Another day, another example of how the Left’s view of justice is toxic to a free society. A state court on Tuesday pronounced DeCarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in a random knife attack on a North Carolina train, “incapable to proceed” until a psychiatric evaluation is complete. From my colleague Fred Lucas who reported on the latest from this case: “A judge still has to accept the findings of Brown’s December mental evaluation, and the court could proceed if it determines Brown’s mental capacity is restored, WBTV reported. However, if the judge determines Brown is not capable to stand trial, the state charges would be dismissed.” The ruling drew understandable fury on social media, including from members of Congress. Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., called the decision “DESPICABLE.” DeCarlos Brown Jr.—Iryna Zarutska’s killer—won’t face trial for another six months, after being ruled “mentally unfit.”This is DESPICABLE.Iryna deserves JUSTICE.She was MURDERED.So why is the system FAILING her?Pro-crime, Democrat-run cities keep putting criminals above… https://t.co/epc1UMkJ8K— Rep. Mark Harris (@RepMarkHarrisNC) April 8, 2026 Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., wrote that the decision was eroding American faith in our justice system. Stories like this are exactly why Americans are losing faith in the system.When repeat offenders are protected and victims are ignored, justice isn’t being served. https://t.co/Nel2LoNsjw— Rep. Ralph Norman (@RepRalphNorman) April 9, 2026 Rep. Josh Williams, R-Ohio, wrote that only societies with a “death wish” could allow a man with such a long criminal history to suddenly be declared incompetent for trial. Only societies with a death wish would allow somebody to be roaming the streets after fourteen arrests and then declare him "incompetent to stand trial" after murdering an innocent girl in cold blood. We simply can't live like this. https://t.co/iIPmwvxxhT— Rep. Josh Williams (@JoshWilliamsOH) April 9, 2026 It’s easy to see why North Carolina hasn’t executed a death row inmate since 2006. On a positive note, if there really can be one in this story, Brown faces federal charges. So, even if the state charges against Brown are dismissed it doesn’t mean he will escape prosecution as Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon noted on X. The state court’s current decision, even if in this case it’s justified, is outrageous for several reasons and points to why the killing of Zarutska infuriated so many Americans in the first place. Well, not the leftist political leaders of Providence, Rhode Island who are more angry that people they don’t like are paying tribute to her. But let’s leave that aside for now. It’s absurd that only now is the 34-year-old Brown suddenly deemed incompetent to stand trial after decades of evidence that he was unfit to roam freely in society. This wasn’t a man who committed his first violent crime after a sudden onset of schizophrenia. Brown Jr., who comes from a family of violent jailbirds, had been previously arrested 14 times in North Carolina since 2007. The list of crimes he’d been accused of includes assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and several other misdemeanors. In some cases, the charges were dismissed. In others, he was convicted. He often failed to show up in court. After Brown was finally convicted of breaking in and entering in 2014 he was sentenced to “30 days in jail and 24 months supervised probation,” according to WBTV. Not even six months later he was arrested and convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon after he attacked a man and stole his phone. That’s when he finally got a “serious” prison sentence of five years. After his release in 2020, Brown continued to be arrested time and again, including for violent crimes. Brown had been out of jail on cashless bail when he allegedly killed Zarutska. He’d been arrested for inappropriately dialing 911. Brown said he was being controlled by a “man-made” object according to the affidavit. He spent only two days in jail when a local magistrate released him after he promised to appear in court. A judge ordered an evaluation of Brown as he roamed the streets. That was just weeks before he stabbed and killed Zarutska. Why is it that only after being accused of committing a most heinous crime is this man suddenly incompetent to stand trial? Why is it that the man appearing in all these mug shots wasn’t deem unfit for society long ago? The many criminal faces of DeCarlos Brown Jr. pic.twitter.com/YLQfzhzXs3— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 9, 2026 That’s the outrage. Brown has spent his entire adult life being a menace to everyone around him. He appeared to have been in control of his actions when he assaulted and robbed people in the past. If he wasn’t, how was that not determined long ago after his fifth or 10th arrest? Even Brown’s mother said should have been institutionalized rather than being set free. This points to how the American justice system in too many cases has been warped to give repeat offenders second, third, 15th, near limitless chances. Most Americans aren’t criminals, but most crimes are committed by the same people. A system committed to traditional justice instead of social justice would keep this small number of people behind bars. In many cases, indefinitely. The Left thinks that’s unjust and cruel. But, as the oft-repeated Adam Smith quotation correctly concludes, “mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.” In this case, a 23-year-old woman had her life brutally cut short because the system wasn’t committed to justice. What the Zarutska murder, and the legal system’s response to Brown’s life of crime, reveals is that there will likely be many more innocent Americans hurt and killed who could be saved if only our policymakers and courts allow them to be. The post OUTRAGE: Iryna’s Alleged Killer Declared ‘Incapable to Proceed’ In Trial but Roamed Free for Years appeared first on The Daily Signal.

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) – First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday denied ever having a connection to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and said claims about it are defaming her. “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” President Donald Trump’s wife said in a rare address from the White House. It was not immediately clear what prompted Melania Trump to speak out now.  She said she had never had a relationship with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, with whom she said she had only a casual correspondence. “I never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach,” she said. “To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell. “I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998,” she said.  She called on Congress to provide women victimized by Epstein with a public hearing centering on survivors. Evidence in multiple legal and criminal cases has shed light on Epstein’s ties to many prominent people in politics, finance and business – both before and after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges, including soliciting an underage girl. Epstein was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. His 2019 death in a Manhattan jail cell was ruled a suicide. Melania Trump did not say why she chose to speak out on Thursday, but Marc Beckman, her senior adviser, told Reuters in a statement: “First Lady Melania Trump spoke out now because enough is enough. The lies must stop.” He said, “It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as First Lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation.” The Trump administration, under pressure from Trump’s political base, ordered the Justice Department to release files tied to criminal probes of Epstein in compliance with a transparency law passed by Congress. The files released by the Justice Department include a 2002 email from Melania Trump to Maxwell about a New York Magazine piece on Epstein. “Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture,” the email says. “Give me a call when you are back in NY.” Melania Trump on Thursday described her email to Maxwell as just “casual correspondence,” adding: “My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note.” Donald Trump has said his association with Epstein ended in the mid-2000s and that he was never aware of the financier’s sexual abuse. Records previously released by the department show Trump flew several times on Epstein’s plane in the 1990s, which Trump has denied. After the financier was first accused of sexual misconduct, Trump called the police chief in Palm Beach to say that “everyone has known he’s been doing this,” according to an FBI interview record. Melania Trump said on Thursday that she first “crossed paths” with Epstein in 2000 at an event she attended with her husband.  “At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings,” she said. The post Melania Trump Says She Never Had a Connection to Epstein appeared first on The Daily Signal.

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL — A new House bill would designate the Council on American Islamic Relations and its affiliates as specially designated global terrorists (SDGTs). The Designating Hamas Affiliates in America Act of 2026, introduced Thursday by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, aims to block CAIR’s assets and prohibit Americans from dealing with the organization. “CAIR is not some innocent 501(c)(3) organization—they facilitate terrorism while operating under the guise of a nonprofit,” Roy told The Daily Signal. If enacted, the bill would also revoke CAIR’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and require the secretaries of state and treasury to submit a report on why the organization possibly meets the SDGT criteria. “This bill makes it clear: their assets must be frozen, their tax-exempt status revoked, and all Americans should be prohibited from supporting them. No organization that aids terrorism should financially benefit from it, especially on U.S. soil,” Roy added. A bill summary provided to The Daily Signal by Roy’s office added that “the civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights of American Muslims has harbored ties to terrorist organizations including Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and other extremist groups while operating under the guise of a non-profit, reaping the benefits of having a 501(c)(3) tax status.” Roy, a co-founder of the Sharia-Free America Caucus, added in the bill summary that the legislation builds on findings from the federal government’s terrorism financing case against Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development in 2008. The Holy Land Foundation, the largest American Islamic charity at the time, was convicted of funneling over $12 million to Hamas front groups. During that investigation, the FBI identified CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator, and Roy’s bill summary claims that CAIR’s “30-year history is replete with associating with terrorist groups and individuals who want to undermine the security and values of the U.S. and its allies.” Roy’s office alleged that CAIR honored convicted terrorist and alleged Palestinian Islamic Jihad financier Sami Al-Arian in 2014, and that in 2020, CAIR-Florida featured Al-Arian in its livestream interview series. In 2006, Al-Arian, a former professor at the University of South Florida, was convicted of providing material support for Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a designated terrorist organization, and was eventually deported after serving his prison sentence, his office added. When contacted by The Daily Signal, CAIR did not issue a reply on the representative’s bill, but directed the request to their past comments on Roy. “This rhetoric follows a history of exclusionary policy proposals from the Congressman, including his recent calls to halt all U.S. immigration based on what he described as ‘Muslim immigrant violence,’” CAIR said in March in response to a social media post from Roy. “Representative Chip Roy’s public demand for the exclusion of an entire faith group is a shameful betrayal of his oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution.” The post EXCLUSIVE: Roy Introduces Bill to Designate CAIR as Hamas Affiliate appeared first on The Daily Signal.

As President Donald Trump seeks a deal to end the conflict with Iran and curtail the nation’s nuclear ambitions, some in Congress are trying to assert their power over the? executive branch.  On Thursday, House Democrats attempted to advance a war powers resolution that would restrain the president’s ability to use force against Iran.  Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., entered a pro forma session of the House of Representatives—a perfunctory meeting where no legislative business generally occurs—and attempted to pass the resolution by unanimous consent.  Ivey’s attempt to get recognition was ignored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who filled in as speaker and gaveled out the session.  A handful of House Dems showed up for a pro forma session today, trying to get recognized to offer a 'war powers' resolution on the Iran war. Rep. Chris Smith R-NJ refused to recognize them and quickly gaveled the House out until next week. pic.twitter.com/aEFDq0fCby— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) April 9, 2026 The messaging stunt suggests Democrats remain interested in countering the administration’s policies in the Middle East, or at least forcing congressional Republicans into difficult votes on the matter. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told The Daily Signal in a statement, “President Trump has been transparent with the Hill since before Operation Epic Fury began, and administration officials provided over 20 bipartisan briefings for Members of Congress to keep them apprised of military updates.”  She added: “As the President said, many points have already been agreed to during the diplomatic process, and we are far along with a definitive agreement to deliver long-term peace in Iran and across the region.”  A war powers resolution failed in early March in a 212-219 vote. Congress has been out of session since March 27.  Two Republicans voted for the failed resolution, while four Democrats voted against it.  It remains unclear how durable the ceasefire will be, as Israeli and Iranian strikes have occurred since the beginning of the truce, and Trump has declared his intention to keep American weapons and personnel in the region.  House Democrats are seeking to tee up a vote on a war powers resolution when Congress returns to session.?  Such resolutions are privileged—meaning they automatically come under consideration without needing leadership’s approval.  “A two-week ceasefire is woefully insufficient. Accordingly, we have demanded that the House come back into session immediately in order to vote on our resolution to permanently end the war in the Middle East,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement on Wednesday.  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also has said Senate Democrats intend to force a vote in his chamber on the Iran conflict.?  There is little chance such a resolution could acquire a veto-proof level of support, but it could be an important test of congressional backing for the president’s Iran posture.  But apart from Democrats’ attempts to force Republicans into up-down votes on Trump’s war powers, some key stakeholders are arguing they should have a say in Trump’s dealmaking with Iran.  On Wednesday, a day after Trump and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had announced the start of negotiations, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of the Senate’s most vocal Iran hawks, said he wished for engagement from the administration on the talks.  “I look forward to the architects of this proposal, the Vice President and others, coming forward to Congress and explaining how a negotiated deal meets our national security objectives in Iran,” Graham wrote on X. The South Carolina senator added that he would like to see Iran presented with a tough deal.  “The last thing I’m interested in is for Iran to be able to save face,” Graham wrote. “I’m interested in a deal that will stop their maniacal drive to a nuclear weapon among other things.”  One important variable is? the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act—a law Congress passed to require the administration to submit nuclear agreements with Iran to Congress.  The law requires that the president submit any agreement relating to Iran’s nuclear program to the House foreign affairs and Senate foreign relations committees for their review. The post As Trump Seeks Iran Deal, Congress Wants Say on Foreign Policy appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger is celebrating massive statewide investments and job growth in Virginia, but critics say the state’s former governor deserves the credit. This week, Spanberger announced signing multiple business investment bills into law that will bring a total of $7.1 billion and 3,250 jobs to the state. She said in a news release that from her “very first day in office,” she has been working to “create a stable business environment so companies can hire, expand, and continue to invest in (the) Commonwealth.” However, some Virginians have noted that the deals included in the bills were made while former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin was in office. ?TODAY: I signed bipartisan bills to bring 3,250 jobs and $7.1 billion in investment to Virginia.Attracting new companies and jobs to communities across our Commonwealth is a core focus of my administration.There is no better place in the nation to grow or start a business. pic.twitter.com/8EkDeJ2Uly— Governor Abigail Spanberger (@GovernorVA) April 6, 2026 Four companies listed in Spanberger’s announcement—Hitachi Energy, Eli Lilly and Company, AstraZeneca, and Avio USA—pledged their investments in 2025, while Youngkin was still the sitting governor of Virginia. “(Former) Governor Youngkin is happy that Virginians are being reminded of some good news, even if it means Gov. Spanberger taking credit for the economic deals he secured for the commonwealth,” a Youngkin spokesman told The Daily Signal. “The last three months have been nothing but horrible news for Virginians, as Abigail Spanberger broke every single promise she made on the campaign trail and now has the lowest approval rating of any Virginia governor this century,” the spokesman added. ? New Washington Post–Schar School poll: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has the worst approval rating of any VA governor in nearly 30 years, after less than 3 months in office.Elections have consequences. pic.twitter.com/VcVWOcaN7R— Gunther Eagleman (@GuntherEagleman) April 7, 2026 After 80 days in office, Spanberger’s favorability rating sits at 47%, compared to Youngkin’s approval of 54% at the same point in his term. The Investments Hitachi Energy announced in April 2025 that it planned to invest $1 billion in manufacturing by contributing to the production of grid infrastructure. “$457 million USD is dedicated to a new power transformer factory in Virginia, the largest such facility in the U.S., with the support of Governor Youngkin and the commonwealth’s congressional delegation,” the company said in a press release. ? The future of America’s energy grid is being built in Virginia!Hitachi Energy is investing $457 million in South Boston to build the largest large power transformer facility in the United States. This mega-project will bring 825 new high-paying jobs, critical energy… pic.twitter.com/ajz8j3cDzI— 74th Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA74) September 4, 2025 In September, Eli Lilly and Company announced plans to build a $5 billion manufacturing facility near Richmond, Virginia. Youngkin was quoted in the company’s press release. “This new facility in Goochland County will create 650 great jobs, along with 1,800 construction jobs, and deliver some of the most advanced medicines in Lilly’s portfolio, powered by the unmatched talent of our Virginia workforce,” Youngkin said. The biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced in October that it was increasing its investment by $500 million in Virginia, bringing the company’s total investment to $4.5 billion. The company announced it would build a new manufacturing facility, creating 3,600 new jobs. “I also want to thank Governor Youngkin and his team for their energy and vision,” AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said in the announcement. “We have found in Virginia an amazing team that moves at incredible speed to build a better future for this Commonwealth and the American people.” The only investment announced after Spanberger won the November election was Avio USA in December, though Youngkin was still in office at the time. The announcement mentioned both Youngkin and Spanberger, thanking them by name. Youngkin’s Future Virginia’s former governor, appearing this week on The Sean Hannity Show, said he plans to remain involved in the state’s political issues. After being out of office for six weeks, Youngkin said he is “just chomping at the bit” to get back to work. “I have more to give. I just do,” Youngkin told Hannity. “Every morning I woke up literally bounding out of bed, ready to roll—and that was the most purposeful I’ve ever felt in my whole life.” Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R): “I have more to give. I just do… Every morning I woke up literally bounding out of bed, ready to roll. And that was the most purposeful I’ve ever felt in my whole life — ever felt in my whole life. I’ve been out of office for six weeks. I… pic.twitter.com/KB91gbvO0v— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) April 7, 2026 As the state’s controversial redistricting referendum approaches a special election vote on April 21, Virginians are seeing more of Youngkin. He will appear at multiple Vote No rallies this weekend across the commonwealth. The post Spanberger Is ‘Taking Credit’ for Youngkin’s Economic Deals appeared first on The Daily Signal.