The House of Representatives on Friday passed a non-binding resolution to honor the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was slain by an assassin at a Utah college campus last week.
The measure saw 95 Democrats join the 215 Republicans who supported the resolution, while 58 Democrats opposed it, 38 voted “present” and 22 did not vote. The resolution passed 310-58 and commemorates Kirk, just over a week after he was killed at Utah Valley University in Orem.
All of House Democratic leadership — including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar — voted in favor of the resolution, which honors Kirk’s life and condemns his killing, calling him one of the “most prominent voices in America, engaging in respectful, civil discourse across college campuses, media platforms, and national forums.”
The resolution also condemns the shooting, commends law enforcement, honors Kirk’s life and calls upon Americans to “recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.”
But many Democrats expressed their reservations about honoring Kirk, given his past comments about race, LGBTQ+ people and Black women. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) condemned how Kirk had previously called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a “mistake,” and said Jewish people controlled colleges, Hollywood and nonprofits.
“His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans — far from ‘working tirelessly to promote unity’ as asserted by the majority in this resolution,” the socialist-leaningNew York Democrat said in a statement.
Ocasio-Cortez also ripped ABC for pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show this week and cited how the Trump administration sought to crack down on ABC, which led to host Jimmy Kimmel being suspended indefinitely.
“This is a disgusting attack on the American people and the very first amendment rights that define us as a country,” AOC said. “It is also the ABC’s responsibility to refuse to embolden and participate in this corruption and escalation of censorship.”
In the wake of the suspension, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr suggested that it may be “worthwhile” to determine if The View is violating broadcast rules.
Ocasio-Cortez was not alone. Many of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus opposed the resolution and cited Kirk’s past words on Black people and civil rights.
“He demeaned Black women, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and others in positions of leadership, dismissing their intelligence and accomplishments as nothing more than ‘DEI hires,’” Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.
“He also spread disinformation and hate-fueled rhetoric against Muslim, Jewish, and immigrant communities, while championing lax gun laws despite the devastating toll of gun violence in our nation.”
Friday’s action marks the latest drama in the lower chamber surrounding Kirk’s death. On the day of the assassination, the House devolved into shouting on the floor after a moment of silence for Kirk, with Republicans accusing Democrats of causing Kirk’s death.
On Wednesday, four House Republicans joined Democrats to defeat a resolution from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) that would have stripped Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) of her committees for comments she made about Kirk.
Democrats for their part have feared that the Trump administration will use the killing to clamp down on First Amendment rights, particularly as many Republicans seek to have private citizens they perceive as celebrating Kirk’s death fired.
The vote was one of the last votes by the House as they leave for the Jewish high holidays and some will head to Arizona for Kirk’s funeral.
The House also voted for a Republican-authored continuing resolution to keep the government open, which all but one Democrat opposed.
