A hidden AirTag led police to a Connecticut Democratic lawmaker’s home after her Republican challenger’s campaign signs kept disappearing.
Story Snapshot
- Easton police issued state Rep. Anne Hughes a summons for misdemeanor sixth-degree larceny on Saturday, October 31.
- Her opponent, Republican Darrell Harris, says a campaign volunteer hid AirTags in signs because they kept vanishing.
- Police say an AirTag showed at least one missing sign at property Hughes owns, and several signs were later returned.
- Harris’ signs threw Hughes’ own hot-mic joke back at her, “tax my people — they won’t even notice,” with two words: “We noticed.”
- Hughes admits she took the signs and apologized, but says they were placed on public land where they did not belong.
On Saturday, October 31, Easton police issued Connecticut state Rep. Anne Hughes a summons for sixth-degree larceny, a misdemeanor theft charge for property of low value. A summons is an order to appear in court instead of being held in jail. The charge is for taking campaign signs that belonged to Darrell Harris, the Republican running against her for the 135th House District, which covers Easton, Redding and Weston. Hughes, a Democrat, is seeking a fifth term in the election on Tuesday, November 3.
Hughes has admitted she removed the signs and has apologized. “I take full responsibility and accountability for my actions,” she said in a statement. She says she believed the signs were improperly placed on public property, and she has said she should have called police or her opponent’s campaign instead of taking them herself.
Police Tracking Lead Ties Missing Signs To Lawmaker’s Property
Harris says his signs kept disappearing, so a frustrated campaign volunteer hid AirTags inside some of them. An AirTag is a small Apple tracking device that shows its location on a phone. On Friday, October 30, the campaign tracked one sign to Hughes’ property. “I expected it to ping to same random person,” Harris said. “The last thing I expected was it to ping on her property.”
Harris’ campaign staff reported to Easton police that several signs had been taken from the area of Route 59 and Judd Road. Police say the AirTag showed at least one missing sign at a property Hughes owns. Hughes said officers “showed up at our house at 10 p.m.” After the follow-up, police say several signs were returned, including the one with the AirTag. Police said the investigation gave them probable cause, meaning enough evidence to bring a charge, and they issued the misdemeanor summons.
Hughes Admits Removing Signs But Says Placement Was Improper
Hughes says the signs were on a public right of way, the strip of public land along a road. She says she had picked up signs from several campaigns, including those of Gov. Ned Lamont, Connecticut’s Democratic governor, that she found thrown away or set on public land. She says she handed police “the whole pile.” Hughes said she must appear in court in two weeks.
“The cops have to do their job,” Hughes said. She also said, “Campaigns should be about issues and differences of ideas, not yard signs,” and pledged to keep the rest of the race civil. State Republicans criticized Hughes, according to reports, and the Easton Republican and Democratic town committees each issued statements.
Why Harris’ Signs Carried A Pointed Message
The Harris signs were not ordinary name signs. They pointed to a “hot mic” moment, when a microphone picked up a private remark at a press conference held by lawmakers who favor higher taxes on the wealthy. Hughes was heard joking to a colleague, “We’re not rich. But I always tell the governor to tax my people — they won’t even notice.” Harris’ signs answered with two words: “We noticed.” He also used the audio in a Facebook ad.
Sign theft is a common complaint in election season, and voters and campaigns across the country have turned to trackers and cameras to catch it, according to reports. A tracker leaves a clear trail that police can follow quickly, and in this case it pointed to a sitting lawmaker.
What Matters For Voters Who Expect Fair Play
Voters want campaigns where the same rules apply to both sides. Hughes says the signs did not belong where they were, but she has also said she should have called police or the Harris campaign instead of taking them herself. A complaint about a sign’s spot is a matter for officials to settle. That is a simple lesson for every candidate this season: follow the law, call the right people, and respect the other side’s right to speak.
What Comes Next
The misdemeanor case will go to court, where Hughes can answer the charge. Being charged is not a conviction, and she is accused of larceny, not found guilty. Police have not released their full report. Voters in Easton, Redding and Weston will choose between Hughes and Harris on Tuesday, November 3, before the case is decided.
Sources:
ctmirror.org, courant.com, fox61.com, wtnh.com, nbcconnecticut.com, wfsb.com
