The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show - Hour 3: How About Justice?

Date: September 9, 2025
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, iHeartPodcasts
Main Theme: A deep dive into the murder of a Ukrainian woman on the Charlotte light rail, failures in the justice system, the cultural response to violent crime, and bipartisan calls for public safety.

Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton focus on a shocking murder on a Charlotte, NC, light rail: a Ukrainian woman, recently arrived in the US, was killed by a man with a long history of violent crime. They interrogate the justice system’s failures—especially in “blue” urban areas—emphasize the lack of public response during the crime, and discuss broader implications for law and order. Special guest Congressman Tim Moore (R-NC) joins to discuss legislative efforts and calls for accountability, while the hosts and callers highlight the needed balance between justice for victims and rights for the accused. Donald Trump’s response to the incident is played and analyzed, and the episode ends with a discussion on societal apathy, media bias, and the urgent demand for real justice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Charlotte Light Rail Murder and Broken Justice Systems

• Incident Recap:

  • A Ukrainian woman was stabbed to death on Charlotte public transit by a repeat violent offender with 14 prior arrests ([02:58–03:45]).
  • Video footage shows bystanders failing to assist the victim during and after the attack.

• Systemic Breakdown:

  • The perpetrator’s repeated release, despite his record, is attributed to “soft-on-crime” policies and left-leaning magistrates/judges in urban centers ([04:53–06:35]).
  • Congressman Tim Moore:

    “What we've seen ... is absolutely disgusting. And it's a breakdown in the system ... These liberal judges ... just are soft on crime … This guy should have never been on the street.” ([04:53])

• Reaction from North Carolina’s Only Republican Charlotte Congressman (Tim Moore):

  • Widespread outrage and calls for accountability.
  • The issue is not isolated; similar instances occur nationwide.

2. Judicial Accountability and Proposed Legislation

• Removal of Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes:

  • Moore emphasizes Judge Stokes’ lack of bar certification and readiness.
  • Explains that magistrate judges (vs. elected judges) can be removed by district court judges, and criticizes the current process ([07:05–07:49]).

• Comparison to Other Professions’ Accountability:

  • Clay draws a parallel between judges and bartenders, questioning why personal liability isn’t applied to judges for releasing dangerous individuals ([07:49–08:38]).

  • Moore’s Proposed Solution:

    “We're actually looking right now at personal liability for a judge who turns someone loose and then goes out and commits a crime thereafter. ... Maybe that's the way to get people's attention.” ([08:38–09:41])

3. Role of Federal Intervention & Political Division

• Federal Help Against Urban Crime:

  • Moore praises federal offers to restore safety, chiding mayors/governors who refuse aid due to political animosity towards Trump ([10:02–11:37]).
  • Advocates for crime and public safety to be nonpartisan issues.

• North Carolina’s Diverse Reaction:

  • Urban/rural divide persists, but all constituents echo “enough is enough” regarding violent crime ([11:37–12:30]).

• Under-reporting and Media Reluctance:

  • Mainstream media only begrudgingly covers stories that don’t fit a certain narrative ([15:35–16:30]).
  • Moore:

    “This should be a call to action ... Why is nobody talking about it? ... Mainstream media is just now kind of sort of begrudgingly, in some ways, coming along talking about this.” ([15:35])

4. Need for Transparency and Public Confrontation of Evil

• On Video Release:

  • Clay:

    “Sometimes you have to see a video in its totality to really shock the conscience. … We need the full, unedited video of what happened to understand the scope of evil.” ([13:39–14:30])

  • Moore witnessed additional disturbing footage of bystanders failing to render aid ([14:30–15:13]).

• Societal Apathy:

  • Hosts discuss the lack of intervention and what it reveals about social responsibility ([34:34–37:39]).
  • Buck:

    “No one did even the bare humanitarian minimum here. Call the police, see if you can render aid. … Nothing. No one did a darn thing in this video.” ([37:22–37:39])

5. Justice System: Balance Between Rights of Criminals and Victims

• Hosts argue that concern for offenders has outpaced concern for innocent victims.
• Clay:

  “We have become far too concerned with how criminals are treated and not concerned enough with how innocent people who are victims of criminals are treated. This should never happen.” ([32:30–33:33])

6. Callers and Audience Reactions

• Callers highlight the racial/narrative double standards in media and judicial outcomes ([23:36–24:00], [33:33–33:47]).
• Audience members cite cases like Daniel Penny/Kyle Rittenhouse as reasons bystanders hesitate to get involved ([33:56–34:30]).

7. Presidential Response and Political Context

• Donald Trump’s Statement (Audio Played):

  • Trump attributes the tragedy to Democrat-led cities’ “catch and release” policies for violent offenders ([27:23–29:26]).
  • Calls for “force and strength” against violent crime:

    “We have to respond with force and strength. We have to be vicious, just like they are. It's the only thing they understand.” ([28:14])

  • Emphasizes bipartisanship in ensuring public safety.

• Hosts’ Analysis:

  • Clay:

    “This is the least controversial, most nonpartisan goal that any politician could ever have. There are too many murders, and we're going to do whatever we can to drive down the rates of violent crime.” ([29:26–29:58])

  • Buck asserts the refusal to confront statistics and uncomfortable truths because of political optics ([29:58–31:53]).

8. Media Critique and Societal Narratives

• The episode repeatedly highlights how mainstream outlets’ selective coverage distorts national conversations on justice, safety, and race ([36:11–38:33]).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Tim Moore, on judicial failures:

  “She has no business being a judge and being a magistrate. She doesn't have any better discernment than to let someone like this loose on the streets.” ([07:05–07:49])

• Clay Travis, on societal reaction:

  “You need to steal your soul. And you need to watch it because you need to see what evil is capable of … and we got to get these people off our streets, and we got to hold them accountable.” ([15:13])

• Donald Trump, statement:

  “A beautiful young girl ... now she's dead ... slaughtered by a deranged monster who was roaming free after 14 prior arrests.” ([27:23]) “We have to respond with force and strength. We have to be vicious, just like they are. It's the only thing they understand.” ([28:14])

• Buck Sexton, on restorative justice:

  “What reconciliation is there going to be for the maniac who stabbed some girl to death in the throat for absolutely no reason? … What are they even talking about?” ([31:32–31:53])

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:58] – Episode content begins, murder recap
• [04:53]–[15:35] – Rep. Tim Moore interview (judicial failures, legislation, societal divide, video evidence)
• [23:36]–[24:00] – Audience reactions/no double standards in justice
• [27:23]–[29:26] – President Trump’s statement on the murder and crime
• [31:32]–[32:30] – Restorative justice vs. real justice debate
• [34:34]–[37:39] – Bystander apathy in violent crime scenario
• [36:11]–[38:33] – Media’s selective coverage and societal impact

Memorable Moments

• Congressman Tim Moore’s call for possible personal liability for judges who enable released criminals to reoffend.
• The hosts’ and guest’s candid reactions to the non-intervention of bystanders on the train.
• President Trump’s highly charged language advocating for tougher approaches to crime.
• The repeated insistence by hosts and callers that crime and justice should transcend partisan divisions.

Conclusion

Hour 3 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show centers on a visceral, real-world example of what the hosts see as a nationwide crisis: accountability failures in urban justice systems leading to preventable tragedies. With perspectives from Congressman Tim Moore and statements from Donald Trump, the episode challenges both political leadership and societal norms. The message threads through the hour: real justice must be restored, the public must witness and confront evil, and society must balance compassion for offenders with genuine protection for the innocent. The failure to do so, they argue, is a bipartisan American tragedy that requires urgent, collective action.