A local Florida House District 1 candidate facing accusations around the world that he stole signs belonging to his opponent says he was “set up”.

Republican Greg Brown said that he was simply doing what he thought he had permission to do when he removed signs belonging to opponent Doug Broxson from the intersection of Highway 89 and Highway 87. It was after dark Saturday when Brown stopped at the intersection after leaving an old-fashioned political stump rally in Jay. Brown said property owner Don Dewrell gave him permission to remove Broxson’s signs.

Using a night-vision camera, Broxson’s brother videotaped Brown and his wife Jennifer removing signs. Brown has not denied that he and his wife removed Broxson’s signs, but he calls the entire situation a “masterminded set up”.

“They knew what they were doing when the had the camera there,” Brown said Tuesday afternoon. “How far did they go to plot this out?