A controversial digital advertisement from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has emerged, featuring a misleadingly edited video of former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. The clip attempts to associate him with the tragic stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska, a recent incident that occurred on a Charlotte transit train.
Decarlos Brown, who has a prior criminal record, has been charged with Zarutska’s murder. The Republican narrative suggests that Brown, due to Democratic policies, would have been incarcerated at the time of the incident.
The NRSC’s video misrepresents Cooper’s involvement by suggesting he endorsed pretrial release for criminal defendants. However, Cooper’s comments were related to a racial equity task force he established in 2020, which was intended to explore various policies, including pretrial release, but did not result in any implementation.
This edited segment is part of a NRSC digital ad where Cooper’s opposition, Michael Whatley, asserts that Brown’s release was a consequence of Democratic policies.
“[Brown] was let out on the revolting door of the Democrats’ soft on crime policies, led by Gov. Roy Cooper,” Whatley claims in the ad.
Various media outlets, including Politico, Axios, and WRAL, have since disproven Whatley’s assertions. Despite these debunkings, the NRSC ad remains accessible online.
The ad has drawn comparisons to the infamous Willie Horton ad of the 1988 presidential race, which aimed to link Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis to a murder committed by a furloughed prisoner, often cited as an example of racist dog whistle politics.
During Cooper’s tenure from 2017 to 2023, North Carolina witnessed a decline in crime rates. His administration was responsible for enacting stricter laws targeting gang activities, gun-related offenses, and drug trafficking. Additionally, Cooper supported legislation that enhanced compensation and resources for law enforcement personnel.
The NRSC has not provided a response to inquiries regarding the ad’s content and intentions.
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