Haitian Community Leader Files Criminal Charges Against Trump and JD Vance Over Chaos in Springfield, Ohio

A leader of a nonprofit representing the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, has filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Senator JD Vance. The charges stem from a series of threats and disruptions experienced by the city, allegedly triggered by false claims Trump made about legal immigrants during a presidential debate.

Chaos Unfolds After False Claims

Since Trump first propagated false allegations regarding the Haitian community in Springfield, more than 30 bomb threats have been made against state and local government buildings, as well as schools. These threats led to closures, heightened security measures, and a city on edge. Several Haitian residents have expressed fears for their safety due to the growing hostility, and Springfield’s Mayor Rob Rue has even received death threats.

Chandra, the attorney representing the Haitian Bridge Alliance, stated, “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.”

Legal Charges Filed

The affidavit submitted to the Clark County Municipal Court outlines several charges against Trump and Vance, accusing them of:

  • Disrupting public services by causing widespread bomb threats that severely impacted the city’s operations.
  • Making false alarms by continuing to spread falsehoods that local and state officials had already denounced.
  • Telecommunications harassment by using public platforms like campaign rallies, interviews, and social media to spread knowingly false claims.
  • Aggravated menacing by making intimidating statements aimed at harassing residents, including threats of deporting legal immigrants.
  • Complicity by conspiring to spread malicious lies that resulted in widespread fear and harm.

The charges also include claims that Trump and Vance knowingly spread rumors that members of Springfield’s Haitian community were responsible for heinous actions, inciting further unrest and fear.

Supreme Court Ruling Irrelevant

Chandra argues that the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling granting ex-presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution does not apply in this case. “Trump is currently a private citizen, and Vance did not amplify the rumors in his official capacity as a senator,” Chandra said. The charges have been brought under a private-citizen right after local prosecutors failed to act.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit advocating for immigrant rights, invoked this legal provision in an effort to hold Trump and Vance accountable. The nonprofit is requesting that the court either refer the case for further investigation or issue arrest warrants.

“Their persistence and relentlessness, even in the face of the governor and the mayor saying this is false, shows intent,” Chandra explained. “It’s a knowing, willful flouting of criminal law.”

Awaiting Response

As of Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance campaign had not responded to requests for comment regarding the charges. The Springfield community continues to grapple with the aftermath of these accusations, hoping for justice as the legal proceedings unfold.