President Trump praises Tucson restaurant after owners face backlash for attending Trump rally
President Donald Trump (Official White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
TUCSON, Ariz. - The owners of a Mexican restaurant in the Tucson area are fending off social media attacks after appearing in the VIP area at President Donald Trump's Phoenix campaign rally last week.
Sammy’s co-owner Jorge Rivas said some people also posted “very ugly stuff” on social media including the restaurant’s Yelp and Google reviews.
Rivas said he and his wife posted a video on Facebook on Thursday defending their rights as "naturalized American citizens" to vote, support and meet whomever they please.
"Just because we are Latinos, it doesn't mean that we have to feel like every other Latino in this country," Rivas said in the video. "We are individuals and we feel that we have the constitutional right to meet and support whoever we want."
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Jorge Rivas said the online attacks have had little to no impact on the restaurant’s business, which he and his wife opened in 1996.
Trump on Sunday tweeted support of the Rivas’ restaurant, although he got its location wrong.
“The food is GREAT at Sammy’s Mexican Grill in Phoenix, Arizona,” Trump’s tweet said. “Congratulations to Betty & Jorge Rivas on doing such a wonderful job. I will try hard to stop by the next time I am in Phoenix.”
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