Tulare County man makes strong political statement on lawn

TULARE COUNTY (KFSN) -- A Tulare County man is exercising his First Amendment rights with a political display on his yard.

Mark Ertlet's message is clear and it's hanging on his front lawn.

"You violate that constitution," he said. "It's a treasonable offense."

Feeling ignored by politicians, Ertlet built a gallows two weeks ago.

"I've written letters," he said. "We've made phone calls what have you. No one wants to listen. That's why it has to be that severe sometimes to get the message."

Ertlet built the gallows with friends.

The mannequin hanging, he said, is a symbol open to interpretation despite direct references to a particular presidential candidate.

"You can be charged with circumventing your oath of office and you can be hung for treason," Ertlet said. "Makes no difference if you're Democrat or Republican."

He lives on a country road that's mostly traveled by truckers like Martin Hernandez, who drove by while on the job.

"It was kind of creepy," he said. "I seen that doll hanging. I didn't even care about the signs about Trump. You know we all have a right to put whatever we want on our yards, freedom of speech or whatever, but that's what caught my attention."

Tulare County Sheriff's deputies went by two weeks ago after they got a concerned call.

They say the display is posted on private property and is fully within his first amendment rights - a privilege Ertelt makes sure to exercise.

"Trump might not be that articulate or what have you but you don't necessarily have to be," he said. "People are getting tired of the old time politics. It's time for a new story."