Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Mollie Tibbetts' Father Decries Using Her as Political 'Pawn'
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
September 4, 2018

Share

BROOKLYN, Iowa — The father of slain Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts in an opinion piece spoke out against using his daughter’s death in support of “views she believed were profoundly racist,” a call that comes after President Donald Trump and others seized on the suspected killer’s immigration status to argue for changes in U.S. immigration laws.

“Do not appropriate Mollie’s soul in advancing views she believed were profoundly racist.” — Rob Tibbetts, father of Mollie Tibbets
Authorities have said the University of Iowa student was abducted while she was out for an evening run in Brooklyn, Iowa, on July 18. The man charged in her death, 24-year-old Cristhian Bahena Rivera, a Mexican farmworker who is suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. Trump and other politicians quickly noted that element of the case and called for changes to immigration law .
Rob Tibbetts, who lives in Fresno, wrote in the opinion piece published online by The Des Moines Register on Saturday that while he supports debate on immigration, some politicians and pundits went too far in using his daughter’s death to promote political agendas. He said his stepdaughter is Latina and argued that the suspected killer “is no more a reflection of the Hispanic community as white supremacists are of all white people.”
“Do not appropriate Mollie’s soul in advancing views she believed were profoundly racist,” he wrote. “The act grievously extends the crime that stole Mollie from our family and is, to quote Donald Trump Jr., ‘heartless’ and ‘despicable.’ ”

Trump Jr. Criticizes the Media

The quote comes from a Friday opinion piece by Trump Jr. that criticized the media and Democrats for not playing up the suspect’s immigration status.

“Despite what some Democrats may wish in the depths of their hearts, Mollie was murdered by an illegal alien and her murder would never have happened if we policed our southern border properly.”Donald Trump Jr.
“Despite what some Democrats may wish in the depths of their hearts, Mollie was murdered by an illegal alien and her murder would never have happened if we policed our southern border properly,” the president’s son wrote.
Recorded phone calls citing Mollie Tibbetts’ death in a push for white supremacist views began Tuesday, just days after her funeral. The robocalls cited comments Rob Tibbetts made in defense of Latinos during her funeral.
The calls question whether his daughter would feel the same if she were still alive and describe Rivera as “an invader from Mexico.”
Rob Tibbetts wrote in his opinion piece that his daughter was “nobody’s victim. Nor is she a pawn in others’ debate.”
“She may not be able to speak for herself, but I can and will,” he went on to say. “Please leave us out of your debate. Allow us to grieve in privacy and with dignity. At long last, show some decency. On behalf of my family and Mollie’s memory, I’m imploring you to stop.”

DON'T MISS

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

DON'T MISS

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

DON'T MISS

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

DON'T MISS

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

DON'T MISS

US Says It Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers After Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza

DON'T MISS

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

DON'T MISS

Tulare Gang Member Gets Life Without Parole for 2022 Murders

DON'T MISS

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

DON'T MISS

Gov. Newsom Said No, but California Voters Overwhelmingly Said Yes

UP NEXT

Chris Wallace Is Leaving CNN, Eager to Explore New Media Landscape

UP NEXT

US Regulators Investigating Whether Engines on 1.4 Million Hondas Might Fail

UP NEXT

When to Catch the Last Supermoon of the Year

UP NEXT

Mattel Says It ‘Deeply’ Regrets Misprint on ‘Wicked’ Dolls Packaging That Links to Porn Site

UP NEXT

Trump to Target Iran’s Oil Trade in Renewed ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign

UP NEXT

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

UP NEXT

FBI Thwarts Iranian Murder-for-Hire Plan Targeting Donald Trump

UP NEXT

Wave of Racist Texts After Election Prompts FBI Scrutiny

UP NEXT

Americans Seek Fresh Start Abroad as Election Sparks Expat Interest

UP NEXT

Trump Promises to Bring Lasting Peace to a Tumultuous Middle East. But Fixing It Won’t Be Easy

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

23 mins ago

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

35 mins ago

US Says It Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers After Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza

42 mins ago

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

2 hours ago

Tulare Gang Member Gets Life Without Parole for 2022 Murders

3 hours ago

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

3 hours ago

Gov. Newsom Said No, but California Voters Overwhelmingly Said Yes

4 hours ago

Mike Tyson-Jake Paul: How to Watch the Fight, Time, Odds

4 hours ago

Travel in the West Bank Is a Tale of Two Journeys

5 hours ago

Chris Wallace Is Leaving CNN, Eager to Explore New Media Landscape

5 hours ago

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – Waymo on Tuesday opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles, marking another milestone in...

3 mins ago

4 mins ago

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

A Fresno County man has been indicted on mail fraud charges for allegedly submitting over $300,000 in falsified disability claims using stolen identities. (GV Wire File)
16 mins ago

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

Pete Hegseth walks to an elevator for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 15, 2016. (AP File)
20 mins ago

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

23 mins ago

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

35 mins ago

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

42 mins ago

US Says It Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers After Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza

Photo of David Bernhardt
2 hours ago

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

Nathaniel Lujano, 23, of Tulare, a known gang member was sentenced to life without parole for two 2022 murders, committed to benefit a criminal street gang. (Tulare County DA)
3 hours ago

Tulare Gang Member Gets Life Without Parole for 2022 Murders

Search

Send this to a friend