An Ohio sheriff known as on residents to jot down down the addresses of neighbors who’ve expressed assist for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential marketing campaign.
In a Fb submit, Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski wrote, “When people ask me…What’s gonna happen if the Flip – Flopping, Laughing Hyena Wins?? I say…write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards!”
He added, “Sooo…when the Illegal human ‘Locust’ (which she supports!) Need places to live…We’ll already have the addresses of the their New families…who supported their arrival!”
Zuchowski duplicated the incendiary submit focusing on Harris supporters and immigrants on his private Fb web page, attracting commenters who have been supportive of the concept.
“Absolutely!! Making a list and checking it twice,” one poster responded. One other wrote, “100% Agreed !!! I’m with you on that one Sheriff.”
Portage County Commissioner Tony Badalamenti condemned Zuchowski’s submit and resigned from the county’s Republican Occasion committee in response.
“This is not the leadership I want to be part of,” he mentioned in a video asserting his determination.
County residents advised The Portager, a neighborhood information outlet, that Zuchowski’s assertion has made them fearful.
“My parents are elderly and have been very politically active Democrats. I am afraid for them now. I don’t want to scare them or suggest they take down their signs, but I am sick to my stomach with worry,” one lady advised the outlet.
In an announcement, the Portage County NAACP mentioned, “Encouraging people to keep addresses, presumably so they can later be targeted, is counter to bringing all of us together to better our community. We encourage all citizens to vote their values in November.”
Zuchowski’s posts have been accompanied by screenshots from the Fox Information Channel blaming Harris and the Biden administration for “destroying small towns” and fueling a “migrant crime wave” by pursuing “open borders” insurance policies, a false accusation.
Fox Information has continuously promoted immigration falsehoods, and as catalogued by Media Issues for America, the community aired a marathon 400 segments selling the “migrant crime” declare throughout a 10-week timespan in early 2024.
Zuchowski backed Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s profitable 2022 Senate marketing campaign and has expressed his assist for Donald Trump in quite a few social media posts. In a single submit, Zuchowski mentioned that it was a “total ‘political’ psycho circus act’” to convict Trump in legal courtroom. The sheriff additionally expressed outrage in 2021 when the Cleveland Indians baseball workforce modified their title to the Cleveland Guardians in a transfer towards racial sensitivity.
In July, Zuchowski known as on Ohio Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes to withdraw a invoice that might have created federal coaching for cops to assist them de-escalate harmful conditions.
Zuchowski’s newest submit echoes calls from Trump to make use of the ability of presidency to go after his political rivals.
Following his legal conviction on a number of felony counts, Trump advised supporters in June, “It’s a terrible, terrible path that they’re leading us to, and it’s very possible that it’s going to have to happen to them.”
Trump additionally beforehand mentioned that if elected he would appoint a prosecutor to “go after” President Joe Biden and his household.
About 190 miles southwest of Portage County, residents of Springfield, Ohio, have needed to deal with bomb threats towards college and authorities buildings after Trump and Vance promoted smears of Haitian migrants there, falsely accusing them of stealing and consuming home animals.
Signal the petition: Help vital reforms for racial justice and equality
