Ohio’s Portage County Sheriff, Bruce Zuchowski, is facing criticism for a controversial social media post in which he suggested recording the addresses of individuals with Kamala Harris yard signs to potentially house immigrants if the Democrat wins the presidency. Good-government groups condemned the post, claiming it was a threat and called for its removal.
Zuchowski, a Republican currently in the midst of his reelection campaign, shared a screenshot from a Fox News segment that criticized Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris regarding their immigration policies. He compared undocumented individuals in the U.S. to “human locusts” and proposed documenting the addresses of Harris supporters as potential living spaces for migrants in the future.
Local Democrats filed complaints against Zuchowski, expressing concerns about voter intimidation and the infringement on individuals’ right to display political yard signs. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio also denounced the sheriff’s post as an unconstitutional threat against residents. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine labeled Zuchowski’s comments as “unfortunate” and “not helpful.”
Despite the backlash, Zuchowski defended his remarks, citing his freedom of speech and suggesting that his comments were possibly misunderstood. He emphasized that voters have the right to choose their preferred presidential candidate but must bear responsibility for their decisions.
Sheriff Zuchowski, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, has a background in law enforcement and has been serving as Portage County’s chief law enforcement officer since his election in 2020. His Democratic opponent for reelection, Jon Barber, criticized the post as voter intimidation and damaging to public trust in law enforcement.
The Ohio secretary of state’s office stated that they did not find Zuchowski’s comments to violate any election laws and did not plan to take any action. The League of Women Voters, a good-government group, urged the secretary of state to address the incident, expressing concerns that voters felt abandoned and at risk following the sheriff’s controversial post.
The League of Women Voters emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process and highlighted reports of harassment against individuals with Harris yard signs in the aftermath of Zuchowski’s social media statement.
