City Manager Condemns Vance’s Remarks: ‘He Asked Point-Blank. I Told Him No’
By: Ava Parker
September 20, 2024
Ohio Senator JD Vance recently endorsed what his critics labeled as a baseless and racist conspiracy theory, as reported by OKMagazine.com. Vance came under heat after alleging that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were kidnapping and consuming pets. His comments are part of a pattern of incidents that many consider to be misinformed or misleading regarding the situation in Springfield, Ohio. Local Haitian communities are also responding to allegedly racist remarks made previously by Donald Trump, further complicating the discourse around this topic.“He asked point-blank, ‘Are the rumors true of pets being taken and eaten?’” City Manager Bryan Heck recalled Vance’s staffer asking. “I told him no. There was no verifiable evidence or reports to show this was true. I told them these claims were baseless.” Critics noted that despite being informed by the city manager that there was no evidence to support the claims, Vance and his team continued to spread the lie. Trump later made the claim during his presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. Vance later defended his actions by arguing that he was merely reflecting the concerns of his constituents. Critics noted, however, that Vance had amplified falsehoods and largely ignored the truth. A local resident who initially claimed her pet was taken later admitted her cat had returned safely and apologized to her Haitian neighbors for causing an uproar online. The resident was quick to accept accountability for the mistake, expressing her support of the immigrants in Springfield.
