Liberal Judges' Favorite Repeat Offender Graduates to Murder

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As President Trump restores law and order nationwide, the tragic murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska exposes the deadly consequences of Democrat soft-on-crime policies plaguing American cities.

Zarutska sought safety in America only to be brutally stabbed to death on a Charlotte transit train by Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with 14 prior arrests who was released by a liberal judge. This is the predictable result when blue cities' judicial systems prioritize criminals over public safety, turning once-safe communities into crime hotspots where law-abiding citizens live in constant fear. 

Republican Study Committee leaders condemned these governance failures and are calling for an end to soft-on-crime policies that will continue to endanger Americans:

"The tragic death of Iryna Zarutska shows the cost of Democrat policies that put criminals before public safety,” said RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11). “This young woman sought safety in America, only to be killed by a repeat violent offender arrested 14 times but never held accountable by soft-on-crime judges. Now Attorney General Bondi is bringing federal murder charges to ensure Brown faces the consequences that are long overdue. It's time to end cashless bail and stop this madness."

"Iryna Zarutska's death is a heartbreaking tragedy. She fled the war in Ukraine to seek safety and opportunity in America, only to be met by a repeat criminal who benefited from Democrats' soft-on-crime policies,” said RSC Vice Chair Ben Cline (VA-06). "There is a crime crisis in our Democrat run cities and rogue judges have prioritized their social justice experiments instead of protecting communities. Under House Republican and President Trump's leadership, we're working to restore law and order to ensure that tragedies like this never happen again.”

“For too long, Leftist dominated big cities have chosen to subvert the rule of law, undermine criminal justice, and place a higher value on the lives of violent criminals over those of innocent civilians. With their coddle the criminals' policies, radical elected officials and incompetent judges have refused to incarcerate habitual, repeat, violent offenders which has caused a staggering level of vicious criminal activity and loss of life. Simply by following the law and locking away these brutal, repeat offenders would go a long way to bringing down violent crime and protecting the public,” said RSC Budget Task Force Chair Beth Van Duyne (TX-24).

“Our communities cannot be safe when liberal politicians choose criminals over law-abiding families,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “Iryna Zarutska’s death is the direct result of these failed policies. It is high time we ended cashless bail, held rogue judges accountable, and made clear that liberal governors and mayors would be well served to work with President Trump to protect our citizens,” said Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24). 

“Iryna Zarutska fled war-torn Ukraine only to be senselessly murdered by a violent monster on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina. In Harris County, Texas, where I live, 162 residents have been murdered since 2021 by criminals out on bail. There is one cause for this: soft-on-crime judges and district attorneys who have chosen to sacrifice the innocent in the name of “mercy” to the depraved. This has to stop. We will make America Safe Again,”said Rep. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02). 

"Why would a judge knowingly let a repeat criminal with serious mental issues out on our streets? Pro-crime judges must be held responsible for their failure to carry out the most basic, commonsense duties. We must ensure there are no future Iryna Zarutskas," said Rep. Mark Harris (NC-08).   

"Years of the left’s push for soft-on-crime and defund-the-police policies have done nothing but put the lives of everyday people in danger in America’s cities," said Rep. Pat Fallon (TX-04). "Until we restore safety to our streets and hold accountable the rogue judges who have enabled career criminals, we cannot rest. President Trump’s actions and rhetoric are spot on when it comes to cracking down on crime. Now, Congress must act to restore law and order.”

“The 2024 election spoke volumes to what the American people wanted out of leadership. At the top of the list was strong leadership that stands for the American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” McDowell said. “ Unfortunately, Democrat-run cities across America are ignoring public safety while letting criminals walk free to terrorize our communities. It’s past time to put law-abiding citizens first, and restore law and order,” said Rep. Addison McDowell (NC-06).

“The fact alone that the criminal who murdered Iryna Zarutska in cold blood has been arrested FOURTEEN different times, and was still on the streets, is a joke,” said Rep. Jeff Crank  (CO-05). "Woke soft on crime policies do not work. How many more times must innocent people suffer for them to notice?”