Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to the floor of the House on Friday ahead of a vote to memorialize slain conservative leader Charlie Kirk, only to impugn his character and falsely claim he was anti-Semitic.
During her speech, she also suggested a ‘yes’ vote was akin to being supportive of the “Jim Crow” era of segregation and past bigotry.
“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,” she said.
“We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was: a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act, which granted Black Americans the right to vote, was a mistake,” she continued.
“Who, after the vile attack on Paul Pelosi, claimed that ‘some amazing patriot’ should bail out his brutal assailant. And accused Jews of controlling not just the colleges, but also the non-profits, movies, and Hollywood,” Ocasio-Cortez continued.
She added: “His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans, far from the ‘working tirelessly to promote unity’ asserted by the majority in this resolution.”
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Kirk was assassinated on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, last week. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, was arraigned this week and charged with seven counts. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
Days ahead of Kirk’s memorial service, which is scheduled for Sunday in Glendale, Ariz., the House and Senate passed a resolution denoting a “National Day of Remembrance” for Kirk.
However, it wasn’t anything former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and dozens of other House Democrats wanted anything to do with, as was made obvious by their actions.
Pelosi, whose husband Paul was himself a victim of political violence, was among 22 Democrats who walked out and declined to vote on the Kirk resolution. She did, however, participate in the vote on the short-term government funding bill, ABC News reported.
Reports said in total, 96 Democrats declined to support the resolution for the latest conservative victim of left-wing violence.
Meanwhile, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating Oct. 14, 2025 — Kirk’s birthday — as a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.”
On the floor of the chamber, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who led the effort, said he was “proud to have the support of more than 20 of my colleagues to honor Charlie by dedicating his birthday” as a day of remembrance.
“Charlie was a good man — a devout husband, father, and friend. His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country,” Scott said, per ABC.
In the approved resolution, the Senate “recognizes Charlie Kirk for his contributions to civic education and public service” and “encourages educational institutions, civic organizations and citizens across the United States to observe this day.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Thursday that the House of Representatives will “soon pass a resolution honoring the life and legacy of our friend Charlie Kirk, and condemning the political violence that led to his untimely passing.”
“We passed a resolution to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, my late friend, the friend of so many in this chamber, and we called out political violence in America,” Johnson told reporters following the vote.
Robinson made his first court appearance on Tuesday, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for Sept. 29. According to charging documents, before surrendering to police, Robinson told his parents he acted because “there is too much evil and the guy [Charlie Kirk] spreads too much hate.”
