Ohio Governor Mike DeWine criticized former President Donald Trump on Sunday unfounded claims Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eat their dogs and other pets like “trash,” but refrained from directly condemning the former president and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, for spreading false claims.
“There is a lot of garbage on the Internet. You know, it’s a piece of garbage that’s just not true. There’s no evidence of that,” DeWine said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week” when asked if Trump was responsible for making the false claims.
DeWine blasted hate groups when asked what she would say to Trump after he suggested there was no truth to his claims about Haitian immigrants. marched As part of a hate campaign against Haitian immigrants in Springfield, before praising Haitians as hard-working people who have brought “positive influences” to the city.
“Hate groups are coming to Springfield, we don’t need these hate groups,” he said. “Yesterday I saw a piece of literature where the mayor told me about the KKK. Springfield is a good city. They are good people. They welcome people. We have challenges every day. We are working on these challenges.”
“Haitians — culturally, my wife Fran and I saw this when we were in Haiti — value education,” he said. “So when you look at all of these things, people who want to work, people who value their children, people who value education, you know, these are positive impacts to our community in Springfield, and any comments about that otherwise, I think, are offensive and beneficial to the city of Springfield and the people of Springfield not.
End Bomb threats in Springfield prompt lockdown Last week, amid a wide-ranging investigation of schools and city halls, the city faced false rumors that Haitian migrants were stealing and eating pets.
Pressed on whether there was a connection between the bomb threats and unsubstantiated claims Trump and Vance made online, DeWine called for an end to debate over the claims, but did not directly criticize Trump or Vance for fueling right-wing conspiracies.
“I think we need to stop this debate about Haitians eating dogs and cats and stuff,” he said. “We have to focus on what’s important. What’s important is that we provide primary care to everyone in a growing city, and do other things related to housing. These are the main things we need to do. We should pay attention not to them, but to them.”
DeWine noted that many of the Haitian immigrants in Springfield came there legally under federal programs as refugees fleeing political turmoil in their country and as workers helped boost the state’s economy.
“This discussion about Haitians eating dog is just not helpful,” he said. “And yet these people are here legally. They are here legally and they want to work, and they actually do. And when you talk to employers, employers tell you, you know, we don’t know what we’d do without them. They work and work hard.”
However, DeWine stood by her support for Trump when asked if her support for the former president has softened in light of his false allegations.
“Before I knew who the candidate was going to be, I said I would support the Republican presidential candidate,” he said. “I am a Republican. “I think if you look at the economic issues, and those are the issues that concern the American people the most, I think Donald Trump is the best choice.”
Trump made baseless claim about Haitian immigrants in Springfield presidential debate last week against Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing that Springfield is an example of the harmful effects of immigration as a result of Harris’ immigration policies.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue criticized the false allegations and urged the public, especially prominent public figures, to amplify them.
“Springfield is a wonderful community and your pets are safe in Springfield, Ohio” Rue told MSNBC‘s “Katy Tour Reports” last week. “We have made this public and ask that people understand and believe the reports we share with them.”
“We need people with a microphone, with a national stage with millions and millions of followers, to understand what their words are doing to cities like Springfield, Ohio,” he said. “What we need is help. We don’t need this misinformation.”
On Sunday, Vance in Springfield, Ohio, pushed back on claims that an online conspiracy of Haitian immigrants eating pets was false, claiming to have heard constituents’ concerns about the issue.
“I hear you say they’re baseless, but I’m not repeating them because I made them up out of thin air,” Vance said. Interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program.
Trump’s nominee doubled down on those comments in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, saying: “If I have to create stories so that the American media really focuses on the suffering of the American people, then that’s me. I will.”
Pressed for clarification, Vance reiterated that he heard a direct report from his constituents.
“I’m saying we’re creating a story, meaning we’ve turned the American media on it,” he said.
Vance also dismissed comments from local officials calling for false allegations against Haitian immigrants in Springfield in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
When asked about what he had done to help DeWine with requests for federal aid as an influx of thousands of migrants strained the state’s health care system in recent years, Vance tried to blame Harris, whom Biden has tasked in 2021 with addressing the root causes of migration. according to the policies of the southern border.
“Well, the most important thing we can do to help Governor DeWine and the entire state of Ohio and frankly the entire country, Margaret, is to stop Kamala Harris’ open border,” he said. “And for two years I’ve been fighting for policies that do just that.”