US Republican Explains Controversial 'cat bounty'
A $5,000 reward aimed at uncovering evidence of Haitians consuming pets in Springfield, Ohio, has been revised to deter the potential consumption of cats for financial gain. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Activist Chris Rufo has offered a $5,000 reward to verify claims that Haitians in an Ohio town were consuming pets.
Over the past four years, about 20,000 Haitian migrants have resettled in Springfield, a city with a population of under 60,000 located between Dayton and Columbus.
During a recent U.S. presidential debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump referenced rumors about missing pets, suggesting that migrants were responsible for their disappearance. Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, also claimed that Ohio residents “have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country,” pointing to reports his office 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 stated on Wednesday evening via 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.
However, Rufo's well-intentioned initiative had a significant flaw that became apparent quickly: many responses involved individuals humorously or seriously suggesting they would eat a cat in Springfield to claim the bounty.
“I'm off to Springfield, Ohio with my cat and a large pot. Five grand is five grand,” one user wrote. Another asked, “Does it count if we pay the Haitian migrants to eat the cat?” This realization led one U.S. lawyer to describe Rufo's wording as creating a “tremendous arbitrage opportunity.”
In just 30 minutes, Rufo modified the terms of his bounty, stipulating that evidence “must be an incident that occurred prior to the presidential debate! No eating cats, people!”
So far, no one has emerged with the evidence required to qualify for Rufo’s bounty, although one respondent attempted to make a logical case for the claims without actual documentation.
“Ok, 1) Haitians eat cats and will tell you so themselves, 2) 20,000 Haitians were placed in Springfield, Ohio. Therefore, Haitians are eating cats in Springfield, Ohio,” argued a YouTuber known as 'hoe math'. “The burden is now on you to prove that 20,000 people from a cat-eating culture suddenly magically stopped eating cats when placed on the magic dirt of the USA.”
Reports about Haitians supposedly eating wild birds and the disappearance of household pets have given rise to numerous political memes, including images of Trump rescuing kittens and goslings from a cooking pot. In contrast, Democrats have denounced these claims as “fake news” and asserted that such accusations stem from racism.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Over the past four years, about 20,000 Haitian migrants have resettled in Springfield, a city with a population of under 60,000 located between Dayton and Columbus.
During a recent U.S. presidential debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump referenced rumors about missing pets, suggesting that migrants were responsible for their disappearance. Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, also claimed that Ohio residents “have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country,” pointing to reports his office 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 stated on Wednesday evening via 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.
However, Rufo's well-intentioned initiative had a significant flaw that became apparent quickly: many responses involved individuals humorously or seriously suggesting they would eat a cat in Springfield to claim the bounty.
“I'm off to Springfield, Ohio with my cat and a large pot. Five grand is five grand,” one user wrote. Another asked, “Does it count if we pay the Haitian migrants to eat the cat?” This realization led one U.S. lawyer to describe Rufo's wording as creating a “tremendous arbitrage opportunity.”
In just 30 minutes, Rufo modified the terms of his bounty, stipulating that evidence “must be an incident that occurred prior to the presidential debate! No eating cats, people!”
So far, no one has emerged with the evidence required to qualify for Rufo’s bounty, although one respondent attempted to make a logical case for the claims without actual documentation.
“Ok, 1) Haitians eat cats and will tell you so themselves, 2) 20,000 Haitians were placed in Springfield, Ohio. Therefore, Haitians are eating cats in Springfield, Ohio,” argued a YouTuber known as 'hoe math'. “The burden is now on you to prove that 20,000 people from a cat-eating culture suddenly magically stopped eating cats when placed on the magic dirt of the USA.”
Reports about Haitians supposedly eating wild birds and the disappearance of household pets have given rise to numerous political memes, including images of Trump rescuing kittens and goslings from a cooking pot. In contrast, Democrats have denounced these claims as “fake news” and asserted that such accusations stem from racism.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
