State and National Mayors’ Organizations Gather in Springfield to Offer Support for City and Its Mayor, Pledge Cooperation in Wake of False Claims and Threats of Violence
September 16, 2024
President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Second Vice-President of National League of Cities, and Representatives from the Ohio Mayors Alliance meet with Springfield Officials
Springfield, Ohio – Representatives of bipartisan national and state associations gathered in Springfield today to meet with Mayor Rob Rue and other local officials to offer assistance and support. The meeting was convened following a wave of bomb threats in Springfield, brought on by false and inflammatory statements amplified by national political figures, partisan actors, and extremist groups.
“There are legitimate challenges confronting communities in Ohio and across the country, and our leaders can either be part of the solution or part of the problem,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, President of the United States Conference of Mayors. “Mayors put our cities before politics, and I commend Mayor Rue for his sober, focused leadership. Cities like Springfield need cooperation at all levels of government, and we will continue to work with state and federal officials to keep all our residents safe, healthy, and housed. Mayors across America will continue to stand by Springfield and all cities working to responsibly address an increased number of migrants, which we can do without losing sight of our shared humanity.”
“We met with Mayor Rue today to offer our support, learn more about the situation here in Springfield, and better understand what other help we can provide to this community and others dealing with similar challenges,” said Athens Mayor Steve Patterson, Second Vice-President of the National League of Cities. “No matter the circumstances, terrorizing a community with bomb threats or false and inflammatory rhetoric has no place here or anywhere else. We will do whatever we can to support the mayor and this community.”
“I want to express my gratitude for all of the Ohio mayors who attended our gathering today. We appreciate the support and solidarity of our fellow Ohio cities,” said Springfield Mayor Rob Rue.
In addition to the mayors of Columbus and Athens, other mayors who joined today’s meeting included Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr., Dublin Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik, and Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. Former Ohio Governor Bob Taft also attended the discussion in his capacity as a board member of the Ohio Mayors Alliance Foundation. The Ohio Mayors Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of mayors in Ohio’s 31 largest cities. Springfield has been a member-community since the organization formed in 2016.
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The Ohio Mayors Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of mayors in Ohio’s 31 largest cities, and the Ohio Mayors Alliance Foundation provides non-partisan policy and research support to cities. For more information, visit OhioMayorsAlliance.org.
The United States Conference of Mayors is the official non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are over 1,400 such cities in the country today. Each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. For more information, please visit: usmayors.org.
The National League of Cities (NLC) is an organization comprised of city, town and village leaders that are focused on improving the quality of life for their current and future constituents. For more information, please visit: nlc.org.
Click here to download a PDF of this press statement.
