'Good': Locals, Dems and Haitians cheer criminal case against Trump and Vance
One word was repeated Tuesday afternoon as news spread Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were pursuing criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and running mate Sen. J.D. Vance.
"Good," replied Dayna Steele, a Texas radio host and Democrat running for Congress. As did Steve McElroy, a Democratic political consultant.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance filed Tuesday criminal charges at Clark County Municipal Court over false claims that immigrants had been eating pets and spurring threats of violence across the Ohio city, court records show.
Lead counsel Subodh Chandra — who also defended Tamir Rice's family under the Ohio statute that allows state residents to pursue criminal charges — condemned Trump and Vance's rhetoric.
"The Haitian community is suffering in fear because of Trump and Vance’s relentless, irresponsible, false alarms, and public services have been disrupted," Chandra said in an official statement. "Anyone else who wreaked havoc the way they did would have been arrested by now."
ALSO READ: Notorious conspiracy theorist rolled out by RNC to train election overseers in Michigan
Laura Rodriguez-Carbone, an Ohio community activist, took a more cheerful tone when she spread the news with her followers.
"Good news," Rodriguez-Carbone "@ChandraLawFirm is on the case!"
Haitian writer and journalist Monique Clesca also turned to exclamation points to express her sentiments and highlight another attorney working on the case, Guerline M.Jozef.
"She is suing Trump!" Clesca wrote. "Yes, our bada-- Haitian sister @GuerlineMJozef of the @HaitisnBridge just filed the criminal charges against these despicable men."
This was not the response from Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, who told Law&Crime Trump was simply using campaign rhetoric to highlight a pressing national issue.
“President Trump is rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system that Kamala Harris has overseen," Cheung said, "bringing thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into communities like Springfield and many others across the country.”
The Haitian immigrants Vance and Trump repeatedly and wrongly said were eating pets — after a city official debunked the claim in a message to Vance's team — are working in Springfield legally in a city effort to boost the local economy.