Haiti non-profit group files criminal charges against Trump and JD Vance over false claims News
geralt / Pixabay
Haiti non-profit group files criminal charges against Trump and JD Vance over false claims

The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), a non-profit organization advocating for Haitian immigrants, filed criminal charges against former US President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, his running mate in the current presidential race, on Tuesday. The charges, brought before a municipal court in Ohio’s Clark County, stem from false claims made by Trump and Vance alleging that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were abducting and eating local pets.

The charges follow a tense few weeks in Springfield, where the influx of Haitian immigrants has been a topic of political debate. Vance, who represents Ohio in the US Senate, spread the false claims on social media, accusing Haitian migrants of abducting and eating pets. Trump repeated the claims during his televised debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

The allegations have sparked outrage and fear within Springfield’s Haitian community. In the court filing, HBA claims that the comments by Trump and Vance have incited anti-immigrant sentiment, resulting in threats and harassment of local Haitian immigrants and those who support them.

Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, stated that the lawsuit seeks accountability for the harm caused by what she described as a deliberate smear campaign. Since the spread of these falsehoods, Springfield has seen over 30 bomb threats, forcing the evacuation of schools, hospitals and government buildings. “Trump and Vance’s lies have harmed the Springfield community, and their lies have violated criminal law,” Jozef said in a statement. “This is about confronting white supremacy, anti-Black rhetoric, and hate speech that seems to be a constant in U.S. politics and that continues to cause suffering. No one is above the law.”

The legal action charges Trump and Vance with multiple crimes, including disrupting public services, making false alarms, telecommunications harassment and aggravated menacing. The lawsuit cites R.C. 2935.09, which allows private citizens to file criminal charges in Ohio. The court will now review the affidavit to determine whether arrest warrants for Trump and Vance should be issued.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Knights Templar arrested in France on false charges

French members of the Crusade-era chivalric order the Knights Templar, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were arrested upon the orders of King Phillip IV of France on October 13, 1307. The group was baselessly accused of multiple offenses, including idolatry and homosexual acts. The Templars would be tried for these offenses before being disbanded officially by Pope Clement V in 1312. Learn more about the Knights Templar.

Rosenbergs' espionage appeal denied by Supreme Court

On October 13, 1952, the US Supreme Court announced that it had declined to grant certiorari in the appeal of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, condemned to death for conspiracy to commit atomic espionage for the Soviet Union. Justice William O. Douglas eventually granted a stay of execution on June 17, 1953, but that order was vacated by the full Court and the Rosenbergs were executed on June 19, 1953. Learn more about the Rosenbergs' case from the Eisenhower Presidential Library.

Greenwich Mean Time established as universal standard

On October 13, 1884, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was declared universal time by the International Meridian Conference, a gathering of 25 nations from around the globe.
Read the proceedings of the International Meridian Conference from Project Gutenberg.