Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski seemed to encourage his friends and supporters to write down the addresses of people with Democratic yard signs, sparking accusations of voter intimidation.
In identical posts to his personal and public Facebook accounts on Sept. 13, Zuchowski wrote what he claims to tell people who ask him what will happen if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the presidential election. Using dehumanizing language, he says he tells them to record the addresses of people with Harris yard signs in order to house immigrants with them.
“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! 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!” the posts stated, along with accompanying pictures of a television tuned to Fox News.
In the comments under the post on his personal Facebook page, one supporter replied with the name and street of someone with a Harris sign. “I’ll add that name to the list,” another replied. Someone else commented, “Making a list and checking it twice.”
As of Sept. 15, that post had hundreds of reactions and over 100 shares.
Zuchowski faces a Democratic challenger to his re-election bid in November. He did not reply to questions emailed to him on Sept. 14.
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The reaction from residents and Portage County officials was intense over the weekend, with people saying they have filed complaints to state and federal agencies, members of Congress and the ACLU. Others are reconsidering putting political signs in their yards, they said.
The most high-profile denunciation came on Sept. 15, when Portage County Commissioner Tony Badalamenti criticized the sheriff’s post and announced his resignation from the county’s Republican Central Committee.
“This is not the leadership I want to be part of,” he said in a video posted to Facebook.
Badalamenti had previously clashed with Zuchowski over the sheriff’s requests for larger and larger budget allocations. Badalamenti had previously supported additional funding but later said the county could no longer afford to meet Zuchowski’s requests.
This refusal helped precipitate a rift in the Portage County Republican Party that led Zuchowski to endorse primary challengers for Badalamenti’s and Commissioner Sabrina Christian-Bennett’s commission seats. Badalamenti lost his primary race to the Zuchowski-backed candidate.
Badalamenti could not be reached for comment, but in the video he seemed to suggest the sheriff’s Facebook post was the last straw.
“[Zuchowski] posted that we should all copy down the addresses of the people that display political signs which are different from our beliefs,” Badalamenti said. “It scares people. It’s called bullying, from the highest law enforcement official in Portage County.”
Portage County residents who contacted The Portager said they were surprised and fearful.
“I have a sign in my yard. Our sheriff is asking MAGA to write down our addresses. This is not normal and it is scary,” one person said.
Another expressed concern for her parents: “My parents are elderly and have been very politically active Democrats. I am afraid for them now. I don’t want to scare them or suggest they take down their signs, but I am sick to my stomach with worry.”
Others drew parallels between Zuchowski’s reference to people as “locusts” and racist rhetoric that took place during genocides in Germany and Rwanda.
“The Portage County NAACP was very disappointed to see the divisive post from our elected sheriff,” the organization said in a statement. “We believe that law enforcement and elected officials both have a duty to ensure public safety for all citizens. Encouraging people to keep addresses, presumably so they can later be targeted, is counter to bringing all of us together to better our community. We encourage all citizens to vote their values in November.”
Portage County Democratic Party Chair Denise Smith also encouraged voters to respond to the sheriff’s comments at the polls.
“Any elected official is free to put whatever they want on their personal Facebook page,” she said. “Anything that someone believes is intimidation, the way to counter that is to vote against that in November, and the 109,000 registered voters should fire any elected official that tries to intimidate them.”
Smith said the Portage County Democrats have distributed around 750 Harris yard signs and that residents had been calling her on Saturday. Several told her they were reporting the sheriff’s comments to the attorney general, she said.
It’s unclear whether the post crosses any legal lines. Portage County Prosecutor Vic Vigluicci could not be reached for comment. Smith, a lawyer, declined to offer a legal analysis but said, “I would be intimidated if he said it to me.”
After backlash from the community, Zuchowski responded in another Facebook post saying his recent post “may have been a little misinterpreted.”
“If the citizens of Portage County want to elect an individual who has supported open borders […] and neglected to enforce the laws of our country then that is their prerogative, Zuchowski posted Tuesday evening. “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!”
Jon Barber, the Democratic candidate for sheriff, said the episode illustrates the difference between the two men. He said he found the racist language “appalling” and that, in any case, undocumented migration is not a major issue in Portage County.
“I think we can agree that people who are fleeing their home countries and are willing to come across a treacherous plain and unbearable conditions are doing it to seek a better life for their children,” he said. “The sheriff and the former president think they’re all criminals. And I have a hard time seeing that.”
He said he has talked to residents over the weekend who were concerned about putting out signs.
“He ordered his supporters to write down addresses and make a list so that they can pass those on to potential criminals,” Barber said. “I certainly feel that this is voter intimidation.”
“I encourage everybody to ensure you’re registered to vote and that your registration is good,” Barber said.
The Portage County ACLU of Ohio Action Team provided information about how to report voter intimidation.
“Sheriffs are elected officials who have a duty to serve ALL members of the community. They are sworn to protect the public from intimidation and oppression. For the sitting sheriff of Portage County to be engaging in this type of behavior he’s meant to combat is despicable. Putting out a political sign is most decidedly protected core First Amendment speech,” they said in a statement. “Voter intimidation is illegal. If you are experiencing voter intimidation please contact the Voter Hotline 1-866-OUR-Vote.”
This article was updated with comments from the ACLU and from Bruce Zuchowski.
Ben Wolford is the editor and publisher of The Portager.
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