Apr 8, 2008 9:18 pm US/Eastern
Company Takes City Billboard Battle To Court
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
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The $2 million LAMAR Advertising billboard uses LED lights and if city council has its way, it will come down.
KDKA
It's gone from a billboard battle to an all out war. LAMAR Advertising has subpoenaed five city council members over billboards. They are even accusing city council members of breaking the law.
LAMAR Advertising is asking for an immediate hearing, an injunction and something unprecedented - taking city council members to court through subpoena in the paperwork they just filed. The paperwork demanded phone calls, all documents any text messaging, anything related to so-called secret meetings.
All of this is over a big billboard.
The $2 million LAMAR Advertising billboard uses LED lights and if city council has its way, it will come down.
"We believe we are legally entitled to be there, and this bickering with council is creating a problem with LaMar and its customers," LAMAR Advertising attorney Sam Kamin said.
LAMAR argues in papers filed today demanding an immediate injunction saying the company's constitutional rights have been violated and that they have been denied due process of law.
LAMAR argues several city council members broke state law by violating the Sunshine Act by holding secret meetings.
Finally LAMAR argues city council members interfered with contractual relations and it has the legal right to place billboards downtown.
The company contends this is more about politics than business.
"I would like city council and the mayor to get together so the business of the city can move forward and that we are not going to get involved in these petty types of disputes which affect good corporate citizens of the city of Pittsburgh," Kamin said.
Several city council members targeted by subpoena include council President Doug Shields, Bill Peduto, Bruce Kraus, Ricky Burgess and Patrick Dowd have asked that the billboard approval process be more transparent. That is why they have put a six-month moratorium in place on all new billboards.
City Council members were unavailable for comment or were not comfortable at commenting at this time because they had not seen the paperwork or they have been told by lawyers not to comment about this battle at this time.
The hearing is expected to happen on Thursday.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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