Topline
The House approved a resolution honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk Friday, with 95 Democrats voting alongside all Republicans to pass the measure, as his death continues to ignite a fierce partisan debate about free speech and political violence.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a memorial vigil for Charlie Kirk in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol 2025 in Washington, DC. on September 15, 2025. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
Key Facts
In a 310-58 vote, 95 Democrats, including leadership, voted in favor, while 58 Democrats voted against the resolution and 38 voted “present.”
The resolution “calls upon all Americans—regardless of race, party affiliation, or creed—to reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans,” but is void of any language blaming any particular ideology for his killing.
Some Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have sought to blame Kirk’s murder on left-wing extremism, claiming its the source of divisiveness that leads to political violence, despite multiple recent incidents of Democrats being targeted, such as the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Democrats have largely been outspoken in rebuking the killing and political violence generally, but have accused the Trump administration of using Kirk’s death as justification for its attempts to quash any unfavorable media coverage or rhetoric, with Democrats alleging it’s a violation of free speech rights.
Tangent
Democratic backlash against the Trump administration’s reaction to Kirk’s death centers around claims from some Republicans linking the killing to left-wing extremism and their attempts to silence any criticism of Kirk and Trump. The debate about the limits of the government’s role in monitoring speech protected reached a breaking point this week when the Walt Disney Company, parent company of ABC News, suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following his comments suggesting Kirk’s suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, was part of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. The decision came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly pressured ABC to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Top Democrats, including House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Thursday called on Carr to resign over the move.
Key Background
Republicans have gone to extensive lengths to honor Kirk’s legacy in the wake of his death, including transporting his casket on Air Force Two and ordering all flags to be flown at half-mast, while Vice President JD Vance hosted an episode of Charlie Kirk’s podcast earlier this week.
Further Reading
Top Democrats Allege Possible FCC ‘Corrupt Pay-To-Play’ Scheme Behind Kimmel Suspension (Forbes)
Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect Charged With Aggravated Murder—Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty (Forbes)
Charlie Kirk’s Suspected Killer Texted About Chance To ‘Take Out’ Conservative Activist, FBI Chief Says (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/09/19/nearly-100-democrats-approve-resolution-honoring-charlie-kirk/
