeds eight square feet.

Ms. Arshinkoff recently received a summons to appear in Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court on October 20, 2004 for violating the sign ordinance. The ACLU of Ohio Foundation said that it will send a representative to defend the couple and will seek to have the restrictions struck down as a violation of the Arshinkoffs' First Amendment rights.