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State Now Investigating Obama 'Joker' Posters

More posters are popping up around Clermont showing President Barack Obama painted to look like the Joker. Police say they now know who put up some of them and the State Attorney's Office is investigating whether he actually did anything illegal.

The city of Clermont says it does have to use resources to come out and scrape the signs off, but as soon as they do they pop up on another street corner.

"You got all these here, then you have some that are down by the 7-Eleven," resident Scott Campbell said.


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For the city of Clermont, it seems to be a game trying to find all of the 'Joker' posters.

"A picture of Obama with Joker's face, it's just weird," Campbell said.

OBAMA 'JOKER' POSTERS POSTED
See Images Of Posters In Clermont

The Clermont Police Department says the signs involve city code violations and freedom of speech, so investigators are asking the state attorney for help.

"It is a little tricky, so we're going to have them review it before we go any further with the investigation," said Eric Jensen, Clermont Police Department.

Police have made no arrests or filed any formal charges, so Eyewitness News asked what laws the sign hangers are breaking. Even if it wasn't the face of the Joker, the city says any kind of signage placed on public property is illegal.

"If it's their property, that's one thing. To post them on other people's property, I don't think that's right," resident Sam Durrance said.

Police say code enforcement usually removes other signs off poles and out of the ground, but the glued Joker posters are causing damage and the city says it is trying to determine how much it costs to fix. One Post Office blue box had to be re-painted.

Regardless of where people stand, Clermont police say they're getting both sides calling in.

"We've had some people call up that were upset about the posters and we've had some people call up on the other side," Jensen said.

The signs appear to be a part of a national Web campaign against President Obama promoted by a talk radio personality.

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