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Trump Fan Who Put Up 16-Foot Yard Sign Hit With 'Huge' Fine

By Nicholas Rizzi | November 18, 2016 2:47pm | Updated on November 21, 2016 9:32am
 The owner of the 16-foot tall pro-Trump
The owner of the 16-foot tall pro-Trump "T" that stood on his law until after the election faces a $2,400 fine from the city.
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DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi

CASTLETON CORNERS — This Trump fan's love was too huge.

A 16-foot yard sign has landed Sam Pirozzolo with a fine he expects to be more than $2,400 — a penalty the Staten Islander doesn't think is making America Great Again.

"This is really against anybody who believed in Donald Trump or freedom of speech or political signs."

The massive, illuminated "T" sign was designed by Republican artist Scott LoBaido and put in place in May after an earlier, more conservative 12-foot one was burned by an anti-Trump vandal.

The city got five complaints from neighbors of Pirozzolo's Manor Road home as soon as the new one went up, official records show.

Under city rules, property owners cannot put up signage larger than 12 square-feet in a residential area. Investigators estimated Pirozzolo's to be 128 square-feet, a spokesman for the Department of Buildings said.

The standard fine for the offense is $2,400 but could be up to $10,000 if a person defaults, the DOB said.

At a court hearing Friday, a judge said he'd rule soon on whether the sign was a violation and how big the fine would be.

Pirozzolo, 52, vowed to appeal any violation in State Supreme Court, claiming an infringement of his constitutional rights.

"My neighbors are OK with any kind of speech I have except political speech," said Pirozzolo, who had previously teamed up with LoBaido to install other large pieces on his lawn.

He said Trump himself had called to thank him for his support after the original sign was destroyed.

Pirozzolo and LoBaido had said making a 16-foot sign had shown their refusal to stay quiet, as many other Trump supporters were suspected of doing.

In Bay Ridge, another fan put up a flag on his property and a neighbor responded with his own sign that pointed to it and read "Ew."

Despite being served with the violation in September, Pirozzolo left the sign up until two days after election day, he said.