Ruthless Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: What a Heinous Crime Tells Us About Democrats
Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Feature Interview: Mike Summers, President & CEO, API (American Petroleum Institute)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Ruthless Podcast centers around rising urban crime, media narratives, and Democratic policy failures in American cities, with pointed discussion of a recent shocking murder in Charlotte. The hosts analyze how crime is handled politically by Democrats, media selectivity in covering crime, the chilling effect on ordinary citizens, and tie it all to broader themes of governance and public safety. They then pivot to an in-depth conversation on American energy policy with API’s Mike Summers, focusing on permitting reform, energy independence, and the political landscape.

Main Discussion: Urban Crime, Media Silence, and Political Accountability

The Trump "DC Crime" Narrative

• Discussion Kick-off: The hosts open with effusive praise for Trump’s intervention in DC, claiming his actions reduced crime and forced Democratic mayors to confront the issue ([00:00]–[02:43]).
  • Duncan states: “There is a palpable difference in DC. What he's done is he saved the city. There are lives that would have been lost.” ([00:00])
  • Holmes: “Our nation is standing up for American.” ([00:37])

Case Study: The Charlotte, NC Train Stabbing

Incident Details

• Crime Recap: Surveillance footage shows Ukrainian refugee Irina Zarutska stabbed multiple times on Charlotte public transport by a repeat violent offender—Decarlos Brown—who had 13+ arrests and multiple prison stints ([04:58]–[06:54]).
  • Todd Pirro (clip): “She was boarding the train ... the suspect pulls out a knife and just begins stabbing ... arrested shortly after ... lengthy history of convictions...” ([04:58])
  • Holmes connects this to "catch and release" criminal justice policies in Democratic-run cities.

Critique of Democrat & Media Response

• Duncan: "How many times does a criminal have to act and be locked up and be arrested before we realize this person needs to be off the streets?" ([06:54])
• Ashbrook: "Refuse to just lock these people up ... if we did, we could reduce crime by 80% in all of these cities. It is so simple." ([08:22])
• Hosts blame “Soros prosecutors,” lenient Democratic governors (esp. NC's Roy Cooper), and activist judges for fishbone failures ([06:04], [27:41]).

Societal Impact & Chilling Effect

• Smug: "The media has done to push down the social response of regular men in this country ... Why would you ever get involved?" ([09:33])
• Daniel Penny cited as an example of citizen intervention being punished ([10:17])
• Duncan: “The American spirit is being crushed, of being forced to accept crime ... if you live in a city, accept it.” ([10:37])
• Holmes: “Trump has shown he can waive a want and he can fix it. Decline is a choice.” ([11:23])

Media Coverage: Selectivity and Narrative Management

The New York Times Test

• Holmes: "Victim of this heinous crime in Charlotte ... do a search on New York Times. Zero results." ([17:35])
• For Daniel Penny—citizen tried for subway intervention—over 100 results ([18:25]).
• Smug: “Most ... have already made ... if they're looking for information ... they do not type in newyorktimes.com ..." ([18:32])

Host Analysis of Media Bias

• Holmes: "You have major trusted news sources that have decided a narrative doesn’t fit their worldview, therefore they won’t cover it." ([19:11])
• Describes a playbook—if the victim or weapon does not fit left policy aims (e.g., not a gun, not a police killing a minority), there’s near-total silence ([19:11]–[21:29]).
• Duncan: “It's not that the violence is the problem, it's that we noticed it.” ([25:39])
• Multiple hosts denounce Democratic and media response as evidence of misplaced compassion and narrative-crafting ([26:18]–[28:55]).

Notable Quote

• Ashbrook (re: Ukrainian victim): “This woman flees Ukraine with the war. And the, the less safe place than the fucking war torn country is the United States of America. We should be fucking embarrassed.” ([25:50])

The “Grift” Theory: Monetizing Crime & Misery

• Ashbrook and Duncan argue the left has established a "cottage industry" of NGOs, public defenders, non-profits, and government programs—monetizing homelessness and recidivist crime ([07:31], [39:01]).
• Duncan: "Their business is monetizing American misery." ([40:50])
• Duncan: “Every dead raccoon is a W for humanity.” (On government incompetence and misplaced priorities; [49:51])

Policy Solutions & Conservative Approach

• Consistent calls for tougher sentencing (three-strike laws, "lock them up forever"), more police, less compassion for chronic offenders.
• Duncan calls for a return to the death penalty with "a vengeance" ([32:15]).
• Holmes: “If you break the law, you're going to pay the price ... That is the only thing that matters.” ([36:02])
• Under Trump, "simply locking up criminals" is credited with causing DC crime to "collapse" ([34:31]).

Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–01:21: DC crime drop, Trump vs. blue city mayors
• 03:09–05:56: Story of Charlotte train stabbing
• 09:33–10:37: Societal chilling effect; Daniel Penny; bystander inaction
• 11:23–14:21: Trump breaks media narratives
• 16:23–17:44: Media silence—NYT, AP, Daniel Penny contrast
• 26:18–28:55: Policy failures in North Carolina; Roy Cooper
• 30:47–33:27: Charlotte mayor’s "homelessness" statement
• 36:01–40:50: Conservative solutions; leftist grift theory

Memorable Quotes

• "You have major trusted news sources that have decided a narrative doesn’t fit their worldview, therefore they won’t cover it." — Josh Holmes [19:11]
• "The American spirit is being crushed, being forced to accept crime." — Michael Duncan [10:37]
• "It's not that the violence is the problem, it's that we noticed it." — John Ashbrook [25:39]

Interview: Mike Summers, API – American Energy Policy Hot Seat

Timestamps: [55:03]–[74:58]

Focus Areas

• Trump-era Recovery: Summers credits Trump for record oil & gas production, celebrating deregulation and the fulfillment of 4 of 5 API policy asks ([55:56]).
• Permitting Reform: The current bottleneck and a key gateway for further progress ([56:47]). Keystone XL case cited as an example of broken federal processes ([58:00]).
• Energy & Politics: Explains how high energy costs are shaping electoral politics (NJ, VA), and why permitting is a bipartisan imperative ([57:05], [59:51]).
• China/AI/National Security: Ties permitting to the global competition over AI and manufacturing energy, citing data centers as massive new demand ([60:29], [65:44]).
• Real World Consequences: Anecdote about Louisiana natural gas illustrating how local government buy-in trumps all for major energy projects ([64:23]).

Memorable Quotes

• “If America builds, America wins. It's simple as that.” — Mike Summers [71:52]
• "If we don't win this race, China is." — Mike Summers [65:44]
• “Remember that affordability is the most important thing for American consumers, and let's get this done.” — Mike Summers [70:34]

Closing Variety & Listener Engagement

Offbeat Segments

• Wild Boar Police Video: Cops roping a boar in Florida; hosts joke about AR-15s and policing ([44:03]–[47:48]).
• Raccoon CPR in Kentucky: A nurse revives a raccoon using CPR. Hosts use this as a metaphor for misplaced bureaucratic compassion ([48:03]).
• Ohio Scented Candle: Candle promoted as "unscented" and made in Indiana—playful jabs at Ohio and football ([51:54]–[54:14]).

Listener Comments

• Reader submissions on "code switching" in politics, generally received with humor ([42:32]–[43:39]).

Conclusion: The Big Question

• Holmes to Listeners: “If dozens of murders in the major cities around where you live doesn't make a difference, and where the video of what we saw in Charlotte doesn't make a difference, ... What will it take for Democrats to finally get serious about crime?” ([40:58])

Takeaways

• The episode delivers a pointed right-wing critique of Democratic policies on crime, connecting tragic case studies, media bias, and broader cultural shifts.
• Hosts position themselves as truth-tellers exposing media and policy failures.
• The Summers interview reframes energy policy as an essential, bipartisan concern, predicting more electoral focus given rising costs.
• Frequent calls for audience participation via comments and “likes,” emphasizing the community of conservative listeners.