Wednesday afternoon, members of law enforcement agencies and state officials gathered at the Roush hangar at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport for Vice President JD Vance’s visit to North Carolina.
It marked Vance’s first stop in the state since the election, following several campaign appearances last year. During his remarks, Vance emphasized the Trump administration’s tax cuts, including a provision eliminating taxes on tips. He also made clear his support for law enforcement, condemning rhetoric that he said encourages violence against officers.
"You don't have to agree with my immigration policies," Vance said. "You don't have to agree with Donald Trump's immigration policies, but if your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell, and you have no place in the political conversation of the United States of America."
Vance also addressed the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail system in August. State lawmakers Tuesday passed a sweeping crime bill that ends cashless bail, expands state execution methods and adds more prosecutors in Mecklenburg County. Vance said he encouraged Gov. Josh Stein to sign it into law. It passed with a veto-proof majority.
UNC Charlotte student Avin Harrington said he would still like to see the National Guard come in.
"We have a lot of crime in Charlotte and in general, and especially with the Ukrainian woman being killed — that made national news," Harrington said. "I don’t see why not deploy any federal forces to help with crime here."
Vance said the administration would be willing to send the National Guard to Charlotte if local and state leaders request it.
"Well, look, if the mayor of Charlotte and the governor of North Carolina ask for our help, then we would absolutely send it, because we believe in helping people, regardless of whether they’re Democrats or Republicans. We would love to have the mayor of Charlotte reach out for our help."
So far, neither the mayor nor the governor has indicated they intend to make such a request.
Vance also said he blames “soft-on-crime” policies for Zarutska’s death.
"I think that if a person is being violent and threatening to young children and young families, they ought to send their asses to prison instead of telling people that they got to cross to the other side of the street."
He called for an end to political violence and heated rhetoric, referencing a shooting earlier in the day at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Dallas.
The House Judiciary Committee is set to hold a field hearing on urban crime in Charlotte Monday.
