The leader of a nonprofit organization advocating for the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, has taken legal action by filing criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator JD Vance. The charges stem from the chaos and threats faced by the city following Trump’s false claims about legal immigrants during a presidential debate. The Haitian Bridge Alliance initiated the charges as the local prosecutor has not taken action on the matter. The charges include disrupting public services, making false alarms, telecommunications harassment, aggravated menacing, and complicity.

The attorney representing the Haitian Bridge Alliance, Subodh Chandra, from the Chandra Law Firm, emphasized the intent behind Trump and Vance’s actions, stating that despite denials from the governor and mayor, the dissemination of false information showed a deliberate violation of criminal laws. The filing requests the Clark County Municipal Court to acknowledge probable cause and either proceed with further investigation or issue arrest warrants for Trump and Vance.

The accusations against Trump and Vance relate to the disruption of public services through bomb threats, spreading false alarms, telecommunications harassment via various platforms, making intimidating statements, and inciting fear within the Haitian community. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity in criminal cases, Chandra argued that the immunity does not apply as Trump is now a private citizen, and Vance did not clarify the misinformation in his capacity as a senator.

The affidavit submitted by the Haitian Bridge Alliance outlines Trump and Vance’s alleged offenses, including causing disruptions with bomb threats, spreading false alarms, harassment through telecommunications, making threats of deportation, inciting fear within the community, and collusion in spreading misinformation. The advocates stress that Trump and Vance should be held accountable like any other individual and should not be above the law.