A Ukrainian woman who was brutally killed in Charlotte, N.C., last month has become the face of Republicans’ push on crime as President Trump plans to expand his federal crackdown to more cities.
Republicans this week have repeatedly brought up Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old refugee who was stabbed on a light rail train. Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, faces local and federal murder charges in the incident; security video shows him approaching her from behind.
And the GOP lawmakers are blaming Democrats for policies that they say enabled Brown, who had been in and out of prison for a decade and was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia, to be in a position to harm others.
“It’s infuriating. It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking. It gives you a feeling in the pit of your stomach,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a press conference.
“This individual, Decarlos Brown is his name, was arrested at least 14 times,” Johnson added. “We don’t have to live like this. President Trump is proving that every single day in our nation’s capital.”
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) posted on social media that “Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies kept putting him back on the street,” while House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said, “woke judges, DAs, and politicians run and govern on a platform that protects criminals while leaving innocent civilians to bear the consequences.”
“Now is the time for the shameless so-called leaders of blue cities and states to take a page out of President Trump’s playbook,” Emmer said in a press conference.
Multiple GOP lawmakers have shown photos of the young, blonde Zarutska on the House floor while talking about her case, including Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.), Rep. Daniel Meuser (R-Pa.) and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.).
Republicans have also taken aim at Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who granted Brown’s release in January after a promise to appear for a future court date.
Every Republican House member from North Carolina signed a letter on Tuesday calling to remove Stokes over her handling of the case, saying she “displayed a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
“Her decision has undermined public confidence in the judicial system and exposed the community to wholly preventable harm,” the lawmakers wrote.
The case was brought to the attention of lawmakers after video of the brutal assault went viral on social media over the weekend, with lawmakers taking swipes at news outlets for lack of coverage.
“It’s completely avoidable tragedy that deserves the nation’s attention,” Johnson said. “For now, all we can do is pray for the family.”
Trump himself commented on the killing, as well.
“I just give my love and hope to the young woman who was stabbed this morning or last night, in Charlotte by a mad man, a lunatic,” Trump said.
