WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former President Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate JD Vance have continued to push baseless claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are stealing and eating pets, which city officials said has resulted in at least 33 bomb threats.

Yet some Ohio lawmakers are standing by Trump and Vance’s rhetoric or sidestepping questions about it.

After dozens of people had to be evacuated from Springfield schools, city buildings and even grocery stores this week, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, both Republicans, pleaded with their party’s national nominees to tone down their rhetoric.

“We’d like those on the national stage that can bring peace, that could tamper their words and speak truth. That’s what, where Springfield is asking,” Rue said at a press conference. “We need peace, we need help, not hate.”

But Vance denied his remarks, incited the threats.

“What is the argument? The argument is that because Donald Trump or because I or because a resident of Springfield called attention to the problems of this town, these bomb threats are now falling on residents,” Vance said. “The implication is, you’re not allowed to talk about these issues because a psychopath calls in a bomb threat.”

Several Trump allies in Congress, such as Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, continued to echo the incendiary rhetoric. Jordan wrote in a post on X,

“If millions and millions of illegal aliens continue to cross the southern border, your town will also become Springfield, Ohio.”

Some Ohio Democrats criticized that portrayal of the Haitian immigrant community.

“The idea that others are coming around and saying these horrible, racist things about Haitians is, are, one, it’s awful. But two, it’s reflective of just how broken their politics have become,” said Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio. “Ultimately, that the chaos and the extremism and the cruelty, the rhetoric has got to stop.”

“It is apparent to me that there are some odd things happening in the southwestern part of our state that are uncalled for and, that we need as Ohio, as Buckeyes, to wrap around our arms around peace, and law and order,” said Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who is facing a tough reelection race, has said his message to the people of Springfield was to “stop using Springfield for political gain.”

“The city is coming back from all the hits because presidents of both parties failed us on trade policy and lost jobs, and this sets them back and it sets them back as people are playing politics. And we’ve got to focus on getting help,” he said.

The office of Springfield’s own representative, Mike Turner, declined a request from Spectrum News to speak with Turner, a Republican, about the controversy.

His office instead pointed to Turner’s work over the summer to allocate more federal funds to support the influx of legal Haitian immigrants who have been settling in Springfield.

“America is a nation of immigrants, and Ohio has undoubtedly been enriched by those seeking the tremendous opportunities that our country has to offer, but Biden Administration’s policies incentivize migrants to locate in the United States rapidly and in large numbers,” Turner said in June. “The City of Springfield is strained with infrastructure, housing and schools all pushed to the limit.”

Editor's Note: Turner did address the controversy Thursday night on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” where he said the claim that Haitian migrants are eating neighbors’ pets was “not true,” and that the situation was the result of the Biden administration’s parole policy. Turner wrote in a post on X, “President Biden and Vice President Harris refused to step up to the plate and recognize the consequences of their actions, not only to the City of Springfield but also to the Haitian population.”