Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Friday broke with the majority of the House, voting against a resolution honoring slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. She argued the measure would bring “great pain” to millions of Americans.
Speaking after the vote, Ocasio-Cortez condemned political violence in all its forms, but said Republicans had chosen to advance a measure she cast as divisive rather than unifying.
“The resolution only underscores the majority’s recklessness by choosing to author this condemnation and honoring on a purely partisan basis, instead of uniting Congress in this tragedy with one of the many bipartisan options to condemn political violence and Kirk’s murder, as we did with the late Melissa Hortman,” she said. “Instead, the majority proceeded with a resolution that brings great pain to the millions of Americans who endured segregation, Jim Crow, and the legacy of bigotry today.”
The resolution lauded Kirk, declaring his “commitment to civil discussion and debate stood as a model for young Americans across the political spectrum, and he worked tirelessly to promote unity without compromising on conviction.”
It passed 310–58, with Ocasio-Cortez and dozens of Democrats voting no or “present.”
“We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was — a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act that granted black Americans the right to vote was a mistake; who, after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, claimed that ‘some amazing patriot’ should bail out his brutal assailant; and accused Jews of controlling ‘not just the colleges. It’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it,’” AOC said. Kirk’s “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.”
Earlier this year, the House had stood as one in unanimously condemning the politically motivated killing of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the attempted murder of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. That bipartisan moment was not repeated here.
Democrats instead offered their own resolution after Kirk’s assassination, denouncing “all forms of political violence, including assassination and attempted assassination of public officials, candidates, and public figures, regardless of political party or ideology.” They argued it gave lawmakers a way to condemn Kirk’s death without embracing his politics.
Kirk was shot and killed last week at Utah Valley University.
“We continue to pray for Mr. Kirk’s family and loved ones in the wake of this terrible act,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I’m thinking especially of his children and his wife, whose grief cannot be measured.”
AOC was blasted by conservatives on X: “This is going to make your blood boil,” Gunther Eagleman posted.
BREAKING: AOC just took to the House floor to defend her No vote on the Resolution honoring the life of Charlie Kirk.
This is going to make your blood boil.
AOC: "We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was… His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to… pic.twitter.com/MMjecCmyk5
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) September 19, 2025
More reactions below:
AOC is on the House floor smearing Charlie Kirk just days after he was kiIIed by a left-wing lunatic
She says a resolution honoring his memory brings "great pain to millions of Americans."
He wasn’t even buried yet.
Absolutely disgusting and evil pic.twitter.com/CGTrwUqY9y
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 19, 2025
Keep talking, @AOC. People can watch Charlie speak on these issues all over the internet, and everything you’ve said about him is a disgusting lie. Keep speaking ill of a good man who was murdered in cold blood—you’re actively creating more Republicans.
pic.twitter.com/L6DeOJkqVj— Coco 🇺🇸 (@CoClarified) September 19, 2025
AOC attacks Charlie Kirk on the House floor after voting no on the resolution honoring his life and legacy.
What an absolute disgrace.
“His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans, far from the working quote, working… pic.twitter.com/EsRyv9NOew
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 19, 2025
