Mal Prinzing did not appear at a court hearing for his election-law violation charges in Steele County Court Monday. His attorney showed a certificate written by a doctor stating Prinzing is unable to travel from Florida, where he has been spending the winter.

The Freeborn County Attorney’s office charged the 75-year-old Albert Lea businessman with the use of false political material and failure to put a disclaimer on political signs during the general election campaign last year.

Di Ma Corporation, located in the same building where Prinzing has his office in Albert Lea, was also charged with being involved in the campaign. State law prohibits corporate contributions to election campaigns.

Prinzing’s attorney, Randall Tigue, submitted the Florida doctor’s certificate dated March 28. It says Prinzing is medically restricted from traveling from the local area for the next 60 days.

The charges are based on controversial signs Prinzing placed in several locations in town with messages attacking former Sen. Grace Schwab. They called Schwab a thief, an accuastion which Nelson considers false.

But Tigue said he would argue the constitutionality of mandating a disclaimer and criminalizing a person placing signs directed at a public official. &uot;The First Amendment is definitely the issue here,&uot; he said.

The signs are based on an incident on Nov. 4, 2001, when Schwab was involved in removing letters from a signboard Prinzing placed in the Northbridge Mall parking lot without the mall owner’s consent. The message on the sign encouraged voters not to approve a school levy referendum.

Though the letters were returned and no criminal charges were brought against Schwab, Prinzing filed a civil lawsuit against the former senator a few days before the 2002 election, claiming the removal cost him more than $1,700. Schwab answered the suit with a counterclaim, contending that Prinzing’s acts are libel and defamation.

The absence of Prinzing has been delaying another court case in Olmsted County that involves High Forest Township, Di Ma Corp. and himself.

In response to the township’s claim, the court ordered Prinzing to remove adult materials from Pure Pleasure, a store opened by Di Ma Corp. in Stewartville last year. Prinzing, the property owner, filed an eviction suit against Di Ma Corp, represented by Tigue.

Steele County Judge Joe Bueltel will reschedule Prinzing’s first appearance. The court will also hear from witnesses in the next hearing.