WASHINGTON, D. C. – The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday adopted a resolution honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University, with three Ohio Democrats opposing the measure.
Reps. Shontel Brown of Warrensville Heights, Emilia Sykes of Akron and Joyce Beatty of Columbus were among the 58 Democrats who voted against the resolution. The rest of Ohio’s Congress members supported it.
The resolution, introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson, described Kirk as “a courageous American patriot” who “personified the values of the First Amendment” and engaged in “respectful, civil discourse.” It condemned “in the strongest possible terms the assassination of Charles ‘Charlie’ James Kirk, and all forms of political violence.”
The vote appeared to put Democrats in a political bind, forcing them to choose between condemning political violence and objecting to language they felt glorified a figure whose rhetoric offended them. The Democratic opposition centered on objections to language in the resolution that they said whitewashed Kirk’s controversial record on race and other issues.
The final vote saw 95 Democrats joining 215 Republicans in supporting the resolution, while 58 Democrats voted against it and another 38 Democrats voted present. Twenty-two Democrats and 4 Republicans missed the vote.
Kirk, 31, was the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative student organization with chapters on more than 2,000 college and high school campuses nationwide.
Brown: Resolution Was ‘Deeply Misleading’
Brown issued a statement after the vote that condemned Kirk’s assassination “in the strongest possible terms” while criticizing the resolution’s characterization of his record.
“As a Black woman representing a district that is home to people of every background, including Black and brown Americans, immigrants, the Jewish community, LGBTQ+ individuals, Muslims, and so many others, I cannot ignore that Mr. Kirk’s record was filled with rhetoric that disparaged and demeaned people like my constituents and people like me,” Brown said.
She called it “deeply misleading for the House resolution to claim that he ‘worked tirelessly to promote unity’ or that his advocacy represented ‘respectful, civil discourse.’ Those words do not reflect the lived experiences of my community.”
Brown said she cosponsored a separate resolution that condemned Kirk’s assassination and all acts of political violence in this country.
Black Caucus Objects to ‘Whitewashed’ Account
Many of the Congress members who voted against Kirk’s resolution, including Brown, Sykes and Beatty, are members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The group issued a statement that said the resolution was “not about healing, lowering the temperature of our political discourse, or even ensuring the safety of members of Congress, staff, and Capitol personnel.”
Instead, the caucus said, “It is, unfortunately, an attempt to legitimize Kirk’s worldview — a worldview that includes ideas many Americans find racist, harmful, and fundamentally un-American.”
The statement criticized Kirk’s belief that the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended racial segregation, was a mistake; his denial that systemic racism exists; his promotion of the Great Replacement theory; and his claims that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas lacked adequate cognitive ability.
Like Brown, Sykes and Beatty issued statements that condemned Kirk’s murder.
Rep. Sykes posted on X the day of the shooting: “Political violence is completely unacceptable and has no place in our democracy. My thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by this horrific act of violence.”
Rep. Beatty posted the day after: “Political and gun violence have no place in America. My prayers are with all those impacted by yesterday’s tragedies – their loved ones and their communities.”
Ohio Republicans Support Resolution
The resolution’s co-sponsors included Ohio Republicans Max Miller of Bay Village, Bob Latta of Bowling Green, Troy Balderson of Zanesville, Mike Turner of Dayton, Michael Rulli of Salem, Jim Jordan of Champaign County, Warren Davidson of Miami County, and David Taylor of Clermont County.
“Charlie Kirk’s life was tragically and horribly cut short by an assassin,” said a statement from Latta. “A young father, a husband, and a mentor to many, Charlie stood up for what he believed in. Please remember Charlie and his family in your prayers. There is no room in this world for political violence.”
A social media statement from Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said Kirk “dedicated his life to the Lord, his family, and freedom.”
“There aren’t enough words to describe the impact he had on our country,” the statement continued. “We won’t ever forget him or his work. God bless him and his family.”
Rulli posted a social media statement that called Kirk’s assassination “an absolute abomination” and said Kirk “represented the very best of America’s youth.”
Rep. Davidson warned of the broader implications, posting: “Millions of people are trying to process their newfound awareness that people celebrating Charlie Kirk’s murder would celebrate theirs, yours, or mine.”
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