$50 Maureen Judge Signs

I laughed so hard that my camera phone shook too much to get a good photo:

The sign in the middle is one of the Maureen Judge campaign signs, to which some prankster has attached a fake $50 bill. I saw it on my way home this evening at the stop sign on the I-90 exit to East Mercer Way.

Funny because maybe the prankster knows her campaign is based on money from people who don't live here, and even funnier because the sign (and prank) wouldn't be there if Maureen had gotten around to cleaning up her mess. It's been a week and a half since the election and apparently she still hasn't had time to come to Mercer Island and put away her signs.

I wonder if it's considered vandalism to deface a campaign banner? What if the sign has been abandoned?

Incidentally, several people have written to say I'm being too hard on her -- that she's a smart, highly qualified leader and that her off-island money is just the way local campaigns work for first-time candidates. What do you think?

Update: I received several email comments about this, including this reference to an article from the Seattle Times:

“According to state law, a person may not remove or deface lawfully placed political advertising, including yard signs or billboards, without permission. Knocking over or stealing a sign are both considered third-degree misdemeanors and may carry up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for each count. If a person is found guilty of stealing signs worth $250 or more, collectively, the crime is considered a Class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.”