Local

Juan Lynum uses stickers to cover mother's name on campaign signs

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Juan Lynum, who is running for his mother's Orange County commission seat, took a frugal approach to getting his campaign signs out.

Channel 9 has learned Juan Lynum had stickers printed with his first name and simply covered his mother's name on her old political signs.

Channel 9's Kenneth Craig tried to track down both Lynums for comment and spoke with WFTV's political expert to see if any laws were broken.

Two months ago when Daisy Lynum was still in the race, her political signs began popping up all over District 5. Those signs remain, but with a sticker of Juan's name in his mother's place.

Lynum's opponents said the sneaky sign is just another example of the controversial politician and her son side-stepping the rules.

"There's a lot of things that are questionable," said candidate Cynthia Harris.

Other stickers on the signs also replace the word "re-elect" with "elect."

The state told Channel 9 the signs are OK.

"It would be an in-kind contribution or an expenditure if he purchased them from the mother to the son and would have to be reported as such," said Brittany Lesser, communications director for the Florida Department of State. "It's fine for the son to use the signs and post his disclaimer on it. However, he would have to properly report the contribution or expenditure on his campaign finance reports."

Either way, WFTV political analyst Rick Foglesong said even if the signs are legal, he thinks they're still deceptive.

"I think it's politically wrong, because it confuses the voters about which Lynum is running, the veteran city commissioner or the political newcomer son," said Foglesong.

The city clerk told Channel 9 this was the first time she'd heard of the issue and would have to research it more.

In the meantime, it appears the signs will stay with less than one week before voters go to the polls.

Friday afternoon the Lynum camp emailed Craig about the issue:

"This afternoon we called the State of Florida Division of Elections about this question after reviewing the Candidate Campaign Finance Handbook and not seeing any specific direction regarding the disposition of tangible personal property.

The DOE advised that once Commissioner Daisy Lynum withdrew her candidacy, the signs located within the district advocating for her election became her personal property to do with as she wished. There are no state legal requirements restricting her use of that personal property.  She could donate them as an inkind contribution or sell them as long as the value is properly disclosed and reported on the campaign finance reports.

So it is legal and allowed"