County Legislature Candidates Report Signs Vandalized

Both candidates for Suffolk County's fifth legislative distrct this week reported vandalism to their campaign signs.

Anthony Moncayo, the Republican/Conservative candidate, said billboard-style signs had been installed amid last Thursday's downpour of rain, and by Friday night they were gone. The signs were located at the northeast corner of Route 347 and Old Town Road and at the northeast corner of Route 347 and Nicolls Road. A variety of other candidates' signs went untouched at those locations, he said.

Moncayo said in a statement that he "will not be intimated by these criminal acts."

Kara Hahn, the Democratic candidate, said a large billboard installed on Route 112 near the eastern edge of the fifth legislative district was torn down, and a handful of smaller billboards had been knocked down. She suggested in the case of the smaller billboards, the wind could have been responsible. Based on her experiences working on other people's campaigns, Hahn said this type of thing happens each year during election season.

"It's not about signs," she said. "It's about issues and community."

Neither candidate reported the vandalism to the police.

A similar incident also occurred in nearby Smithtown, with Democratic candidate Howard Knispel the morning after they were installed.