Guerline Jozef, co-founder and executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, has filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance for spreading false claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. Jozef, speaking on behalf of her group, stated, "Over the last two weeks, both Trump and Vance led an effort to vilify and threaten the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio." She emphasized that they have "spread and amplified the debunked claim that Haitians immigrants in Springfield are eating cats, dogs, and wildlife."
The charges filed include disrupting public services, making false alarms, complicity, telecommunications harassment, and aggravated menacing. Subodh Chandra, attorney for the Haitian Bridge Alliance, argued that both men should be held accountable under the law, saying, "If anyone else had disrupted public service, made false alarms... they would've been arrested by now." He urged the court to issue arrest warrants for Trump and Vance. Ohio law allows private citizens to file criminal charges through affidavits, but a hearing is necessary before the case can proceed. As of Tuesday, no hearing had been scheduled.
Trump and Vance's claims have been thoroughly debunked. Springfield officials and police have repeatedly stated that there is "no credible evidence" to support these accusations. Governor Mike DeWine, in a New York Times op-ed, also dismissed the claims as "garbage" and affirmed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are "there legally... to work."
Despite the false claims, Trump and Vance have continued to amplify them. Trump mentioned during a presidential debate that Haitians in Springfield are "eating the pets of the people that live there." Vance echoed these sentiments in interviews and on social media, further inflaming tensions. The city has experienced over 33 bomb threats this month, forcing school and building evacuations and leading to threats against Mayor Rob Rue.
Link: NBC News
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