Failed Vance-backed start-up stirred worker complaints, then hired migrants: JD Vance in the news [Video]

Ohio Senator and Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance has come under scrutiny for his role in the downfall of AppHarvest, a startup agricultural company he championed as a venture capitalist.

Until stepping down to pursue his political career in 2021, Vance spent four years as a board member and public pitchman for the company, which promised a high-tech future for farming and for workers. The company has since declared bankruptcy in 2023, burdened with hundreds of millions in debt.

AppHarvest’s failure, and Vance’s role in it, cuts against the image of the Ohio senator as a champion for the working class — an image that helped catapult him onto the Republican ticket as Donald Trump’s running mate.

Launched in Eastern Kentucky, Appharvest promised a high-tech future for farming. Over four years, Vance was a board member and public pitchman for the indoor-agriculture company.

“It’s not just a good investment opportunity, …