Michael Whatley’s Claims Against Roy Cooper
Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley accused former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D), who is in the race for the state’s Senate seat, of releasing violent criminals back into society and attempting to conceal this action.
Whatley referred to Cooper as a “crime champion,” arguing that Democrats had not only participated in protests during 2020—when cities saw unrest connected to Black Lives Matter and Antifa—but also released around 3,500 violent offenders, including murderers and rapists, from North Carolina prisons.
According to Whatley, these lenient decriminalization policies led to tragic incidents, highlighting the case of Irina Zalutka, a Ukrainian citizen who was murdered on a commuter train. He pointed out that the suspect, DeCarlos Brown Jr., has a concerning history of being arrested and released multiple times.
“In fact, 51 individuals who were serving life sentences were let go,” Whatley stated. “He has freed hundreds of violent offenders—those who commit crimes like rape and child exploitation. What he provided was a genuinely alarming list of individuals,” he added, drawing attention to Cooper’s track record.
Whatley believes this issue will resonate with North Carolina voters as they learn more about the consequences of Cooper’s decisions to release inmates. “The primary role of government is to ensure people’s safety, and Roy Cooper has notably fallen short in this regard,” he emphasized.
Whatley recounted how, in February 2021, Cooper faced a lawsuit from the ACLU and NAACP, leading him to reach a settlement that allowed for the release of prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Host Mike Slater contributed context by asking if this was based on the argument that isolating them could risk their health.
“That’s correct,” Whatley affirmed. “He released 3,500 inmates to prevent them from contracting the virus.” Whatley alleged that Cooper later sealed the release list under a court order, assuring the public that no violent criminals were among those freed. However, the North Carolina Legislature eventually obtained the list, revealing the presence of violent offenders, including many who were serving life sentences.
“Roy Cooper owes North Carolinians an explanation—not only about why he chose this route instead of contesting it, but also about how the decisions regarding which prisoners were released were made and the rationale behind such actions in light of the pandemic,” Whatley questioned.
He expressed satisfaction that both the North Carolina House and Senate planned to hold hearings to investigate the situation. “I believe they will call upon Cooper administration officials and Cooper himself to clarify why this occurred in our state,” Whatley stated.
