Caseville Charter Cruise Ship Captain Faces Backlash Over Anti-Trump Post, Claims His 'Account Was Hacked'

Updated on July 18, 2024 at 03:25 IST

Tom Carriveau, a charter boat captain in Caseville, received negative comments on his Facebook account about an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. As a result, he lost several memberships and his job. Carriveau lost his job at Hagle Real Estate and was kicked out of the Caseville Area Chamber of Commerce despite his claims that his account had been hacked. The chamber stressed the need to prevent aggressive speech and keep the community safe.

The captain of the Caseville Explorer Cruise has been fired and criticized.

HIGHLIGHTS

Immediate reaction: Carriveau’s controversial Facebook comments, which came shortly after an assassination attempt on former President Trump, quickly received backlash and widespread distribution on social media.
Termination of Membership: The Caseville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Thumb Area Charter Captain Association terminated Carriveau’s membership, citing the negative impact his comments had on the community.
Job Loss : Carriveau was also fired from his position at Hagle Real Estate, with the company publicly distancing itself from his comments, despite his claims that his account had been compromised.

A charter boat captain from Caseville, Tom Carriveauhas faced serious repercussions for controversial comments posted on social media after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The comments appeared on Carriveau’s Facebook account, stating “Damn, bad shot. Would have done the world a favor” and “We should have watched his brains explode” shortly after Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania.

The comments quickly sparked a backlash on social media, with several sites posting screenshots of the remarks as well as Carriveau’s official Facebook page.

As a result, Carriveau lost his membership in the Caseville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Thumb Area Charter Captain Association. While he acknowledged that other chamber members were hurt by the criticism, chamber President Steve Louwers expressed regret over the decision. The chamber felt compelled to take action, even though Carriveau said he misplaced his phone and someone else wrote the messages.

“Unfortunately, we have taken the decision to terminate his membership,” Mr Louwers said. He also mentioned that people unhappy with these comments had even contacted the port.

The Caseville Area Chamber of Commerce released its decision in a statement. It said Carriveau’s actions were unbecoming of a chamber member and detrimental to the neighborhood. The statement emphasized the chamber’s commitment to fostering commerce and maintaining community safety. It made clear that, in all cases, it opposed aggressive speech.

In addition, Carriveau lost his job as a real estate agent at Hagle Real Estate in Bad Axe. On Facebook, the company released a statement announcing Carriveau’s dismissal and distancing itself from the comments made.

Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson confirmed that after the incident, Carriveau and his wife sought advice on technical assistance. A deputy had contacted a federal agency earlier in the day because of public concerns about the nature of the message.

Carriveau insisted that the comments were not his own and that his account had been compromised. He claimed the comments were made by a hostile actor in the wake of the attempted assassination of Trump.

The Caseville Chamber of Commerce stood by its choice despite his claims. The council unanimously voted to remove Carriveau from the chamber due to a bylaw violation. The council concluded that Carriveau’s continued involvement could lead to further disruption and pose a safety risk to the community.

The Chamber reiterated in its statement its position against violent rhetoric and stressed its commitment to protecting the business community. Mr. Carriveau subsequently locked his social media accounts following the widespread reaction.