Toohil Campaign Signs STOLEN!

Reprinted from Standard Speaker Newspaper 8/13/10

Someone has been stealing campaign signs off the property of Butler Township residents who support Tara Toohil in her campaign for election to the state House of Representatives in the 116th Legislative District.
Toohil, a Hazleton area attorney, is a Republican candidate for the house seat currently held by Democrat Todd Eachus.
In a letter hand-delivered Thursday to Eachus' local office in downtown Hazleton, Toohil asked the legislator to let his supporters know that theft of campaign signs is criminal.
"All I ask is that you reach out to your supporters to inform them that such behavior is un-American, unacceptable and criminal," Toohil wrote.
Toohil said she does not believe Eachus or his staff are the culprits.
"I am certain that neither you, nor your staff or campaign staff would ever engage in such acts. I, in no way, am accusing you of stealing these signs," Toohil wrote.
After learning of Toohil's letter, Eachus' campaign spokesperson Dave Georges said the legislator is opposed to every type of crime and he bristled at the suggestion that an Eachus supporter would commit such an act.
"Any type of vandalism is a crime and Representative Eachus would never tolerate this type of behavior from anyone," Georges said.
"I would suggest Ms. Toohil make sure she has evidence before she makes an accusation," he added.
According to the letter, Toohil said she was informed Wednesday that "many" of her campaign signs were stolen from supporters' properties.
The Butler Township Police Department has been notified and is investigating these thefts, Toohil said.
"I am confident these perpetrators will be brought to justice because four of the missing and vandalized signs were later found and taken into evidence," Toohil wrote.
Butler Township Police Chief Charles Altmiller confirmed Thursday that the theft complaint was received, and that police found a number of the stolen signs.
Altmiller said the signs were found "pitched in the woods close to where they were taken."
Altmiller said the police department is working to collect fingerprints off the recovered signs.
In addition to asking Eachus to reach out to his supporters to inform them that such behavior is unacceptable and criminal, Toohil said she has sent message to her own supporters informing them that any similar action taken against the Eachus campaign materials will not be tolerated.
mlight@standardspeaker.com