The leader of a not-for-profit organization that represents the Haitian community has invoked his private-citizen right and is filing criminal charges against GOP nominee Donald Trump and JD Vance, his running mate, for inciting chaos and threats throughout Springfield, Ohio.
Subodh Chandra, who works for the Chandra Law Firm and is representing the Haitian Bridge Alliance, said the leader has made this move after a local prosecutor refused to take action.
The entire ordeal began as Trump began to spread false rumors that legal immigrants who have flocked to Springfield in recent years have been stealing other residents’ pets and are eating them.
In Ohio, private citizens and companies are allowed to bring criminal charges against others. One example that The Associated Press cited is a grocery store that might charge a customer who repeatedly bounces checks.
According to state law, a hearing has to be held before the criminal affidavit is allowed to move forward. The AP said that as of earlier this week, such a hearing hadn’t yet been scheduled.
According to the law firm, the group is charging Trump and Vance with making false alarms, aggravated menacing, telecommunications harassment, disrupting public services and complicity.
In their filing, the group requests that the Clark County Municipal Court affirm that there’s probable cause to their allegations, and to then issue arrest warrants for both Trump and Vance.
As Chandra said of the two politicians:
“Their persistence and relentlessness, even in the face of the governor and the mayor saying this is false, that shows intent. It’s knowing, willful flouting of criminal law.”
In the last few years, between 15,000 and 20,000 Haitian immigrants have relocated to Springfield. Many of these people came to the city after they were recruited to work at jobs there.
They are there legally, though, as they were granted Temporary Protected Status, which means they are allowed to be in the U.S.
Since the claims first started, havoc has ensued in the city. There have been more than 30 bomb threats directed toward local and state government buildings as well as schools, which has forced many buildings to close, additional law enforcement personnel to be stationed there, and extra security cameras to be installed.
Many of the Haitian residents in the city say they’ve also feared for their own safety. Even Mayor Rob Rue said recently that he’s received death threats.
Chandra commented:
“If it were anyone else other than Trump and Vance who had done what they’ve done — wreak havoc on Springfield, resulting in bomb threats, evacuated and closed government buildings and schools, threats to the mayor and his family — they would have been arrested by now. They are not above the law.”
The Trump-Vance campaign’s communications director, Steven Cheung, came to his boss’ defense, though, saying recently:
“President Trump is rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system that (Vice President) Kamala Harris has overseen, bringing thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into communities like Springfield and many others across the country.”
