On Tuesday night, panelists on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip” blasted Republican strategist Scott Jennings for suggesting that the bomb threat targeting Springfield, Ohio, was a foreign hoax.
Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said at a press conference Monday that he was sending Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers to defuse bombs at Springfield schools, and that most of the threats had come from undisclosed foreign countries. Panelist Kara Swisher said Jennings Condemned He accused former President Donald Trump and Republican Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio of making threats. (RELATED: 'Co-opting racist tropes': CNN panelist claims saying Springfield is 'occupied' by Haitians 'dehumanizes' immigrants)
“I believe there are foreign actors trying to sow discord. And there are foreign actors. And this weekend, everyone tried to pin the blame for the Springfield prank on Trump and Vance, and now the governor of Ohio is saying this was perpetrated by foreign actors, and I absolutely agree,” Jennings said after Swisher raised allegations of foreign interference in November's presidential election.
“No, no, actually, you just twisted something,” Swisher replied, cutting Jennings off.
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The city of Springfield has struggled to cope with an influx of at least 20,000 Haitian immigrants, and residents interviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation say the immigrants are contributing to an increase in traffic accidents and rising home prices. The DCNF could not corroborate reports that Haitian immigrants have stolen and eaten pets.
“What did I misrepresent? Didn't the governor of Ohio say that?” Jennings asked, with Swisher arguing that DeWine “is not an expert on foreign influence.”
“He's a public safety expert for the state,” Jennings retorted, before Swisher claimed Vance had admitted to fabricating the controversy over pet theft by Haitian immigrants.
Host Abby Phillips also weighed in on the exchange.
“What's going on in Springfield, Ohio, is not determined by where these calls are coming from,” CNN host Phillips argued. (RELATED: DCNF reporter says Trump cat meme blew up in Democrats' faces, forcing media to cover Harris' role in border crisis)
Swisher continued to grill Jennings about the bomb threats, despite being interrupted by panelist Ashley Allison.
“If J.D. Vance hadn't made up the rumor about Haitian immigrants eating cats, would people have known where Springfield, Ohio was?” Allison asked. Jennings replied that they would have known.
Phillips maintained the bomb threats were not phoned in from overseas and that Trump and Vance were still responsible.
“They wouldn't do that if it wasn't a lie,” Philip argued.
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