Following the House’s approval of a Friday resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, several Democrats who voted “yes” on the measure still released statements appearing to signal disdain for the assassinated Turning Point USA founder and the principles for which he stood.
The House passed the resolution on a 310-58 vote, with 95 Democrats — less than half of the party’s caucus — voting “yes” on the GOP-led initiative while 58 Democrats voted against the measure, 38 voted “present” and 22 did not vote. Multiple Democrats who voted for the measure quickly released statements clarifying their position on the resolution, rejecting political violence while condemning the legacy of Kirk and the “partisan language” in the resolution.
“I have a gay daughter. According to Charlie Kirk, she and her family should not be afforded the rights and security that he wanted for his own family,” Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said in a statement after voting for the resolution. “I voted YES today on the ‘Resolution Honoring the life and legacy of Charles ‘Charlie’ James Kirk’ because no one should be subject to violence for expressing their beliefs.”
“I never agreed with the right-wing rhetoric of Charlie Kirk, and I still don’t. His speech was hurtful and disrespectful towards women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community,” Democratic California Rep. Gil Cisneros said in his statement. “I voted yes on this resolution because it condemns political violence…I voted yes because we cannot support political violence or any violence towards any individual.”
Democratic Illinois Rep. Bill Foster, who also voted “yes,” released a similar statement, stating that he “condemn[s] the act of violence that took Charlie Kirk’s life,” but “disagree[s] with [his] beliefs and his harmful rhetoric.”
Democratic Maryland Rep. Sarah Elfreth wrote alongside a statement posted to X that she voted for the resolution “not because I agreed with Mr. Kirk or shared his worldview, but because I swore an oath to uphold and defend a Constitution that guarantees our ability as Americans to have free and open debate without fear of violent repercussions.”
She said in her statement that Kirk “made a living saying provocative things that, at worst, hurt and harmed others.” The congresswoman added that it was “unfortunate that this resolution includes additional language meant to further politicize Mr. Kirk’s death.”
Elfreth made headlines in July after she and other Democratic Maryland lawmakers staged a sit-in at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Baltimore. While at the protest, Elfreth referred to some of the illegal immigrants in the facility as her “constituents.”
Shortly before the House’s vote, Democratic Maryland Rep. April McClain Delaney released a statement confirming her intention to vote for the resolution.
“Rage-fueled intolerance and algorithm-driven platforms threaten us all as Americans,” Delaney, who ultimately voted “yes” as she had indicated, wrote in her pre-vote statement.
She commended Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, stating, “We should take a page from their prudent and thoughtful leadership at this electrified time and remember that our behavior — and our outbursts — are being tracked not only nationally but globally.”
“Our diversity is our strength and underpins our national identity,” Delaney said toward the end of her statement.
“Charlie Kirk personified the values of the First Amendment, exercising his God-given right to speak freely, challenge prevailing narratives, and did so with honor, courage, and respect for his fellow Americans,” the House resolution states. The text “honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk, whose steadfast dedication to the Constitution, civil discourse, and Biblical truth inspired a generation to cherish and defend the blessings of liberty.”
“The tragic loss of Charlie Kirk must not be allowed to deepen the divides in our Nation,” the resolution states, “but instead serve as a turning point to recommit ourselves to better angels, and to the timeless American principles of liberty governed by truth and the virtues of peaceful dialogue.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
