=Former North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn was arrested this Wednesday in Cape Coral, Florida, as Breitbart reports.
The arrest followed his failure to appear at a scheduled court hearing for a prior traffic violation.
In April this year, Cawthorn was cited for driving without a valid license in Naples, located in Collier County, leading to the scheduled court appearance at 8:30 a.m. on the day of his arrest.
Authorities in Collier County issued an out-of-county warrant early Wednesday when Cawthorn did not show up to court. He was subsequently apprehended by police in nearby Cape Coral.
The Gulf Coast News detailed the arrest: "Former Congressman, Madison Cawthorn, was arrested earlier today for failure to appear for a routine traffic infraction. Madison keeps a very busy schedule and, due to a scheduling misunderstanding, did not appear in court this morning."
Cawthorn was released on the same day after posting a $2,000 bond.
Simultaneously, Cawthorn is eyeing a return to Congress, this time from Florida's 19th Congressional District. This was confirmed by meetings he held with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill on the same day.
Axios, citing an unnamed source, reported, “Cawthorn was meeting with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss his bid for the seat."
The pursuit of a political comeback in Florida unfolds at a time of legal and personal turmoil for the young politician.
The series of incidents, ranging from legal issues to potential political maneuvers, has kept Cawthorn in the public eye.
Following his release, Cawthorn has not made any public statements regarding the arrest or his future political plans.
His previous tenure in Congress and the recent challenges highlight a turbulent career marked by both controversy and resilience.
As the dust settles on his recent arrest, the conversation about Cawthorn’s political future intensifies.
The potential to run for a congressional seat in Florida suggests a strategic move to rejuvenate his political path amid ongoing legal battles.
Observers and constituents alike are closely monitoring Cawthorn’s actions, waiting to see how his legal and political dramas unfold.
President Donald Trump watched a New York Yankees game from behind bulletproof glass on Thursday as America continued to reel from the sickening assassination of his friend Charlie Kirk.
A suspect was taken into custody on Thursday night and announced to the public the next morning as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. The Utah native is a confirmed radical leftist who complained that Kirk, one of the most prominent conservative public figures in the U.S., was "full of hate."
The assassination has impacted Trump, a good friend of Kirk, on a personal level. The president has announced that he will posthumously award Kirk the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Yankees held a moment of silence for Kirk, who is being mourned at vigils all across the country, at Thursday's match against the Detroit Tigers, where Trump was in attendance behind panes of bulletproof glass.
There were "numerous snipers pictured overlooking the ballpark," the Sun noted.
Trump was in New York to commemorate the 24th anniversary of 9/11. The somber mood of the day was heightened by fresh shock and grief over the murder of Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father.
“Kirk founded the youth activist group ‘Turning Point USA’ and had become a fixture on college campuses,” the Yankees' account posted on X.
“Charlie Kirk, a husband and father of two children, was 31 years old.”
Trump was met with loud applause at Thursday's game as he was shown on the Jumbotron. His entourage included fellow New Yorkers in his political circle, including EPA Director and ex-Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin and House Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
Kirk's assassination has fueled concern about a rise in political violence, and Trump is leaving no doubt about his feelings on the topic.
In a Fox News interview Friday morning, Trump said the blame rests with the radical left -- not the right.
"The radicals on the left are the problem," Trump said, "and they're vicious and they're horrible and they're politically savvy, although they want men and women sports, they want transgender for everyone, they want open borders."
While the wound of his friend's murder is still fresh, Trump can take comfort in knowing that the shooter has been apprehended. But there is still plenty of hatred out there.
In a troubling development, a member of the Secret Service was caught glorifying Kirk's assassination. The person, who was suspended, made a post suggesting that "karma" got to Kirk for his "hate and racism."
Ever since Charlie Kirk's sickening assassination, ghouls on the left have been getting exposed and fired from their jobs for celebrating the murder. In a disturbing twist, a member of the Secret Service has been caught dancing on Kirk's grave.
In a Facebook post, agent Anthony Pough said that Kirk deserved to be killed for the crime of "spewing hate and racism."
The man accused of killing Kirk, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, is a leftist who complained that Kirk was "full of hate" before killing him, according to reports.
Pough has since been suspended, according to Breitbart, and he is facing termination.
Here's what his post said: "If you are Mourning this guy .. delete me. He spewed hate and racism on his show.”
He added, “At the end of the day, you answer to GOD and speak things into existence. You can only circumvent karma, she doesnt [sic] leave.”
This ghoul was exposed by reporter Susan Crabtree of RealClearPolitics, who noted in her report that Pough has a history of criticizing President Trump on social media.
"If that’s all it takes to set you off, that’s dangerous to have around,” one source in the Secret Service community told Real Clear Politics about the agent’s post. “I’m mostly concerned about the morals of a person sworn to protect the rights of others to engage in politics and exercise free speech, celebrating the death of someone exercising those same rights.”
This individual is clearly dangerous and should be fired ASAP. Not only is it twisted to celebrate the murder of an innocent man, but the victim happens to have been a good friend of Donald Trump.
It is troubling enough that schoolteachers and nurses have been caught glorifying an assassination. But a member of the Secret Service?
“The US Secret Service will not tolerate any behavior which violates our code of conduct,” an agency spokesperson told the New York Post. “We are aware of the employee’s social media post from today, and the individual has been placed on administrative leave as we investigate the matter.”
Let's not forget that President Trump came within an inch of his head exploding in public view last summer. The Secret Service came under heavy scrutiny at the time, and rightly so.
We need to do a better job vetting who is protecting the president.
We absolutely cannot have apologists for political violence working in this job -- especially if they harbor hatred of the president and his friends.
Senate Republicans voted 53-43 to end a blockade on President Trump's nominees on Thursday, invoking the so-called nuclear option.
It is a remarkable shift from Senate Republicans, who historically have placed the chamber's rules over Trump's wishes. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is a former Trump critic, but he has worked closely with the president on advancing his second-term agenda.
The "nuclear option" allows the party in power to change Senate rules with a simple majority. It has been invoked in the past by both parties and is often seen as a selfish move that undermines bipartisanship.
Republicans say they were left with no alternative after Democrats spent months blocking what would normally be routine votes staffing the Trump administration. Dozens of nominees have been left in limbo, angering Thune, who is known as a mild-mannered institutionalist.
"I’ve been saying all week, ‘We’re going to vote on this on Thursday, one way or the other,'" Thune said.
"We’re going to change this process in a way that gets us back to what every president prior has had when it comes to the way that these nominees are treated here in the United States Senate -- by both sides, Republicans and Democrats; both presidents, Republicans and Democrats."
After the rule change, the Senate will be able to vote quickly on large groups of executive branch nominees, sub-Cabinet level picks, and ambassadors. The change does not apply to judicial picks.
The Senate Republicans will begin clearing the backlog next week, starting with 48 nominees.
Republicans have been happy to note that their push is based on a plan that was introduced by Senate Democrats during the Biden presidency. That plan would have allowed block votes on 10 nominees at a time.
The parties were negotiating on a framework that would increase that number to 15, but the deal fell apart.
The new Senate rules now allow block votes on an unlimited number of nominees.
The flip side of Republicans going "nuclear" is that the Democrats will benefit the next time the balance of power shifts.
But Republicans have said they are trying to restore some semblance of order.
“You always think about what’s going to happen when the shoe is on the other foot, and that is ultimately going to happen at some point,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) told reporters last week. “But this is historic obstruction. We’re trying to get back to the way this has been previously.”
The First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a preliminary injunction that had been placed on a provision revoking Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood, Newsmax reported. The rule was part of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was signed into law in July.
The Boston-based federal appeals court ruled on Thursday in favor of the administration's petition to halt the injunction imposed by a lower court. Pro-life groups, including Live Action, cheered the decision to allow the provision to stand to turn off the federal money spigot for the abortion giant.
"BREAKING: Planned Parenthood has been DEFUNDED—again. The First Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted the injunction that has been preventing HHS from cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. Taxpayer dollars should never bankroll the nation’s largest abortion chain," Live Action, a pro-life nonprofit, posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
BREAKING
Planned Parenthood has been DEFUNDED—again.
The First Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted the injunction that has been preventing HHS from cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood.
Taxpayer dollars should never bankroll the nation’s largest abortion chain. pic.twitter.com/EQjCtNoPjO
— Live Action (@LiveAction) September 11, 2025
Whenever Republicans seek to pull funding for the slaughter of the unborn, Planned Parenthood and its ilk constantly decry it as a move that will cause harm. This time was no different when the nation's largest abortion provider sued over the provision, claiming "catastrophic" consequences for its clinics, with as many as one-third of them across 24 states in danger of being closed.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani sided with Planned Parenthood on the basis that the funding ban violated the First Amendment rights of the abortion giant. The judge also said that the provision was out of bounds as it was acting as a "bill of attainder."
This means Talwani, an Obama-appointed judge, interpreted the law as a punitive measure imposed against the organization without due process and is thus rendered it unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has only successfully invoked that clause five times to strike down legislation passed by Congress, but Talwani used it to dispute the ban anyway.
The Trump administration argued that this was erroneous before the three-judge panel at the appeals court and prevailed. "Halting federal subsidies bears no resemblance to the punishments - including death, banishment, and imprisonment - previously understood as implicating the Clause," the Department of Justice asserted.
Notably, the three judges who sided with the Trump administration were appointed by then-President Joe Biden. While the fight over this particular provision appears to be going Trump's way, there has been a persistent issue with courts attempting to thwart Trump's agenda by using lower courts to impose nationwide injunctions.
Trump has attempted to put through much of his promised agenda through executive orders and the legislative process. Since Democrats couldn't beat him in the arena of ideas during the election, they have instead resorted to finding friendly courts to challenge the Trump agenda, and they have been successful in many cases.
As Fox News reported, nationwide injunctions are issued by lower courts to prevent the federal court from proceeding with certain laws or actions. The news outlet noted that almost "all the universal injunctions blocking President Donald Trump's agenda were issued by just five of the nation's 94 federal district courts, a statistic that the administration said lays bare the Left's strategy of lawfare."
In June, the Trump administration took the issue all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled 6-3 in favor of the administration's argument and said that lower courts could not issue nationwide injunctions. The president and Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated that decision.
"Active liberal… judges have used these injunctions to block virtually all of President Trump's policies. No longer. No longer," Bondi said at the time. It now seems that the lawfare the left is launching simply isn't working anymore, even when it comes to the fight over abortion funding.
Trump notched another win for his agenda and the people who voted for him with this appeal. Abortion is a horrible practice that should be completely illegal, but stopping taxpayer dollars from funding abortion mills to snuff out the lives of the unborn is at least a good start.
A federal appeals court has granted President Donald Trump's administration the right to prohibit abortion giant Planned Parenthood from receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid payments, The Washington Times reported. The decision handed down Tuesday allows the provision found in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act to stand as it was passed in July.
Pro-life advocate and Live Action founder Lila Rose lauded this decision as another win for the protection of the unborn. "Breaking: The First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled to allow HHS to cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood!" Rose posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
"Overturning lower court rulings that kept the money flowing. Taxpayers should never be forced to fund abortion chains which murder babies," she added.
BREAKING: The First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled to allow HHS to cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood! Overturning lower court rulings that kept the money flowing. Taxpayers should never be forced to fund abortion chains which murder babies.
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) September 11, 2025
Trump's legislation was signed into law on July 4 this year and was almost immediately challenged by Planned Parenthood, Reuters reported. On July 28, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Boston, whom President Barack Obama appointed, blocked the provision on the basis that the law unfairly targeted Planned Parenthood with the intent to punish the abortion provider, which is unconstitutional.
Talwani claimed the provision amounted to a "bill of attainder," which means that the law was passed explicitly by Congress to punish a party without due process of a trial. "Plaintiffs are likely to establish that Congress singled them out with punitive intent," the judge said.
However, Trump's Department of Justice didn't see it that way but instead insisted "the bill stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion," which is something many Americans agree with. The DOJ further said it was incumbent upon Talwani not to allow Planned Parenthood to "supplant duly enacted legislation with their own policy preferences."
The judge disagreed, citing concerns about Planned Parenthood's Constitutional rights, including its First Amendment free association rights as well as its Fifth Amendment equal protection clause. This decision was described by White House spokesperson Harrison Fields as "not only absurd but illogical and incorrect" in a statement issued following the initial announcement.
In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Trump promised to strip Planned Parenthood of its federal funding so taxpayers would no longer have to foot the bill for its evil practices. J.D. Vance, who would become his vice president just weeks later after Trump's stunning electoral victory, stated in October 2024 that Trump was committed to rectifying this wrong, as reported by NBC News at the time.
“On the question of defunding Planned Parenthood, look, I mean our view is we don’t think that taxpayers should fund late-term abortions. That has been a consistent view of the Trump campaign the first time around," Vance said following Trump's return to Butler, Pennsylvania, to finish the rally where he was initially shot.
"It will remain a consistent view." Vance added. Although NBC News pointed out that just .9% of abortions occur after 21 weeks, the commitment meant a great deal to Trump's voters as evidenced by his Election Day victory. Of course, Planned Parenthood Votes executive director Jenny Lawson used the usual lines that this "would rob millions of people across the country of vital, affordable care."
Lawsom claimed in the usual shell game that taxpayer dollars fund other "healthcare" but not abortions. "'Defunding’ Planned Parenthood would only deepen and expand the public health crisis we’re already in thanks to Donald Trump, causing more people to suffer and die for lack of basic reproductive care," Lawson claimed.
The narrative is always that Planned Parenthood performs a tremendous public service by providing healthcare to poor women. Even if that were true, the fact that it also slaughters babies negates the right for the organization to receive a dime from taxpayers, and thankfully, the appeals court has agreed that Trump's plan to defund them is a go.
Former North Carolina GOP Congressman Madison Cawthorn was arrested in Florida on Wednesday for failing to appear in court on a charge of driving without a valid license, just as he had been preparing to make his political comeback with a run for Rep. Byron Donalds's seat in Florida's 19th district.
Cawthorn was arrested in Cape Coral after failing to appear in court in Collier County that morning for a citation in Naples on August 19.
“Former Congressman, Madison Cawthorn, was arrested earlier today for failure to appear for a routine traffic infraction,” Cawthorn’s representatives said in a statement. “Madison keeps a very busy schedule and, due to a scheduling misunderstanding, did not appear in court this morning. Following processing Madison was immediately released.”
Cawthorn has been living in Cape Coral, which is part of Donalds's district. He is partially paralyzed from an accident when he was 18 and uses a wheelchair.
Donalds indicated in February that he would not seek re-election in order to run for governor in 2026, so his seat will be open.
Axios had reported on September 3 that Cawthorn planned to run for the open seat.
Cawthorn lost his re-election bid to Congress in 2022 after several controversies regarding him hit the news.
An argument between Cawthorn and then-West Virginia Republican Rep. David McKinley over cosponsorship of a bill resulted in McKinley filing an ethics complaint against him in 2021.
Then, during a March 2022 interview, Cawthorn accused members of Congress of inviting him to an orgy and using cocaine in front of him.
His comments caused a firestorm as Democrats pounced on them, and Cawthorn later admitted to then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy that he had exaggerated his claims.
He said that he observed what he thought was drug use from 100 yards away, and that he probably misconstrued the invitation.
After leaving office in 2023, Cawthorn was accused of tailgating a woman in Florida and rear-ending a Highway Patrol officer in 2024, as reported by the New York Post.
It was unclear whether Cawthorn was charged or cited for the accident.
If Cawthorn plans to revive his political career, I think he's going to have to do better than yet another brush with the law and claiming he was too busy to show up in court or remember when he was supposed to do so.
He was considered a promising up-and-comer when he was first elected, but no one wants to deal with more scandals and have someone who seems volatile and unstable as a leader.
In response to the disastrous Palisades Fire in northwest Los Angeles, Senators Ron Johnson and Rick Scott announced a Senate investigation targeting the adequacy of state and local government responses. Governor Gavin Newsom's actions during the crisis will be scrutinized, and he may be subpoenaed.
The Senate's probe will seek to understand the causes of the fire, support affected victims, and establish preventative measures for future incidents.
The fire, which occurred in January, resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals and razed nearly 7,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, unveiling potential shortcomings in crisis management and preparedness.
The examination is led by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Senator Ron Johnson highlighted the committee's capability to compel testimony through subpoenas.
Senator Rick Scott voiced disillusionment with the reconstruction progress during his visit to the devastated locales, remarking on the stark difference in pace compared to recovery operations he led in Florida, stating, "It's like nothing's happened. I think I saw one house being rebuilt."
Spencer Pratt, a resident severely impacted by the fires, criticized the preventative measures taken locally, particularly the lack of adequate forest management in Topanga State Park, where the initial blaze broke out, suggesting that basic, inexpensive actions could have mitigated the disaster.
The Senators are contemplating expanding their investigation to include the Eaton Fire, another devastating event that occurred simultaneously in the nearby areas of Altadena and Pasadena. This would allow a comprehensive review of fire management and response strategies.
Additionally, the Senate committee is examining issues related to home insurance claims and is considering legal action against insurers who failed to honor fire-related claims, leaving many victims uncompensated.
A suggestion on the table involves appointing a Special Master to oversee and ensure the appropriate allocation and use of federal funds for recovery, mimicking the model used in the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.
Adding a personal dimension to the story, Spencer Pratt expressed widespread community fears about the risk of future fires, noting the general unease, "I know that nobody feels safe for this not to happen again.” His statement reflects a pressing need for reassurance and stronger preventive measures.
Despite the current difficulties, Pratt remains hopeful that the outcomes of this Senate investigation will lead to significant improvements in disaster management practices, potentially benefiting the entire nation. He emphasizes, "I feel like this is going to be so powerful for all of the United States."
The Senate's ongoing investigative efforts are closely watched by local citizens and officials alike, bearing potential to reshape policies that could better prepare both California and the nation for future natural disasters.
The ramifications of this investigation are expected to extend beyond the immediate regions affected by the Palisades and Eaton Fires. As the Senate delves into the detailed aspects of each incident, the goal is to extrapolate lessons that can be applied nationwide, ensuring more robust disaster readiness.
Through this inquiry, there is an opportunity to reform how both local and state governments prepare for and respond to emergencies, potentially setting new national standards in disaster response.
As conclusions begin to form and actions are taken, both the victims of the Palisades Fire and observers across the country await meaningful change that will fortify communities against future adversities.
Fox News correspondent Eric Shawn shared on Fox & Friends that he is one of the thousands of people diagnosed with cancer related to the dust from the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York City, Fox News reported. Shawn made this revelation while speaking to 9/11 survivors on the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took the lives of almost 3,000 Americans.
Shawn was reporting from an event in Lower Manhattan commemorating the lives lost in the attacks. First responders, survivors, and those who lost loved ones attended the event along with public officials to mark two dozen years since two commercial airliners were hijacked and flown into the Twin Towers.
The aftermath of the attacks has changed the New York skyline, air travel, and other facets of American life. It has also meant that some 48,000 people have developed cancer related to exposure to dust from the collapse of the towers and the pile of rubble and debris that smoldered for weeks at Ground Zero.
Shawn revealed he was one of them, having been diagnosed with bronchitis related to his exposure as well as cancer. He did not share his prognosis or the specific type of cancer he is suffering from, however.
Shawn revealed that he has ongoing respiratory issues and was diagnosed with cancer after spending time at the site of the attacks while reporting on the tragedy. "I have two different diagnoses under the World Trade Center Program," Shawn told the hosts, referring to the government program set up to track survivors' health and offer treatment for those exposed to the sites in New York City, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon.
"It is hard to believe that it has been nearly a quarter of a century since that day, when radical Islamic terrorism attacked the very heart of our city and our country. It is a philosophy that basically hates our principles, our freedoms, what our nation stands for. That has not diminished — and today, again, we all gather here to remember what was lost," Shawn added.
Unfortunately, the loss of life has continued long after the attacks due to dust exposure. "While 2,977 people were murdered here that day, the number who have died from 9/11-related illnesses has increased from the toxic dust that was released," Shawn noted.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 10,000 of those cancer diagnoses came in the last year alone, and that number will only increase as the years go on. "I think of all those who were killed that day and those who continue to suffer because of that philosophy — that is not diminished. We have to condemn it. We have to despise it. You will never forget," Shawn added.
🙏Prayers for @EricShawnTV, who announced his 9/11-related cancer diagnosis on @foxandfriends this morning. @DailyCaller 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ztZaV7sj7t
— Harold Hutchison (@HaroldHutchison) September 11, 2025
The day of the awful tragedy seemed like it would be the worst of it, but that's not the case for the first responders and others who still suffer the consequences to this day. Long after the memorials were erected for the dead and Lower Manhattan rebuilt, the people who survived the initial attack are now getting sick and dying.
Since the 9/11 attacks, at least 3,700 first responders who worked at the scene have died, with 2,300 of them succumbing to cancer linked to dust exposure from the attacks. The worst hit were members of the Fire Department of the City of New York, which lost 409 of its members to illness related to the attacks in addition to those killed when the buildings fell.
It's clear now that the problem is not contained to just those who were working on the site that day. "If you were below Canal Street, basically, you were exposed to the dust," Shawn noted.
"I was here reporting on it. That’s what happened with me. I mean, I’m very, very lucky. I think of all those who are suffering much greater … I’ve lost a few friends from this, of course," the 68-year-old said.
It was devastating for the people near the World Trade Center to have a close-up view of the carnage immediately following the attacks. Now, besides dealing with the trauma of that day, they're left to suffer the health consequences decades afterwards. Our prayers go out to them all, including Eric Shawn.
President Trump is calling for the suspect in the brutal North Carolina train stabbing to be "awarded THE DEATH PENALTY" as Americans call for the killer to face a swift and severe punishment.
Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, 23, was randomly and repeatedly stabbed to death on a Charlotte light rail on August 22. A 34-year-old repeat offender, DeCarlos Brown Jr., has been charged with the murder.
Many Americans are simply fed up with soft-on-crime policies after this unprovoked attack, which was captured on harrowing video for the world to see - and Trump is sending a strong message that the killer should pay the ultimate price.
"The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY," Trump posted on Truth Social. "There can be no other option!"
The murder unfolded four and a half minutes after Zarutska boarded the train and sat in front of Brown, who is black.
She had no interaction with Brown before he suddenly pulled out a pocketknife and stabbed her three times in cold blood.
The murder has brought fresh scrutiny to soft-on-crime policies that allow repeat offenders to roam, with Brown's own family members saying he should not have been free.
Local magistrate Teresa Stokes let him go on cashless bail months before the attack, despite 14 prior arrests and convictions for crimes like robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny and breaking and entering.
The shocking depravity of Zarutska's murder, and the suspect's lengthy criminal history, have led many to say capital punishment is in order.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has pledged to “seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable crime” and ensure the suspect “will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
The Justice Department has charged Brown with an act causing death on a mass transportation system, which could lead to the death penalty.
North Carolina has the death penalty, but because of legal challenges it has been effectively dormant for years.
Zarutska's family said Tuesday that they are "heartbroken beyond words" and they are "calling attention to a broader crisis in public safety and systemic failure."
"Iryna came here to find peace and safety, and instead her life was stolen from her in the most horrific way. No family should have to go through this," the family said.