Bernie Moreno threatens to pull Cincinnati federal funding if city doesn’t create civil rights plan – Washington Examiner
Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) has threatened to withhold Cincinnati’s federal funding unless the city’s leaders develop a civil rights plan within one month, following a widely publicized brawl. Moreno criticized the city’s handling of the incident, highlighting issues such as a shortage of police officers adn what he described as inadequate leadership from city officials. The alleged attackers have been criminally charged, though no hate crime charges have been filed, and it remains unclear if race was a factor. Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, affirmed that federal law enforcement is actively addressing the situation to ensure justice. Hamilton County, where Cincinnati is located, has received $346 million in federal funds over the past five years, which support various public services that could be at risk if funding is suspended.
Bernie Moreno threatens to pull Cincinnati federal funding if city doesn’t create civil rights plan
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) said he will give Cincinnati’s leaders one month to come up with a civil rights plan after a brawl that captivated the nation, or he will call to revoke the city’s federal funding.
The senator’s demand comes as questions swirl around the city’s response to the fight, though its alleged perpetrators have been criminally charged.
“I’m gonna call on all federal agencies to review the funding that we provide Cincinnati, and I’m giving the leaders of Cincinnati one month to come up with a plan to protect the civil rights of their citizens,” Moreno told Fox News. “And if they don’t do it, I’m gonna ask these agencies to suspend all federal funding.”
“We’re not gonna put up with this,” he added. “They’re down 200 police officers. The police chief blames social media. The city councilperson blamed the victim. The mayor went to a misfit mayors’ conference and then took a vacation to Canada, and hasn’t been back in town since then. This is a total travesty. I’m not gonna put up with it. Ohio deserves better, and Cincinnati certainly does too.”
Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice, said in a post on X earlier this week that “EVERY American is entitled to the equal protection of our laws. Federal law enforcement is on it and we will ensure that justice is done.”
She previously said that “federal hate crimes laws apply to ALL Americans.”
It’s unclear whether race was a motivation in the attack, but no one has been charged with a race-related crime. In a video of the brawl, a group of black people is seen beating a white couple.
An attorney for one of the alleged perpetrators has claimed that one of the victims started the fight.
“That’s when — and this clip does exist on social media, it doesn’t paint the whole picture — this white individual reaches over, says ‘that’s your car?’ and slaps my client in the face,” said Brandon Fox, the attorney for the alleged perpetrator, 39-year-old Jermaine Matthews. “That person threw the first punch.”
CINCINNATI COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE SAID VICTIMS IN BRAWL ‘BEGGED FOR THAT BEATDOWN’
Hamilton County, where the city is located, has received $346 million in federal funding over the last five years.
If federal officials pull funding from Cincinnati, services such as addiction response programs, SNAP food assistance, and several Hamilton County Public Health Department services could be threatened.
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