HOUSTON – There is a pile of discarded political signs in front of the Tracey Gee Community Center on Westcenter Drive in west Houston.
Channel 2 News watched as a man added to the trash by removing signs for State Representative Hubert Vo and replaced them with signs for Attorney Julia Maldonado, a candidate for Family District Court Judge.
Witness Jason Smith said, "I saw him tossing all the Hubert Vo signs over into the yard and putting up the Julia Maldonado signs in front of them... So I guess he was taking out some kind of vengeance."
Both are Democrats running in different races.
The man was apparently exchanging the signs for the more visible front-row position closest to the street.
As the KPRC 2 cameras watched, the man replaced the Hubert Vo signs he had just removed and returned them to the front row. The man would not tell us his name. But he wore a shirt for Maldonado.
Maldonado told KPRC 2, "It should have never happened. No one should be taking anyone's signs off because we all go through a lot to put our signs up. That's what happened and it should never have been done."
She told KPRC 2 that the man, who has helped her with campaigns in the past, has been reprimanded. Voters said this needs to stop.
Smith said, "I just want this to be over. Everything from the social media to the news is kinda of ... polarized right now. So, It's just kinda going a little bit far.
Houston Police said that stealing or vandalizing campaigns is a crime.