Activist Chris Rufo has offered $5,000 for proof that Haitians were eating pets in Ohio
Republican activist Christopher Rufo has offered a $5,000 reward in order to fact-check claims that Haitian immigrants in an Ohio town were eating people’s pet cats, but had to amend its terms to prevent abuse.
Around 20,000 Haitian migrants have been settled in Springfield, a community of less than 60,000 between Dayton and Columbus, over the past four years.
At Tuesday’s US presidential debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump brought up the rumors that people’s pets have been going missing, and that the migrants were to blame. His running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, also said that Ohioans “have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country,” citing reports his office has received.
“Alright, let’s settle it: I will provide a $5,000 bounty to anyone who can provide my team with hard, verifiable evidence that Haitian migrants are eating cats in Springfield, Ohio. Deadline is Sunday. Go,” Rufo said Wednesday evening on X.
“I want to know the truth. Conservatives must be careful with the facts, and not let the narrative go beyond the evidence. Right now, the assumption is that this did not occur. But, if evidence emerges, it’s in the public interest to bring it forward,” he added.
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The well-intentioned initiative had a major flaw that emerged in short order: most of the replies were people offering – seriously or in jest – to eat a cat in Springfield in order to collect the bounty.