The filing asks that the court find probable cause for the charges and issue arrest warrants for Trump and Vance.
Under Ohio law, a private citizen seeking to “cause an arrest or prosecution” can file an affidavit with “a reviewing official” — a judge, prosecuting attorney or magistrate — to have them review the facts and decide if a complaint should be filed.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said Tuesday afternoon that while the city recognizes the serious nature of the allegations, “it is important to allow the legal process to unfold.” He said it is “critical that we’re sensitive to these issues like immigration” and are grounded in facts.
“Springfield remains dedicated to fostering constructive dialogue and addressing concerns with integrity,” Rue said. “Springfield’s priority continues to be the wellbeing of our residents, including the Haitian immigrant community. Any actions that disrupt public services or spread false alarms are taken seriously and we’ll continue to uphold our commitment to protect public order.”
A city statement issued Wednesday morning echoed Rue about allowing “the legal process to unfold without interference,” adding that “we refrain from commenting on ongoing legal matters at this time.”
This bench memorandum and affidavit comes through The Chandra Law Firm in Cleveland, and according to its website, Jozef, the HBA’s co-founder and executive director, is seeking Trump and Vance’s immediate arrest for:
- Disrupting public service “by causing widespread bomb and other threats that resulted in massive disruptions to the public services;”
- Making false alarms “by knowingly causing alarm in the Springfield community by continuing to repeat lies that state and local officials have said were false;”
- Telecommunications harassment “by spreading claims they know to be false during the presidential debate, campaign rallies, nationally televised interviews, and social media;”
- Aggravated menacing “by knowingly making intimidating statements with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass the recipients, including Trump’s threat to deport immigrants who are here legally to Venezuela, a land they have never known” and “by knowingly causing others to falsely believe that members of Springfield’s Haitian community would cause serious physical harm to the person or property of others in Springfield;”
- Complicity “by conspiring with one another and spreading vicious lies that caused innocent parties to be parties to their various crimes.”
“Because the prosecuting attorney has not yet acted to protect the community and hold Trump and Vance accountable for what they have instigated, Ms. Jozef asks the court to find probable cause based on the facts presented and issue arrest warrants for both Trump and Vance,” the law firm stated. “The prosecuting attorney then must make a public decision about whether that office stands for the rule of law — or whether it will further coddle Trump and Vance with complete inaction.”
Subodh Chandra, Jozef’s lead counsel, said in a statement that the Haitian community is “suffering in fear” due to Trump and Vance’s “relentless, irresponsible, false alarms, and public services have been disrupted.” Chandra said the two politicians “must be held accountable to the rule of law,” claiming that others who “have wreaked havoc” would have been arrested already.
“They think they’re above the law. They’re not,” Chandra said.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung didn’t comment directly on the court filing, but said that Trump is “rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system that Kamala Harris has overseen, bringing thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into communities like Springfield and many others across the country.”
“President Trump will secure our border and put an end to the chaos that illegal immigration brings to our communities,” Cheung said.
According to local and state Republican leaders, the majority of Haitian immigrants in Springfield are believed to be in the country legally, contrary to the Trump campaign’s comments, with many Haitians having Temporary Protected Status, a legal status.
In interviews, on social media and during a presidential debate, Trump and Vance amplified claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating residents’ pet cats and dogs. Local police, as well as city and county officials, have repeatedly said those claims are baseless.
After the claims spread nationally, via Trump, Vance and thousands of others, Springfield started getting threats of violence. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said many of the threats came from overseas, while others were from domestic sources.
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
The court filing specifically cites the city closing offices multiple times due to bomb threats, as well as three medical facilities, three schools, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Wittenberg University. It said some threats specifically mentioned the Haitian community.
The memo says that Trump and Vance knew rumors “had been debunked,” but spread them anyway. It cites a Sept. 10 post on X made by Vance saying his office received inquiries from Springfielders about their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife being “abducted by Haitian migrants” in which he said “It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false.”
Trump repeated these claims at the Sept. 10 debate, which the filing notes were fact-checked by moderators. It also notes a statement Vance made during a CNN interview Sept. 15, in which he said “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
The filing alleges Vance knew the rumor was false, as state and local officials spoke directly to his staff, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. It discusses local and state officials speaking publicly to dispute the allegations, and says that Trump and Vance also “repeated baseless accusations” the Haitians in Springfield are here illegally, with Trump saying he would deport them to Venezuela.
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