Joe Biden has hoped to deter Iran by restraining Israel. Time to take off the handcuffs.

A dockworkers strike that threatened the American supply chain weeks before an election is over just days after it began and before inflicting pain on consumers.

Walz was chosen for his Midwestern, regular-guy appeal, which the Democratic brain trust was sure would win over blue-collar men - but it's not working.

It really is getting worse.

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Gov. Tim Walz addressed a virtual event hosted by a group focused on building Muslim American political power.

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The International Longshoremen’s Association received a new wage offer and will halt its walkout at East and Gulf Coast ports, which began Tuesday.

The president’s casual disclosures underscored the power of his words — and how quickly they travel.

Mr. Vance sanded down Donald Trump’s edges the way he often sharpens attacks for rally crowds — picking the facts that can deliver the most impact and discarding the rest.

Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino.

Quick Take

Springfield, Ohio, has been the target of misinformation about its Haitian immigrant population. Conservative commentators are now falsely claiming the mayor traveled to Haiti and he and other city officials received “kick-backs” for “importing” immigrants to Springfield. The mayor told us he has never been to Haiti nor has he received any “kickbacks.”

Full Story

Former President Donald Trump has spread misinformation about immigrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. border over the past several years. During the Sept. 10 presidential debate, as we wrote, Trump made the baseless claim that Haitian immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio, are “eating the dogs … They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”

Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, also claimed on X that there had been reports of Haitians eating people’s pets in Springfield. In addition, Vance made an unfounded claim that immigrants were responsible for an 81% increase in murders in Springfield, as we’ve written.

Springfield has experienced an influx of immigrants who legally entered the country and moved to the city over the past few years. The city estimates about 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants now live in Ohio’s Clark County, where Springfield is located. Of that group, an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 are Haitian, according to the county’s health commissioner, CNN reported.

But the political discourse has prompted accounts on social media to espouse conspiracies to explain the immigration influx. 

The conservative podcast Chicks on the Right posted a screenshot from a Sept. 12 post on X by former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros. Without providing any evidence, Tantaros claimed, “The Mayor of Springfield, OH has made multiple trips to Haiti. He, and the entire City Council, received financial kick-backs for importing $20,000+ illegal aliens. Its why they ignore the pleas of residents. Nationwide, politicians are profiting from mass illegal migration.”

The Chicks on the Right Instagram post received more than 28,000 likes.

Neither Chicks on the Right nor Andrea Tantaros responded to our requests for information to support their claims.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue told us in an emailed statement: “I have never been to Haiti and I have never received financial ‘kick backs’ or even [been] involved with the transportation of immigrants into our city or even the US.”

Asked in a phone interview if he or the city of Springfield ever received any funding, grants or money related to bringing new Haitian residents to the city, Rue said: “No, absolutely not.”

Rue told us he spoke earlier this year with Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio about the need for federal funding that would allow the city to “reinforce” its infrastructure due to “a rapid increase” of its population. The mayor said the city is seeking additional support for its hospitals, school system, public safety forces, and infrastructure to accommodate the new residents, including additional translation support. 

Rue said the city was not looking for a “bailout” or a per-resident fee when it asked for help. “We just need to be able to communicate with the individuals who are here and for the infrastructure,” he said.

After Springfield was thrust into the national spotlight by Trump and Vance, the city also asked Turner and other federal officials for additional funding to pay for increased security and police overtime to secure its schools, Rue told us. The false claims about the Haitian immigrants sparked a series of bomb threats that led to evacuations and the closing of city schools.

Rue said as a part-time mayor — who earns $14,680 annually — he does not have the ability to influence whether immigrants should move to the city, or even keep track of who’s coming. “No local government has that kind of control. That’s not how it works,” he said. 

On its website, the city says, “No government entity is responsible for the influx of Haitians into Clark County. Once a person with Temporary Protected Status enters the country, they are free to locate wherever they choose.”

Only Congress is authorized to write laws affecting immigration, and the president has broad legal authority to control how immigration laws are enforced. Federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of State, and Citizenship and Immigration Services have the authority to enforce immigration laws, or permit immigrants or foreign visitors to live and work in the U.S.

Rue hasn’t received any campaign contributions since 2021, when he ran for reelection to the city commission and received 13 donations, ranging between $50 and $500 each, totaling $2,750, mostly from Springfield residents, according to his campaign filings with the Clark County Board of Elections. 

Rue said as far as he’s aware, no one from the city manager’s office or the city commission – which is similar to a city council — has been to Haiti either.

Bridget Houston, a city commissioner, told us in an emailed statement responding to the social media claims: “Mayor Rue has never been to Haiti. Additionally, none of us ever have, or are currently receiving any financial kickbacks.”

“There has been no ‘importing’ immigrants as well — we are a city and cannot control our physical border and cannot control who lives or visits here. In fact, our Federal allocated dollars have gone down year over year. Most of the Haitians living in Springfield do have Federal documents as well that allow them to be here. Last, I will add that we are also required by the State of Ohio to undergo fraud training every year, and have to disclose all investments to the State of Ohio as well,” Houston said.

Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.

Sources

Astor, Maggie. “Trump Doubles Down on Migrants ‘Poisoning’ the Country.” New York Times. 17 Mar 2024.

Brewster, Shaquille, Peter Shaw and Daniella Silva. “Springfield children ‘fearful’ amid dozens of bomb threats after false migrant rumors.” NBC News. 19 Sep 2024.

Catalini, Mike, Julie Carr Smyth and Bruce Shipkowski. “Trump falsely accuses immigrants in Ohio of abducting and eating pets.” Associated Press. 11 Sep 2024.

City of Springfield. “Immigration FAQs.” Accessed 30 Sep 2024.

Clark County Board of Elections. “Campaign Finance Committee Information.” Accessed: 27 Sep 2024.

Forrest, Vicky. “Springfield mayor: Investigation into businesses, immigration continues.” Springfield News Sun. 12 Jul 2024.

Houston, Bridget. City commissioner, Springfield, Ohio. Email to FactCheck.org. 30 Sep 2024. 

Kiely, Eugene, et al. “FactChecking the Harris-Trump Debate.” FactCheck.org. 11 Sep 2024.

Kiely, Eugene. “Vance’s Misleading Claim About Immigrants and Murders in Springfield, Ohio.” FactCheck.org. 20 Sep 2024. 

National Immigration Law Center. “The President’s Broad Legal Authority to Act on Immigration.” 20 Aug 2014.

Rue, Rob. Mayor, Springfield, Ohio. Email and phone interview with FactCheck.org. 27 Sep 2024.

Shoichet, Catherine E. “‘Why Springfield?’ How a small Ohio city became home for thousands of Haitians.” CNN. 19 Sep 2024.

Thomas, Merlyn and Mike Wendling. “Trump repeats baseless claim about Haitian immigrants eating pets.” BBC. 15 Sep 2024.

The post Unfounded Claims Target Springfield Officials, Haitian Immigrants appeared first on FactCheck.org.

A court filing offers insight into his thinking and makes it hard to see him accepting another loss.

The rock star has long aligned himself with Democrats and been critical of former President Donald J. Trump.

HOCHUL MANAGES: As Mayor Eric Adams fights a five-count federal indictment on fraud and bribery charges, it’s been left to Gov. Kathy Hochul to manage the delicate moment.

Hochul has publicly and privately telegraphed to Adams that he should sever ties to people in his administration who are under legal scrutiny.

This week Tim Pearson, a top Adams lieutenant, resigned. Schools Chancellor David Banks, whose phone was seized in an FBI raid in September, is leaving his job earlier than expected.

Adams told reporters this morning that Banks’ new departure date was, in part, to put incoming Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos on solid footing. But he also acknowledged those discussions came after speaking with fellow leaders.

“One of the things my team stated and in my conversation with other leaders is that this is a time of real stability and to have Melissa and David there at the same time didn’t bring the stability that we wanted,” he said.

Hochul has had a strong public relationship with Adams over the last three years. Both the governor and mayor have cultivated the perception they work well together as a stark contrast to the infamous feuds that enveloped their predecessors — like Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio, George Pataki and Rudy Giuliani, and Mario Cuomo and Ed Koch.

But Hochul, who holds the power to remove Adams from office, has not been afraid to leverage her influence amid the broader concerns over city governance.

Hochul told reporters Wednesday she’s been working with Adams to ensure key jobs are filled by “responsible” people.

“We expect changes. That's not a secret,” she said. “And changes are beginning.”

Hochul, the first western New York native in a century to hold the governor’s office, has become more steeped in New York’s political world since becoming a statewide official in 2015, according to those who know her.

“She’s very focused on the whole state at this point,” said Jack O’Donnell, a political consultant and lobbyist. “New York City was a huge focus of her housing plan. She’s learned how to navigate the politics but also the governance issues of the city.”

Some good-government advocates wish she would go further.

“She’s not cleaning house, she’s saying you should sweep your stoop every now and then,” said Reinvent Albany Executive Director John Kaehny. “This is not very aggressive.” — Nick Reisman

GIBBS DETAINED: State Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs was arrested and taken into custody by the New York City Police Department on Thursday in his East Harlem district, according to witnesses, POLITICO reports.

Two people who spoke with sources within the NYPD said Gibbs’ brother was pulled over for having an unregistered vehicle. The lawmaker was in the car too and got into a heated conversation with the cops, who arrested him and gave him a summons.

Nearly a dozen police cars responded to the incident on Lexington Avenue, just outside the James Weldon Johnson Community Center, said Frederick Thomas, a security guard with the New York City Housing Authority. Cops from the Strategic Response Group patted down Gibbs, put him in handcuffs and drove him away from the scene.

Three other eyewitnesses confirmed Gibbs’ arrest to POLITICO. It was first reported by the New York Post.

Calls to Gibbs’ phone and his office were not returned, and the NYPD press office said they did not have any information on the incident. Gibbs’ district office was closed Thursday. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gibbs is a close legislative ally of Mayor Adams, whose administration has been caught up in criminal investigations. There was no indication Gibbs’ arrest is related. — Jeff Coltin

DON’T LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT HIM: Outgoing Schools Chancellor Banks revealed Thursday that Mayor Adams forced his early resignation — exposing a rift between the longtime friends as federal probes envelop the administration, POLITICO Pro reports.

In his first public remarks since City Hall announced Wednesday evening that he will resign in mid-October, three months earlier than he intended to, Banks confirmed he had no intentions of stepping down so soon.

With his monthslong conflict with the mayor now out in the open, the chancellor released a statement through the TASC Group, a public relations firm he retained, instead of through the Department of Education. In that statement, he said he will continue to lead for another two weeks.

“Last week, I announced my planned retirement, and I was ready, willing and able to stay in my post until December 31st to conduct a responsible transition for our staff,” Banks said. “The Mayor has decided to accelerate that timeline. My focus will be on supporting the incoming Chancellor as she assumes this new role and continues the great work that we have started at New York City Public Schools.”

Spokespeople for the DOE and City Hall did not respond to requests for comment on why Banks issued the statement through the firm.

When asked if he’s still Banks’ spokesperson, DOE press secretary Nathaniel Styer said, “I am the press secretary for New York City Public Schools.” — Madina Touré

ANOTHER INNER CIRCLER SEARCHED: Jesse Hamilton, a longtime political ally of Mayor Adams who has a top job managing the city government’s real estate portfolio, had his phone seized by criminal investigators Friday, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, POLITICO reports.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office took Hamilton’s phone at JFK Airport as he returned from a vacation to Japan alongside Adams’ chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin, according to the two people who spoke with POLITICO on the condition of anonymity.

Hamilton, a former state senator, is another addition to the growing list of high-ranking Adams appointees caught up in the criminal probes swirling around City Hall.

The seizure was first reported by the Daily News, which noted an employee of commercial real estate brokerage Cushman & Wakefield was also on the trip. That Cushman vice chair, Diana Boutross, also appears to have a relationship with Lewis-Martin, according to a POLITICO review. — Joe Anuta

IN OTHER NEWS

— LAWLER IN BLACKFACE: Rep. Mike Lawler wore blackface as part of a Halloween costume when he was a college student almost two decades ago, according to photos. (New York Times)

— NY-17 BALLOT FIGHT: Democratic allies of former Rep. Mondaire Jones filed a lawsuit in an 11th-hour bid to knock a “spoiler” Working Families Party candidate off the ballot. (New York Post)

— PRACTICING ‘RESPECTFUL’ SPEECH: As NYC college campuses brace for protests marking the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, administrators are hosting events modeling “respectful, open dialogue.” (Gothamist)

Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.

Florida’s governor plans to sign an executive order giving election officials in 13 counties greater flexibility in administering early and absentee voting.

Donald Trump is the only defendant in the special counsel’s case that charges him with a plot to remain in power after his 2020 loss. But a newly unsealed brief provides fresh details about many other figures.

The ruling by a judge in Georgia could be just a temporary reprieve for the plan, which still faces legal challenges in another state.