(PresidentialInsider.com)- A homeowner in Florida may have to pay a daily fine for hanging huge political banners from his home that show his ongoing support for former President Donald Trump.
One of those banners, which hangs down from the top of his three-story home, reads “Let’s Go Brandon,” a phrase that has become extremely controversial in recent weeks.
The homeowner, Marvin Peavy from Seagrove Beach, told local news outlet WMBB:
“I’m here on the beach, and I got a lot of traffic, and people needed to see what I believe in. That’s free speech, and I wanted everyone to know that I’m a Republican and I’m supporting Donald Trump.”
Last month, a hearing for the community code enforcement was held in South Walton. The committee found the banner that read “Trump Won” violates the land development code in the county.
Michael Lynch, the Walton County Code Compliance officer, said the code helps to preserve the aesthetics of the community that has beachfront property along the panhandle in Florida.
For each day that the banners are hanging on his house, Peavy is facing a fine of $50. He said that’s in violation to his right of free speech.
The Walton County Republican Executive Committee is backing Peavy, too. Its chairman, Bill Fletcher, said:
“People admire people that stand up, and we have got to start standing up. He is the epitome of somebody who will stand up for his First Amendment right.”
Despite the daily fines, Peavy mentioned that he has no intention to remove any of the banners he puts on his home. He even said that people from all over the country have said they would help him pay for the fines.
One woman from Louisiana, he said, even said she’d pay his fines for the next two years. That could amount to $36,500 in fines.
Peavy hung the first banner on his house during the runup to the 2020 presidential election. It was simply a Trump 2020 flag that he then removed after Inauguration Day earlier this year.
He didn’t receive any fines for that banner because it wasn’t in violation of the local code, which says people can hang banners in an election year.
In May, Peavy hung up another banner that read “Trump Won,” and then recently swapped that out for a banner that reads “Let’s Go Brandon.”
Those banners caught the ire of local residents and code enforcement officers. With Peavy refusing to take the banners down, another hearing will be held to talk about them on November 17.
If the code compliance magistrate ends up finding Peavy in violation of local code again, his fines will come due immediately.
It’s unclear whether Peavy has a plan for challenging the rulings in court, or whether the county would be able to wield any other power — other than fines — if the homeowner continues to refuse to take the banners down.
