In the quaint city of Amsterdam, New York, a colossal "Vote for Trump" sign, stretching over 100 feet, has become a beacon of contention.
The sign, perched atop a building owned by Sticker Mule, was the subject of a legal tussle between the company's CEO, Anthony Constantino, and the city's Democrat-led administration. The city attempted to halt the illumination of the sign, but a court ruling on Monday paved the way for the sign to be lit, followed by a rally to celebrate the tribute to Trump.
"We are all set to light it up!" declared an enthusiastic Constantino. The court's decision was delivered just two hours before the scheduled lighting at 7 pm. The city's legal team had previously attempted to prevent the sign's illumination, arguing that it violated city codes and could potentially pose a safety risk to motorists. The Post Millennial reported that the violation notice issued by Amsterdam cited several city codes and demanded the sign's removal within 48 hours.
However, the sign was permitted to shine after a judge dismissed the order. A source close to the proceedings informed The Post Millennial that the judge had "orally said the motion for a temporary restraining order is vacated in full." Consequently, no hearing was scheduled for Tuesday. The sign is prominently displayed on the abandoned FOWNES building, a former leather goods manufacturer dating back to 1903.
The FOWNES building, one of Amsterdam's tallest structures, was shuttered in 2010. Sticker Mule acquired the building in 2019. After installing the sign, Constantino remarked, "The Fownes sign was a symbol of American manufacturing moving to China."
We debated what to do with the Fownes sign for the last few years, Constantino continued. We decided to replace it with a symbolic message that manufacturing can return to America and no one should fear supporting the man leading the charge to make it happen.
Elise Stefanik, GOP Chairwoman (R-NY), expressed her support for the event on social media, stating, "Happening now: Thousands come together in Amsterdam NY21 to support Donald Trump in record numbers! UPSTATE NEW YORK IS TRUMP COUNTRY. Thank you Anthony Constantino and Sticker Mule!"
Sticker Mule had previously announced the lighting of the building and invited the public to join them on October 7 at 26 Elk Street in Amsterdam, New York. The event, which included food, drew a large crowd for a rally in support of the GOP nominee.
The event on Monday night saw hundreds of people gather, with music setting the festive mood. Constantino addressed the crowd, along with other speakers, including Joe Pinion, a former GOP Senate candidate who ran against Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Addressing the crowd, Constantino revealed that the city had been "demanding I take down the beautiful sign that's up there and, believe it or not, threatened to throw me in jail."
"Up until an hour ago, I was doing interviews, and I honestly didn't know what was going to happen tonight. I spent my day, to my surprise, talking to friends and family and UFC superstars, asking what to do. To my surprise, they all said, 'Go for it. Light the sign and spend a few days in jail.'"
In a triumphant turn of events, Constantino's attorney was able to successfully argue the case, halting the order just in time for the event. This allowed the rally to proceed as planned, with the "Vote for Trump" sign shining brightly against the night sky.
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