A sheriff in Ohio called out celebrities who recently threatened to move out of the United States if President Donald Trump wins reelection.
“It’s that time of year again,” Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones posted on his office’s official Facebook page. “Celebrities threatening to leave the United States if the President is re-elected. This happened in 2016 and it is believed not one celebrity left then and it appears the same threats are being made this election year.”
Written to mimic an official press release, the statement began with the words “My Offer Still Stands.”
The statement then offered to put money toward a one-way ticket “for any celebrity that would like to leave the country this time around if President Trump is re-elected.”
“Hell, I’ll even help them pack,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Sheriff Jones has made a statement that attracted national attention. In September, Jones warned people who “abuse police” that he would return fire.
“If you shoot at the police, expect us to shoot back,” Jones said.
Jones continued his warning by pointing out skyrocketing gun sales, noting that the people in his community have guns and “they know how to use them.”
“I won’t tolerate it, period,” Jones said. “I will not allow my deputies or any law enforcement officer in Butler County to take the abuse I have seen over the past several months. If you come to this county expecting a free pass to harm one of my men or women in uniform keep in mind, nothing in life is free.”
Jones specifically referenced reports of police being struck with frozen water bottles and lasers, water being dumped on officers in New York City and Portland, and nationwide shootings of police.
“It’s come to a point in the country where I felt like I need to speak. If you’re a police chief, if you’re a sheriff, if you’re running any law enforcement organization… we need to stand up. It’s time,” Sheriff Jones said in a Facebook live video. “If we don’t stand up for our country… if we don’t stand up for our police officers who are being shot at daily… being killed and being attacked what happens in these other states, in California, Portland, New York Cit… it will come to your neighborhood. Make no mistake about it, what happens in these places travels and will come to your neighborhood.”
Earlier this summer, the outspoken sheriff made headlines again when he swore not to enforce Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s state mask mandate.
“I’m not going to be the mask police,” Jones told CNN. “I’m telling people don’t call 911. All the police have been decimated as far as being laid off, having budgets cut … and I am not going to enforce the mask wearing.”
