A handful of Democrats attended the congressional vigil for Charlie Kirk — but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) was not one of them.
Jeffries explained Tuesday why he missed the vigil for slain political activist Kirk, who was assassinated Sept. 10 in Utah. The vigil was held at 6 p.m. Monday in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall, Fox News reported.
“I had a meeting,” Jeffries said when asked during a press conference.
He added, “I don’t know” when asked why more Democrats didn’t attend. “I guess you’d have to talk to the individual Democrats as to what else was going on and why they were present or why they weren’t present.”
The Democratic lawmakers attendance include Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), John Larson (D-Conn.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), and Don Davis (D-N.C.).
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was asked if he was disappointed in the Democratic turnout.
“I honestly did not even see the composition of the group,” he said.
“I’m glad it was bipartisan, and I wish more had participated, and I’m not sure why they didn’t,” he continued. “So I don’t know what else we can do other than offer an all-member bipartisan vigil. And we’ve done that routinely for other things.”
