Officials in Springfield, Ohio, declined to engage in a call with Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance after the fallout from him and Donald Trump's false claims about Haitian migrants in the city taking and eating pets.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and other officials expressed concern that the claims are linked to threats of violence and dozens of bomb scares targeting the Haitian community, forcing evacuations of schools and hospitals.
In an email dated September 17 and reported by ABC News, Rue informed Vance's acting state director, James Coyne, that city leaders would not participate in the call, citing concerns over the inclusion of third parties who Vance's office claimed had "first-hand experiences" with the supposed effects of Haitian migration.
City officials initially believed the call would be a private discussion between Rue, Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck, and the senator. However, Springfield's Strategic Engagement Manager Karen Graves said the call's scope changed, leading officials to decline participation, fearing the discussion would become politicized.
The emails reveal that Vance's office had been receiving complaints from constituents following his remarks about Haitian immigrants, which were first spread on September 9 despite city officials already debunking them as "baseless." Nevertheless, the Trump campaign continued to push the claims, with Trump himself referencing them during a national presidential debate. Vance has reiterated the allegations despite further corrections from city and state officials.
Other Republicans have continued making the claims. One in particular, Rep. Clay Higgins, faced widespread backlash over a now-deleted post in which he disparaged Haitians and called the country the "nastiest in the Western Hemisphere."
The lawmaker published the post on X on Wednesday, apparently reacting to a formal criminal complaint from a Haitian immigrant group in Springfield, Ohio, against Donald Trump and JD Vance for their perpetuation of the narrative.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) filed the complaint at the Clark County Municipal Court, noting that such rumors led to 33 bomb threats in the city. "Like those who falsely shout 'fire!' in a crowded theater, Trump and Vance do not color within the lines of the First Amendment. They commit criminal acts," the HBA said.
Higgins, in turn, said "Lol. These Haitians are wild." "Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters... but damned if they don't feel all sophisticated now, filing charges against our President and VP. All these thugs better get their mind right and their a-- out of our country before January 20th."
Higgins, who deleted the post during the day, was confronted by several lawmakers on the House Floor, according to POLITICO. Among them was Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, from Florida, who said he had a conversation with Higgins and urged him to take the post down.
Higgins was later defended by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called him a dear friend and a "very frank and outspoken person, but also a very principled man."
Johnson added that after being approached by colleagues Higgins "prayed about it, regretted it and pulled the post down." "That's what you want the gentleman to do. I'm sure he probably regrets some of the language he used. But you know, we move forward. We believe in redemption around here."
However, he then stood by the post, telling CNN "I can put up another controversial post tomorrow if you want me to. I mean, we do have freedom of speech. I'll say what I want."
In response, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Steven Horsford from Nevada introduced a privileged resolution to censure Higgins, claiming the post was inciting "hate and fear."
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