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Stockton Supervisor Candidate Says Signs Taken Down In Coordinated Attack

STOCKTON (CBS13) — Hundreds of campaign signs were stolen or torn down in Stockton, in what one candidate is calling a coordinated attack.

San Joaquin County Supervisor candidate Kathy Miller says nearly 400 of her signs were ruined in one night.

"This wasn't kids," she said. "And these are really expensive."

She says the signs are either gone, or destroyed to the point where they're as good as gone.

"I don't see how one person could've done it," she said.

The Stockton City Councilwoman says this was clearly a coordinated political attack, but won't say who is behind it.

"I really have no idea and I'm certainly not accusing my opponent of this, but we all have people associated with our campaigns, and as a candidate it's our responsibility to set the tone," she said.

Miller's opponent, fellow City Councilman Paul Canepa, denounced the vandalism on Facebook, saying, "Anybody who took down my opponent's campaign signs is doing our community a disservice."

It isn't the first time she's been targeted. After a contentious city council meeting last year, she says someone threw a rock through her sliding glass door.

Miller says she's been unapologetically outspoken on city issues.

"And because of that, I've been targeted more than once," she said.

She says the vandalism and theft will cost her campaign thousands of dollars.

She's not the only one who's been hit recently. A candidate for San Joaquin County Sheriff says he's also been targeted.

Pat Withrow's campaign manager says about 50 of their signs have been damaged, and someone ripped off the door handle to their campaign headquarters in an apparent break-in attempt.

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