A city agency yesterday dismissed a discrimination complaint against Geno’s Steaks for its speak-English sign, halting a case that thrust shop owner Joey Vento into the national spotlight of the contentious immigration debate.

A split three-member panel of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations ruled that a sign in the South Philadelphia cheesesteak shop did not convey a message that service would be refused to non-English speakers.

“The bottom line is that I didn’t do anything wrong,” said Vento, 68, who maintained that the sign was a political statement and that no customers were ever turned away. “It’s a good victory.”

The Week Magazine does a great job highlighting columnists reactions as well.