The executive producer of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Andrew Kolvet, has publicly criticized Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The criticism came after Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly attempted to depict Kirk, who was recently assassinated, as "uneducated" and "ignorant." This exchange took place on Fox's "The Ingraham Angle," a popular conservative talk show.
According to the Daily Caller, Ocasio-Cortez was among 57 Democrats who voted against a resolution that sought to honor Kirk's life and contributions. The resolution described Kirk as a "courageous American patriot" who demonstrated "conviction, courage, and compassion" in living out his faith.
When asked by Laura Ingraham, the show's host, about Kirk's views on Ocasio-Cortez, Kolvet responded, "No, Charlie would have loved to sit down with AOC, and he often reflected on her deep wisdom and her insightful analysis of the current moment."
Kolvet expressed his disappointment at the lack of unanimity within Congress to condemn Kirk's assassination, describing his late friend as an "American hero" and "American icon." He said, "The fact that we cant get unanimity within our own U.S. Congress to condemn the assassination of my friend, and hes an American hero, an American icon, he belongs to history now."
Kolvet also expressed his disappointment at Ocasio-Cortez's public comments, hoping she would face backlash similar to that experienced by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. He said, "The fact that she would put her words in public like that is disappointing, and I hope that she receives all of the appropriate backlash for that, just as Jimmy Kimmel did."
While opposing the resolution to honor Kirk, Ocasio-Cortez argued that the measure would cause "great pain" to Americans who have suffered from "segregation, Jim Crow and the legacy of bigotry." She claimed that Kirk's "rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans far from working tirelessly to promote unity asserted by the majority in this resolution."
Since Kirk's assassination, Republicans have criticized Democrats who appeared to celebrate or cheer the death of the 31-year-old TPUSA founder. Some Democratic lawmakers, including Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, have faced backlash for suggesting its inappropriate to remember Kirk for his good deeds.
In the aftermath of Kirk's death, several liberal figures and left-leaning outlets have been accused of spreading false claims about him. The New York Times, for instance, had to issue a correction after incorrectly attributing a statement about Jewish communities to Kirk.
The controversy surrounding Kirk's death has also led to the firing of several individuals, including educators and media pundits, for their responses and for spreading false claims about his beliefs and statements.
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah was dismissed after falsely quoting Kirk, while MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was let go after suggesting that Kirk's "hate speech" made him a target.
The fallout extended to late-night television, with ABC announcing the indefinite suspension of host Jimmy Kimmel following a controversial monologue. Kimmel had claimed that the "MAGA gang" had hit "new lows" and suggested that Republicans were trying to portray Kirk's alleged assassin as "anything other than one of them."
The ongoing controversy underscores the deep political divide in the country, with Kirk's life and death becoming a flashpoint for heated debates about political rhetoric, free speech, and the role of media in shaping public opinion.
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