State Rep. Dale Kooyenga released the following statement:

“Earlier this year in May, I removed what I believed to be an inappropriate and unattended sign from a vestibule near one of the entrances to the Capitol. The sign contained profanity which was easily read by anyone in the vicinity and in fact, a school group was gathering where the sign was located. It was my assumption that unattended signs that contained profanity would not be allowed to be posted in the Capitol so I removed the sign.

In my view, the sign was inappropriate in several ways and I felt it should not be in plain view of the scores of school children who were touring the Capitol at that time.

It was not my intention to cause harm to the owner of the sign and I returned it immediately when I was asked for its return. I am sorry I took the sign without permission however I am not sorry for trying to uphold appropriate decorum in our State Capitol. I believe we are all better by abiding to a higher level of civility and decency.”

See the incident report.

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