Ohio Senator Calls for Resignation Over Unfounded Rumors

Casey Weinstein, the Democratic senator for Ohio, has called for the resignation of vice-presidential candidate and fellow Ohio senator after he spread baseless rumors concerning illegal Haitian immigrants purportedly consuming pets. The situation arose when Weinstein circulated a clip on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, in which the candidate discussed these unfounded claims.

In the clip, the candidate insisted that constituents had informed him about the truthfulness of the rumor, despite being asked to confirm the lack of evidence. He claimed that he had “created stories” to draw attention to issues in Springfield, Ohio, subsequently clarifying that he meant he had created media attention rather than fabricated the allegations.

Weinstein, through his online re-posting of the clip, expressed his demand for the resignation, saying, “In the wake of admitting he ‘created’ the pet-eating story, and as a result of the very real threats the communities and people he has targeted are now under… I am calling on him to RESIGN as our Senator.” This post quickly garnered significant attention, with over two million views and thousands of comments, with some urging that the candidate should face repercussions for his role in spreading the rumor.

Ohio representative Michele Grim echoed this sentiment, accusing the senator of “terrorizing Ohioans with malicious lies” in an attempt to distract from the national election campaign. Nevertheless, some people defended the senator, arguing that the rumor originated on another platform before it was mentioned by him.

The claims regarding Haitian migrants allegedly stealing and consuming pets in Springfield surfaced on social media and were further amplified by the senator in subsequent speeches. During one such occasion, debate moderator David Muir corrected him by stating that Springfield’s city manager reported “no credible reports” of pets being harmed by the immigrant community. Ohio Governor, a Republican, also refuted the rumors, affirming that there was no evidence to support such claims and noting that the Haitian community in Springfield comprises legal immigrants who came to the area for employment.

Casey Weinstein, who once served in the Air Force and is a businessman, has been representing Ohio’s 34th district since 2018, following a previous campaign in 2016.