Politics & Government

UPDATED: Photo Showing Troy Mayor, Supporter Walking with Recall Signs Goes Viral

The photo has been shared dozens of times on Facebook since it was posted Sunday night.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5 with information from Kroger spokesperson Dale Hollandsworth.

A photo released by political action committee Recall Janice Daniels on Sunday evening showing Troy Mayor Janice Daniels walking with her supporter and fellow transit center opponent Minesh Baxi (center), followed by an unnamed Kroger employee who is carrying at least two "Vote Yes to Recall Janice Daniels" signs, went viral on social media Sunday evening.

Daniels faces a recall election on Tuesday.

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The photo, posted to Recall Janice Daniels' Facebook page around 6 p.m. Sunday, had 29 shares within an hour after it was posted. The photo was taken at Kroger at the corner of Long Lake and Livernois in Troy.

"This photo, sent to us by a supporter, confirms what I've always suspected. Janice Daniels is interested in clinging to power and not listening to the voices of the people of Troy," Recall Janice Daniels co-founder John Kulesz said. "If she is willing to associate with people removing lawn signs, then she fails, at a fundamental level, to understand what makes a good leader."

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Daniels did not return calls from Patch on Sunday evening inquiring about the photograph, though Baxi said they were there to help Kroger employees remove several Recall Janice Daniels signs he said were illegally placed.

"This property is a business property, and these signs, we were told, were not put up with the permission of the business," said Baxi, who added that he did not speak directly with the property owner.

Dale Hollandsworth, spokesperson for Kroger, said Monday afternoon that the property owner has "a long-standing policy that no political signs will be posted and has given all the tenants there, and Kroger in particular, the right to remove signs of that nature."

He added that "no permission (to put up signs) would ever be given at this particular shopping center.”

Political yard signs for nearly all candidates and races are being taken from properties throughout Troy – especially Recall Janice Daniels and No Troy Recall signs. Recently, a 62-year-old Troy man was questioned by police and may be charged after he was caught removing several legally-placed Recall Janice Daniels yard signs.

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Daniels took office in November of 2011 and first came under fire in December for her anti-gay Facebook comment. She has remained the center of controversy after voting against the Troy Transit Center (a scaled-down version was later approved), telling the Troy High School Gay-Straight Alliance she would bring in an expert to tell them  comparing the dangers of homosexuality to the dangers of smoking cigarettes on a radio show, writing a lengthy position paper some viewed as personally attacking city employees and council members, and engaging in an argument with 2012 Troy Distinguished Citizen Mary Kerwin over the origin of her award while while presenting Kerwin with a proclamation during an October Troy City Council meeting.

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