Mr. Kunkel, I agree with SheriB, something is still not adding up here.
In the paper your first comment about this was that you "did it out of habit". This needs more explanation that you have not provided here. Why are you as a multi-term candidate for public office and an elected official in the habit of removing other candidate's campaign signs? You do realize that you are not a "Code Enforcement Officer" right? You do realize that a property owner can not transfer their rights related to their private property over to you? How many signs over how many years have you removed to get in the habit? Do you remove all types of political signs on an equal basis or only the ones that you disagree with? Do you contact all of the candidate's whose signs you have removed and offer to return their signs to them? If not, this is theft, and a while a property owner might have the right to destroy a sign that was inappropriately placed on their property, they can not give you the right to destroy anyone's signs.
In the paper your second comment about this was to victim-blame candidate Emily Clouse for trespassing and wrongfully placing her signs, even though that was clearly not true at this coffee stand location where you were filmed removing it. I hope you apologized for doing this in your letter to her.
Speaking of apologies, by sharing this letter as an "explanation" you don't seem to realize that in addition to apologizing to candidate Emily Clouse and the business owner who you acted against their wishes, you also owe apologies to the following:
1. All other candidate's who you have removed their signs (to get in the habit) and who you did not immediately contact with an offer to return their signs to them, who have been deprived of their Constitutional right to Freedom of Speech.
2. The voting public of Thurston County who have been deprived of their Constitutional right to participate in Freedom of Speech.
3. The Code Enforcement staff of the County, Cities, and other jurisdictions where you have taken on their role as your own.
4. The Lacey City Council and other elected representatives around Thurston County, whom you and Lenny are members of, and whom you have disgraced with your behavior.
Please take full ownership and personal responsibility for your actions.
Please explain the inappropriate content below.
