Haitian Bridge Alliance Takes Legal Action Against High-Profile Figures

An Ohio nonprofit organization takes legal action against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance for spreading false claims about Haitian immigrants, sparking bomb threats and community unrest.

At a Glance

A Haitian nonprofit, Haitian Bridge Alliance, has filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance.
The charges include disrupting public services, telecommunications harassment, and aggravated menacing.
False claims that Haitian immigrants were killing and eating pets have led to threats and an increase in community tension.
The filing requests arrest warrants for Trump and Vance.
Local prosecutor’s inaction prompted the nonprofit to file charges.

Haitian Nonprofit Takes Legal Action

In Springfield, Ohio, the Haitian Bridge Alliance has initiated legal action against former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. The nonprofit accuses them of disseminating misinformation about Haitian immigrants. False claims that these immigrants were killing and eating pets have been debunked by local authorities but have nonetheless resulted in bomb threats and escalated community tension.

The nonprofit argues that both Trump and Vance knowingly spread these false narratives, causing significant harm and public unrest. Legal proceedings are now underway to hold the two figures accountable. A spokesperson for the Trump campaign has shifted blame to the immigration system managed by Kamala Harris.

Haitian Bridge Alliance has brought criminal charges against Donald Trump & JD Vance for spreading false claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, OH. The nonprofit is demanding accountability for unsubstantiated statements. https://t.co/KdsoPuUAO2

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) September 25, 2024

Impact on Springfield Community

The charges include disrupting public services, telecommunications harassment, and aggravated menacing. The debunked claims have led to threats against residents and local institutions, prompting over 30 bomb threats to city buildings and schools,

“Their persistence and relentlessness, even in the face of the governor and the mayor saying this is false, that shows intent,” said Subodh Chandra, lead counsel on the case. “It’s knowing, willful flouting of criminal law.”

The statements were primarily based on a mistaken report from a Springfield woman about her missing cat. The cat in question returned home, alive and well, only a few days later, but the rumor persisted. Despite the serious claims, no evidence supports the allegations, as confirmed by local officials and Ohio’s GOP Governor Mike DeWine.

Legal and Community Reactions

The local prosecutor’s inaction led the Haitian Bridge Alliance to file charges. According to Ohio law, charges by private citizens are rare but permissible, and a hearing is required before proceedings can commence. The filing requests the court to issue arrest warrants or refer the matter to the prosecuting attorney.

“The Haitian community is suffering in fear because of Trump and Vance’s relentless, irresponsible, false alarms, and public services have been disrupted. Trump and Vance must be held accountable to the rule of law. Anyone else who wreaked havoc the way they did would have been arrested by now,” Chandra said in a statement.

Despite these serious allegations, constitutional scholars believe the case may face challenges. Case Western Reserve University law professor Jonathan Entin noted that the First Amendment broadly protects political speech, even if untruthful. The 2012 Supreme Court case on the Stolen Valor Act found that false statements generally fall under First Amendment protections.

"The leader of the nonprofit Haitian Bridge Alliance filed charges against former president Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, for the chaos that ensued from their uncorroborated statements about immigrants in Springfield, Ohio."https://t.co/dEXNVAdqT8

— David DeWitt (@DC_DeWitt) September 24, 2024