ALLEN PARK, Mich. – A Ring camera captured Allen Park City Councilman Gary Schlack tampering with campaign signs. He’s up for re-election next month.
Schlack told Local that the man in the video was him as he was putting up his own campaign sign in a woman’s yard, which had been placed off to the side by the homeowner while stomping on another candidate sign for mayor and folding up another sign of another candidate.
The incident occurred over the weekend, and the homeowner said she checked her camera to see who was responsible, and she became very upset.
“It just hurt, and it’s very upsetting as he was a friend of ours, and I did not think that having others on our law would affect that,” the woman said.
Schlack said that he was frustrated saying many of his signs were missing. But could not say how many and from what location.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Schlack wrote:
“Hi all. I went to fix a fellow candidate’s sign today. I later replaced it with a fresh peg. The candidate sign is in place. I apologize for my behavior. This is not an excuse. Sorry for losing your friendship. I have hurt everyone with this, including my marriage. I am not asking for forgiveness, just that I did a very bad and petty thing. I hut my family and my wife and family. I am ashamed. I am feeling very horrible and wish everyone the best. The worst of me came out, and I will be seeking a big decision in the next two days.”
“Well, it (the signs) weren’t damaged until he picked it up out of the ground and folded it,” said Tim Estheimer Campaign Manager Robert McLachlan.
One of the signs that was pulled out of the ground was Estheimer’s. McLachlan says the race for council has not been contentious at all.
“It has been a very amicable battle, and everyone was going to get a seat anyways,” McLachlan said. “With the write-in candidate, there’s always a toss-up with who would be the odd man out, but there’s only seven people running for six seats.”
Schlack said he has hired an attorney with whom he has been consulting with. Local 4 asked if he would resign, and he said no.
Read: Councilman caught on camera tampering with campaign signs speaks during meeting in Allen Park