In a stunning move, criminal charges have been filed against former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, following their incendiary and unfounded claims about immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. The charges, spearheaded by the Haitian Bridge Alliance, highlight a dangerous pattern of fearmongering that has led to public chaos and community unrest.
As reported by ABC affiliate News 5 Cleveland, the affidavit, filed under a state statute that empowers private citizens to initiate legal action, outlines serious accusations, including:
Disrupting Public Service: Their reckless rhetoric has triggered a wave of bomb threats and other disruptions, paralyzing essential public services in Springfield.
Making False Alarms: Trump and Vance have knowingly spread lies, causing panic and alarm within the community despite assurances from local officials that these claims are baseless.
Telecommunications Harassment: Through national media appearances and social media, they’ve perpetuated false narratives that incite fear and misinformation.
Aggravated Menacing: Their statements, including Trump’s threats to deport legal immigrants to an unfamiliar Venezuela, are seen as direct intimidation aimed at vulnerable community members.
Inciting Fear: They have fostered a climate of fear, leading others to mistakenly believe that Springfield’s Haitian community poses a serious threat to their safety.
Complicity in Spreading Lies: By conspiring to promote falsehoods, they’ve turned innocent community members into unwitting targets of their inflammatory rhetoric.
These charges have been filed in Clark County Municipal Court, where the nonprofit is seeking a court ruling to affirm probable cause and issue arrest warrants. The legal process mandates a hearing before any dismissal of the affidavit.
“The Haitian community is living in fear because of the irresponsible and relentless lies propagated by Trump and Vance,” said lead counsel Subodh Chandra. “If anyone else had caused this level of disruption, they would have been arrested long ago. There’s nothing that exempts them from accountability. They need to understand they are not above the law.”
Since the presidential debate, Springfield has been inundated with hoax bomb threats following Trump’s outrageous claims that Haitian immigrants were abducting and eating pets. JD Vance has only stoked the flames, echoing debunked rumors while attacking current immigration policies.
Local officials have confirmed that while Springfield is adjusting to the arrival of around 15,000 Haitian immigrants, there is zero evidence to support the absurd claims being made.
Vance’s own words on CNN revealed the desperation behind their rhetoric: “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
In response to the charges, a Trump campaign spokesperson defended the former president’s position on immigration, claiming he is merely highlighting the failings of the current administration. But the charges illustrate a far more troubling reality: a calculated campaign of fear that has real consequences for innocent people.
The court’s decision on this affidavit could set a precedent in holding political figures accountable for reckless and dangerous statements.
