RAVENNA, Ohio — Voters in Portage County, Ohio, are worried about putting up political signs in their yards thanks to the county sheriff's Facebook post that many are deeming intimidating and racist. The law enforcement official wrote that citizens should write down the addresses of Kamala Harris supporters so they can take in immigrants — or as he said, “human locusts.”
About 50 days ahead of the presidential election, many residents in the Northeast Ohio county, an area that went from supporting former President Barack Obama to former President Donald Trump, are concerned about a social media post from Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski.
"Why would I want to put something in my yard to be targeted for," Ravenna resident David Lendvay told me Monday.
Lendvay said he won’t be putting up his Kamala Harris for president sign anymore — neither is Sheila Longmire.
"He's on Facebook saying that he wants to know the address of everybody that's supporting her," Longmire said. "That's crazy."
They both say that their county sheriff is trying to intimidate them.
Late on Sept. 13, Zuchowski posted on both his personal and professional Facebook pages.
“When people ask me...What's gonna happen if the Flip - Flopping, Laughing Hyena Wins?? I say...write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards!” he wrote.
This is disturbing to Lendvay.
"I should be able to vote for who I want to vote for without my safety being violated," he said.
Zuchowski, a Republican running for reelection, continued his viral post with “Sooo...when the Illegal human "Locust" (which she supports!) Need places to live...We'll already have the addresses of the their New families...who supported their arrival!”
This language is terrifying for Longmire, a Black woman.
"Do I have to be in fear of my life because I'm talking with you guys?" she said to me and my photojournalist. "It's crazy because I'm a different color."
We reached out to Zuchowski and the sheriff’s office but haven’t heard back. County GOP Chairperson Amanda Suffecool sat down with us to defend his perspective.
"If he'd have been just boring, no one would be talking about this, so this puts it front and center," Suffecool said. "Is illegal immigration, illegal? And do people within the county, within the state, care about it? And indeed they do."
She brought up the situation in Springfield, Ohio, as an example of getting attention. The city has been facing chaos since right-wing activists and Trump and VP candidate JD Vance have falsely shared that Haitian immigrants in the town are eating cats and dogs.
"We are seeing the news say 'It's not an issue, it's a nonissue,'" she added. "There's a lot of people who are saying, 'How did they even know to fact-check it before it was brought up,'" she said.
Vance was asked by CNN if he knew the claims that Haitian immigrants were eating pets were false.
“If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Vance said, then clarifying that he was 'creating the American media focusing on it.'
She agreed with JD Vance's rhetoric that bringing attention through an extreme post can help a larger cause.
"Anything that goes out into the light of day and gets talked about is good for us," the GOP chair said. "It's good for our politics. It is good for our citizens to discuss things and understand where everybody stands."
Gov. Mike DeWine and the mayor of Springfield have continued to explain that the individuals from Haiti are there legally. Despite this, the city has faced disorder — bomb threats, unwarranted national scrutiny and false allegations.
I asked Suffecool specifically about the remarks on the VP and immigrants, ones that dozens of viewers wrote to us to say are racist.
"He called her a laughing hyena, so there's no racist statement in that," she said. "We've always had caricatures in politics."
That is racist in itself, Ravenna residents told us.
Still, Suffecool said this wasn’t voter intimidation — just a way to start a conversation.
"Is this something that you should be fearful of? No," she added. "He took artistic license, got some attention."
Local officials on each side of the aisle are upset about this and Suffecool’s response.
According to Tony Badalamenti, a Republican county commissioner, there is nothing they can do to hold Zuchowski accountable for spreading fear throughout the county.
"We have no authority," Badalamenti said. "No commissioner has any authority over any other elected official."
Attorney General Dave Yost is the only person able to make a change when a sheriff violates the law or needs to be "held accountable," he said. We reached out to the AG's office but did not hear back.
However, Badalamenti told us he was making a personal decision. He has resigned from his role on the GOP Central Committee — a position he worked at with Zuchowski.
"When somebody said something that was just said on Facebook, for everybody to be proud to see, that's very disturbing," he said. "This is the last straw — that I just decided that I would walk away."
Badalementi, Longmire and Lendvay are now going to vote for the Democrat running against Zuchowski — former Stark County Sgt. Jon Barber.
We met Barber outside his home in Kent, Ohio. Along with his own sign, he had up a Harris/Walz sign. His Back the Blue flag hung from his home.
"The temperature right now in politics, both on a national level and local level, is pretty hot — and I just really think as an elected official, our job is to bring that temperature down," Barber said. "It's really about telling people, 'Look, you have a right to have opinions, but they need to be done respectfully and not threateningly.'"
It should also be done in a way that doesn't violate their privacy, too, Lendvay said.
"The main concern should be the safety of the residents of this county, not publicly attacking them for who they vote for," the resident added.
A day after our report aired, Yost's office gave us a statement.
"The AG's office does not have the direct authority to make a change in an elected officer. If they are charged with a felony, then our office can seek suspension through the Ohio Supreme Court. Under Ohio law, only the electors or the Governor can seek removal of a sheriff or prosecutor and only for the reasons set out in state law," spokesperson Bethany McCorkle said.
We had reached out to DeWine's office on Monday, but his team said they would not have a statement, as they have been constantly dealing with Springfield.
While Zuchowski didn't respond to us over the weekend or Monday, he did post on Facebook late afternoon Tuesday:
"As the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Portage County, I have sworn to protect ALL citizens of my County. Recently, I placed a post on my personal facebook page that may have been a little misinterpreted??
I...as the elected sheriff, do have a first amendment right as do all citizens. If the citizens of Portage County want to elect an individual who has supported open borders (which I've personally visited Twice!) and neglected to enforce the laws of our Country...then that is their prerogative. With elections, there are consequences. That being said...I believe that those who vote for individuals with liberal policies have to accept responsibility for their actions! I am a Law Man...Not a Politician!
I would also like to Thank...The Overwhelming Support I am receiving from many people in Portage County who are afraid or are Not allowed to agree with me publicly! Stay Strong and God Bless!!"
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
