FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/11/2021

Phone Contact: Jo Smith 404-414-6089

Email Contact: Jo@jo4pw.com

Port Wentworth Mayor “Weaponizes” Police Against Rival

Candidates
On Saturday, October 9th Jo Smith, a Candidate for City Council in Port Wentworth, began receiving frantic phone
calls from supporters. The Port Wentworth police were knocking on doors and telling people to take down her
campaign signs at threat of citation and hefty fines. In many cases, the police didn’t bother knocking but just
walked uninvited onto residents’ lawns and removed the lawn signs themselves (photo attached). This puts the
police in the position to choose which political sign is allowed to stay in a yard, a very disturbing thought. In cases
of large 4’x4’ signs that were put into the ground with a post hole digger and couldn’t be removed by hand, the
signs were bent to the ground, so the wording couldn’t be seen. “My supporters are frightened but also furious”
said Jo.

The reason? A never-before-utilized and obscure city ordinance limiting political signs on yards to only one per
home. According to Jo Smith, “This is a case of weaponizing the majority all-white police force acting with impunity
to intimidate voters in communities of color. It smacks of Jim Crow voter suppression. I called the mayor to tell
him it was unacceptable to weaponize the police department against his political opponents. But he hung up on me.”

Port Wentworth Mayor Norton is running unchallenged, but he is publicly supporting incumbent City Councilwoman
Linda Smith (no relation). In fact, a mailing arrived in Port Wentworth mailboxes the same day, featuring Mayor
Norton and Linda Smith as a team.

According to Thomas Barbee, one of only two minority City Councilmen, and also Jo Smith’s Campaign Manager,
“Port Wentworth has had racial tensions for the last decade due to a large, recent influx of middle and upper-
middle class black professionals. I hear stories every week of my constituents-of-color being profiled and targeted
by our majority all-white police who violate their civil rights. Jo is running to support my efforts to bring this city
into the 21st century.”

Many political observers believe that yard signs on private property are a strong indication of voter sentiment. “I
guess I’m making an impact for this to happen. This ordinance has NEVER been used. I have called on over 400
homes and planted approximately 200 signs in yards over the past few months. This is in stark contrast to the
anemic support being shown the incumbent. They can’t stop change, its already here.” stated Jo.