State allows candidate signs at bars

ANN ARBOR, MI--  

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The American Civil Liberties Union is praising Michigan regulators' decision to halt enforcement of a rule barring businesses that sell liquor from displaying signs endorsing political candidates.

The ACLU last Thursday sued the state Liquor Control Commission in federal court on behalf of a bar in Ann Arbor. The owner of the Aut Bar sought to keep its signs backing U.S. Rep. John Dingell and Washtenaw County judge candidate Carol Kuhnke.

The suit says the ban violates the right to free speech under the First Amendment.

The liquor board decided Wednesday to stop enforcing the 1954 rule and to move quickly to repeal it.

ACLU spokeswoman Maggie McGuire says the bar's owner took down the signs after learning of the rule but now plans to put them back up.