Joe Trillo’s billboard battle continues in Narragansett court

The billboard battle continued in Narragansett municipal court Thursday as Independent Gubernatorial Candidate Joe Trillo is digging in his heels to keep a huge campaign sign on his sister’s property.

Despite an ordinance that claims a sign that big cannot be there, Trillo is claiming it’s a violation of constitutional rights.

Every day the sign stays up at the entrance of Scarborough Beach. The Trillo family is potentially facing thousands in fines, as a $500 dollar penalty can be handed down by a judge per day.

Despite this, Trillo is rolling back his sleeves and fighting as long as he has to.

"I don’t have a problem ruffling feathers. If I take this sign down, I let government roll over people. That’s not my personality," Trillo said. "That’s a first amendment right. That she does have a right to put up a sign."

Trillo and his legal team denied the claims in a plea Thursday, while one other complaint was dropped.

Narragansett Town Manager Jim Manni said that the ordinance is clear, and Trillo cannot hang a sign that big on his sister’s property that is zoned as public. The ordinance also reads that a campaign sign cannot be on display unless it’s 60 days before the election.

"The ordinance is very clear and that’s the law in Narragansett," Manni said.

Several complaints were issued to the town, but Manni said Narragansett took action on July 3 after a formal complaint from a resident,

Trillo claims his family has hung signs for other candidates at the same location before. The candidate for governor is now saying he’s being targeted because this time he’s the one on the sign.

"The town has never complained about it. So I’m not saying it’s necessarily the town, as much as it might be one or two individuals who may be working for my opponents," Trillo said.

"Absolutely not the case," said Manni. "Mr. Trillo was treated like anybody else who violated a town ordinance."

Trillo is ready to continue the dog fight for as long as he needs to, saying he’ll take it to the US Supreme Court if he has to.

In the meantime, the sign will stay up until at least Aug. 23, the next court date.