It started with a tragedy, gained momentum online with neo-Nazis and became Donald Trump's message from the presidential debate stage.
A Midwestern town grappling with the fallout from an influx of Haitian immigrants became a focal point for racist and xenophobic memes this week after Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), claimed Monday that in Springfield, Ohio, people "have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country."
The allegation, based on scattered social media posts drawing on photos and stories far from Springfield, unspooled over several days into a twisted and demagogued message that Trump amplified on the debate stage for tens of millions of viewers. The moment highlighted how the real issues facing American towns can turn almost instantly into politically fruitful - and potentially dangerous - campaign fodder, particularly when they involve race or migrants.
Bollinger Shipyard, a Lockport, La., based company, agreed to pay $1.02 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing the US Coast Guard for labor provided by wor...