Portage County Sheriff Bruce D. Zuchowski faced significant backlash after urging residents to list homes displaying campaign signs supporting Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz. Zuchowski posted these remarks on his personal and professional Facebook pages, expressing concerns about undocumented immigrants arriving if Harris were elected instead of Donald Trump. Referring to Harris as a "Flip-Flopping, Laughing Hyena," Zuchowski encouraged supporters to "write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards!" He also referred to immigrants as "Illegal human 'Locust.'"
The sheriff's comments caused alarm among local residents and were viewed as voter intimidation. Several people reportedly stated they would follow through with collecting addresses, according to local newspaper The Portager. In the post, Zuchowski also shared screenshots from Fox News linking immigration policies to a "crime wave" in small towns.
His remarks have been criticized by many, including Portage County Commissioner Tony Badalamenti, who resigned from the county's Republican central committee in protest. "This is not the leadership I want to be part of," Badalamenti said, calling the actions bullying. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio received multiple complaints from voters, with some considering removing yard signs due to intimidation concerns.
Zuchowski, who is running for re-election, did not respond to requests for comment. His Democratic challenger, Jon Barber, said the sheriff's comments could harm public trust, warning that people might fear police would judge them based on their political affiliations.
Link: The Guardian
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