A dispute over where campaign signs were placed in a Washington County city has exploded into a flurry of legal exchanges involving two lawsuits, 13 defendants, four attorneys, three criminal citations and concerns over free speech.

In one suit, plaintiff Jeffrey L. Nielsen alleges that Grant City Council candidate Steve Bohnen violated the law to gain advantage in the recent election by placing signs in prohibited places. Also named in that suit are Grant resident Keith Mueller and Washington County.

Bohnen won a first-time seat with 1,290 votes in the city of about 4,100 residents west of Stillwater.

In the other suit, Nielsen seeks a court order requiring Washington County to enforce sign ordinances. Defendants include the county, Grant Mayor Tom Carr, the entire Grant City Council, and the county's Public Works Department.

Nielsen admits that he removed some of Bohnen's campaign signs, but he said he did so after the City of Grant and Washington County refused to take action. He said he was doing what a good citizen would do and wasn't acting on behalf of any candidate or political committee.

But attorney Robert Hill, who represents Bohnen, said Nielsen behaved like a vigilante. Nielsen had no business removing signs, Hill said, and targeted only Bohnen's signs even though they were clustered with signs promoting other political candidates.

"That's why I find this so frivolous," Hill said. "These are serious allegations. There's literally not a shred of truth to any of them."

Alan Weinblatt, a St. Paul attorney who's practiced campaign law for more than 40 years, said Wednesday that removing signs against a candidate's wishes intrudes on free speech. He said he didn't know of another case in Minnesota where someone sued a candidate over campaign signs.

Neither Nielsen nor his attorney, George Eck, could be reached for comment Wednesday. But one of the civil complaints filed in Washington County District Court alleges that Nielsen removed signs only when the City of Grant and Washington County refused to enforce zoning ordinances.

"Nielsen was forced to resort to reasonable and necessary self-help," according to the suit filed against Bohnen. Nielsen said he acted on advice from Washington County on how to remove the signs.

In response, the attorney defending Washington County, Jason Kuboushek, said nobody at the county told Nielsen to remove campaign signs. The county wouldn't make that recommendation to residents in any case, he said.

Nielsen filed the suits after the Washington County Sheriff's Office cited him for theft, disorderly conduct and a right-of-way violation -- three misdemeanors that Nielsen acknowledges in a court filing. However, he alleged that Washington County cited him in retaliation for a past dispute with the county.

Kuboushek said there was no dispute with the county.

Bohnen's attorney, Hill, said that Nielsen filed the suits to discourage Bohnen and a supporter, Mueller, from testifying against him on the misdemeanor charges.

Bohnen, who takes office in January, said he regrets starting his $3,200-a-year job this way.

"I ran my campaign talking about how to avoid litigation. It's almost like the other side is trying to stick it to me," he said.

Kevin Giles • 651-735-3342