A controversial pro-Trump billboard is slated to be come down after causing a commotion upon appearing recently along a road in Calvert County, Maryland.
“Hey liberals, better get your guns if you try to impeach President Trump,” reads the message on a billboard near the intersection of Maryland Route 4 and Bowie Shop Road in Huntington, roughly 40 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.
A photograph of the billboard went viral after being uploaded to Facebook over the weekend, and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office reached out to the man responsible for the message to relay dozens of related complaints received by authorities, local media reported Wednesday.
“Some people are quite upset, and maybe you should change your message or think about taking it down,” Sheriff Mike Evans recalled telling the man responsible for the message, WTOP reported.
Authorities determined the man responsible for the message hadn’t broken any laws, but he agreed to take down the sign anyway and said it would be gone as early as this Thursday, the sheriff told WTOP.
“I just expressed the opinion of some people in the county, and that was his choice,” the sheriff said.
The billboard sits on private property, and its owner rents advertising space and changes the message monthly, CBS Baltimore reported.
The woman who owns the billboard told The Washington Post that she contacted the man who placed the message and also asked him to take it down because “people are freaking out.”
“I don’t know why he’s doing that,” she said. “It’s not good.”
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office received 30 complaints concerning the billboard via calls, email and social media, The Calvert Recorder reported Wednesday.
“When we have very little … going on in Calvert County, very little crime, [and] something like this pops up, it gets a lot of attention,” the sheriff told WTOP.
“Life’s definitely easier if the controversial sign is not up.” he told The Post.
About 56 percent of Calvert County voters cast ballots for Mr. Trump in the 2016 U.S. presidential race, while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton garnered about 39 percent of the vote. Their sheriff, a Republican, is currently running for re-election.
Nationwide, 47 percent of U.S. voters said they wouldn’t support a congressional candidate who favors impeaching Mr. Trump, according to the results of a NPR/PBS Newshour/Maris poll released last month.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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