Cartoonist's Pro-Kerry Signs Stolen

By: Dave Astor Signs supporting John Kerry for president were stolen from the Connecticut lawn of syndicated cartoonist Rick Stromoski. The culprit, he said, was the adult son of a prominent local Republican.

Stromoski wrote about all this for Daryl Cagle's Cartoon Web Log (http://cagle.slate.msn.com). One pro-Kerry sign was stolen during the night and a replacement one was taken the next day. Stromoski subsequently found one of the sign stakes a few blocks from his home. "It was apparent it had been set on fire," said the cartoonist, who also had an "American Peace Flag" stolen from his porch.

"We are living in a political climate of fear, intimidation, and unilateral pre-emption," Stromoski wrote, adding that the actions "cast a disparaging pall over the opposition's party and those who represent it." He noted that, as of this Monday, he had "yet to receive a call from any of the Republican Party's leadership to express any concern for my family's welfare or outrage that their party is being represented in this way. Their indifference and silence speaks volumes."

The cartoonist set up a videocamera in his window to catch the sign stealer. "Also, my next-door neighbors were out for a walk and they passed him on the sidewalk with my Kerry sign under his arm," he wrote. As it turned out, the culprit lives on Stromoski's street.

Stromoski does the "Soup to Nutz" comic for United Media, co-creates the "Mullets" comic (with Steve McGarry) for Universal Press Syndicate, and draws editorial cartoons for his local newspaper -- the Suffield Observer. Local Republican leaders have criticized those editorial cartoons.