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VP hopeful J.D. Vance says Kamala Harris is trying to silence an American community overwhelmed by illegal immigrants by downplaying concerns over reports of migrants eating residents' pets.
The unusual story has dominated the news cycle ever since wild complaints emerged from Springfield, Ohio, that migrants, mostly from Haiti, are catching and eating pet cats and ducks.
Former President Donald Trump even brought it up in the debate last week, claiming migrants are 'eating dogs' in the town.
But Vice President Harris went farther, claiming in an interview on Tuesday that Vance and Trump's 'hateful rhetoric' is what led to a surge of over 30 bomb threats at schools in the same community.
DailyMail.com asked Vance during a campaign rally on Tuesday to respond to Harris' accusations - as boos and jeers broke out among the Wisconsin crowd.
Vance, who is from Ohio, replied that Harris is 'disgraceful' for downplaying the reports and claims he and Trump have heard from hundreds of residents who make the same claims.
VP hopeful J.D. Vance says Kamala Harris is trying to silence an American community overwhelmed by illegal immigrants
As the story gained national prominence, the Ohio town was faced with somewhere between 35 and 40 bomb threats.
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said this week, however, that the threats are 'hoaxes' and all are coming from 'foreign countries.'
'Vice President Harris said again today that the 'hateful rhetoric' over migrants eating pets is what caused the bomb threats to Springfield. Can you respond to the latest?' DailyMail.com asked Vance during a rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Upon hearing the Democratic VP's name, the pro-MAGA crowd became excitable with jeers.
'That's basically my response,' Vance said. 'Just put that in the paper – loud boos and two thumbs down. That's my response on what Kamala Harris said.'
'Look, you guys are going to get me all fired up again. I was ready to leave,' he said when winding down the final campaign stop on Tuesday after a visit to Sparta, Michigan earlier in the day.
The unusual story has dominated the news cycle ever since complaints emerged from Springfield, Ohio , that migrants, mostly from Haiti, are catching and eating pet cats and ducks
Vance then answered more seriously, telling DailyMail.com in front of several hundred rally goers: 'What happened in Springfield is not just disgraceful because it's made people's lives worse.'
'What's happened is disgraceful because of the way Kamala Harris and her media allies have tried to silence the people from daring to complain that life has gotten worse in their own community in their own country.'
'Think about this, the argument was that because Donald Trump and I – and the many, many hundreds of residents of Springfield that we've talked to in the last few weeks – because we dared to point out that life has gotten worse for those citizens, we are somehow to blame because a psychopath called in a bomb threat,' Vance went on.
He alleged: 'The media is laundering literal foreign disinformation in an effort to silence the citizens of their own country from participating in an American election. It it despicable and it has to stop.'
Harris was asked about the growing controversy in Springfield as she attended a question and answer forum held by the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia.
'It's a crying shame. I mean my heart breaks for this community,' she said, recalling that the schools were closed on 'school photo day.'
Harris recalled being a child in school on 'picture day' expressing further sadness that the event was disrupted.
Harris was asked about the growing controversy in Springfield as she attended a question and answer forum held by the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia
'You remember what that's like?' Harris asked, demonstrating what it was like to get dressed up for a special occasion by swaying her shoulders back and forth. 'Going to school on picture day? Dressed up in their best, got all ready, knew what they were going to wear the night before?'
The controversy in Springfield was sparked after former President Donald Trump claimed during the presidential debate last week that some migrants were 'eating the dogs,' 'cats,' and 'pets' in the community.
Trump was accused of making 'baseless' accusations after the claims when viral on social media, even as his supporters portrayed him as a champion of protecting their pets by sharing cat memes generated by AI.
Harris blamed Trump for the bomb threats, even though Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine described them as not credible and came mostly from overseas.
'They had to be evacuated. Children. Children,' she lamented. 'A whole community put in fear.'
English (US)