A row of political signs at a busy downtown Cheyenne intersection were hit with red spray paint Sunday night, leaving swastikas, a phallic symbol and obscenity aimed directly at Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak.
The signs at 20th Street and Warren Avenue included campaign signs for Kozak, who is seeking a second term as sheriff, as well as signs supporting U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman.
Across one Kozak sign, someone spray-painted three swastikas. Another was marked with a penis, while red paint across the display spelled out “F--- Kozak.”
By Monday, the signs were covered with plywood.
Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins told Cowboy State Daily that while campaign signs disappearing isn't unheard of during election season, this was different.
“There’s always signs missing. People steal signs, and that type of stuff happens,” Collins said.
What bothered him most was the nature of what was painted on them.
“I wish people would just respect the process, that good people put their name on the ballot, and it’s OK to have disagreements,” Collins said. “But that kind of behavior is unacceptable, especially, you know, swastikas and things along those lines.”
“There’s just no place in Cheyenne politics, Wyoming politics, or American politics for that,” he added.
'Very Offensive'
Kozak told Cowboy State Daily he didn't know who vandalized the signs or the motivation behind it.
The swastikas stood out to him.
“Obviously the swastikas, because that not only, you know, insults me, but it can insult the whole community,” Kozak said. “You know, the swastika insults just a wide range of people, and so, yeah, very offensive.”
Kozak, whose surname is Polish, said he couldn't help but wonder whether his ancestry had anything to do with the symbol chosen.
He emphasized that was only a question in his mind, not something he knows to be the vandal's motive.
He also said he isn't aware of similar vandalism targeting other political signs elsewhere in Laramie County.
Without surveillance video or other evidence showing who was responsible, Kozak said identifying the vandal could prove difficult.
Contentious Campaign
The vandalism comes as Kozak is seeking another term as Laramie County sheriff against Democrat Robin Cozad in the Nov. 3 general election.
It also comes days after Kozak declined to participate in a candidate forum involving Cozad.
Kozak told Cowboy State Daily his decision had to do with Joseph Ramirez, a Cheyenne activist involved in organizing the event, and not with an unwillingness to debate.
Kozak said Ramirez has previously compared him and members of the Sheriff's Office to Nazis and said he didn't believe it would be appropriate to participate in a forum involving someone he believed had treated his office that way.
There is documented history of sharp public criticism between Ramirez and Kozak, particularly over the Sheriff's Office's cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In February, Ramirez photographed sheriff's deputies outside a Cheyenne home and posted pictures to Facebook with the words, “The task force in action. Terrorism in action.”
Kozak publicly pushed back, saying the deputies in Ramirez's photos weren't conducting immigration enforcement at all.
“Folks, you know what the deputies were doing? They were recovering a stolen car,” Kozak said at the time. “That’s what they were doing, because the day before they took a report from a woman who doesn’t have any money to buy another car.”
Ramirez has helped organize protests critical of federal immigration enforcement, while Kozak has made cooperation with ICE a visible part of his tenure.
The Sheriff's Office entered three agreements with ICE allowing different forms of immigration enforcement, including one that authorizes deputies to investigate federal immigration violations while enforcing other laws. Those agreements prompted a lawsuit from the ACLU of Wyoming and several local groups, although a Laramie County judge dismissed that challenge in August after finding the plaintiffs hadn't established standing.
Kozak's office has also conducted a series of highly publicized “Truck Around and Find Out” traffic operations resulting in undocumented drivers being turned over to ICE.
No Signs For Cozad
Cozad, Kozak's Democratic opponent, hadn't heard about the vandalism when Cowboy State Daily reached him Monday.
Cozad also hasn't had to contend with vandalized campaign signs for a simple reason: The campaign isn't using them.
“We did not put out signs,” Cozad said. “We only put out T-shirts and an online presence.”
Asked whether the sheriff's race or politics around Laramie County have become more heated, Cozad wasn't ready to weigh in.
Cozad was unopposed for the Democratic nomination and will face Kozak in the Nov. 3 general election.
Kozak won the Republican primary in August over challenger Eric Norris.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
