Senate confirms dozens of Trump nominees in first test of new nuclear rules
Senate Republicans rammed through dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees on Thursday in their first flex of the Senate’s new rules for confirmations. Lawmakers voted along party lines to confirm 48 of Trump’s nominees, many being for undersecretary or assistant secretary positions in a variety of agencies throughout the federal government and ambassadorships. Senate Republicans went “nuclear” last week to make the change after a last-minute deal with Democrats fell apart. GOP TRIGGERS NUCLEAR OPTION IN SENATE TO BREAK DEM BLOCKADE OF TRUMP NOMINEES The change ushered in by the “nuclear option” allows lawmakers to confirm an unlimited number of nominees in batches, also known as en bloc, with a simple majority vote in the upper chamber. However, the process is time-consuming, given that lawmakers must jump through procedural hoops and allow for 30 hours of debate. “Why has not a single nominee been confirmed by voice vote or by unanimous consent? We know why,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said on the Senate floor. “It’s Democrat obstruction. DEMS DIG IN AS GOP PREPARES TO GO NUCLEAR IN TRUMP NOMINEE RACE “The country has never seen anything like this,” he continued. “Senate Democrats are freezing the Senate floor, freezing the federal government and freezing our nation’s progress. This harms America’s safety. It hamstrings the agenda that Americans voted for.” Among this batch of nominees were Kimberly Guilfoyle, who Trump tapped to be the U.S. ambassador to Greece, and Callista Gingrich, who was picked to be the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland. TRUMP NOMINEES PILE UP AS GOP WEIGHS RULE SHIFT ONCE FLOATED BY DEMOCRATS Republicans argued that the change would benefit both parties now and in the future and viewed the change as an option of last resort to break through Senate Democrats’ blockade of Trump’s picks. Typically, subcabinet-level nominees, particularly those with bipartisan support out of committee, are sped through the Senate either by unanimous consent or through a voice vote, two fast-track procedural moves in the upper chamber. All the nominees in this first round made it out of committee on a bipartisan basis. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus wouldn’t allow either to be used and caused a backlog of nominees to lower level positions in the Trump administration to pile up. As of Thursday, the list had swollen to 173. The only one of Trump’s nominees that easily moved through the chamber was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was confirmed in January on a near unanimous vote.
School administrator who called Kirk’s assassination ‘fair’ no longer employed
FIRST ON FOX: After an administrator at George Washington University outlined on social media why the assassination of Charlie Kirk was “fair,” the university confirmed he is no longer employed. “This past Saturday, the university requested that, pending further review, the staff member leave campus due to the impact his social media post had on his ability to do his particular job,” a George Washington University spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The staff member is no longer employed by the university.” The employee in question, Anthony Pohorilak, the former assistant director of academic initiatives at George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus, posted on Facebook, “If nothing else, it is fair, in a nation where children get massacred by gun violence on the regular, the people who advocate for continued gun ownership at the expense of those children are not immune from the consequences of their advocacy. “No thoughts, no prayers,” Pohorilak added in his post, first reported by Fox News Digital, that went up shortly after Kirk was murdered while speaking to college students in Utah. TENNIS LEGEND MARTINA NAVRATILOVA REACTS TO JIMMY KIMMEL BEING PULLED OFF AIR AFTER CHARLIE KIRK COMMENTS George Washington University said in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time that the school is “one of the most politically engaged campus communities in the country” and believes “everyone is entitled to their beliefs, and no one should ever be subject to violence for expressing their views. “This individual employee is not authorized to speak on behalf of GW, and his opinions do not reflect those of the university.” In the next several days, conservatives on social media launched a campaign to expose individuals who attempted to justify the political assassination, which resulted in dozens of firings. On Saturday morning, the university sent an email to students that was obtained by Fox News Digital, saying that “enhanced safety measures” were implemented on campus, adding, “in response to media coverage of a staff member’s social media post, some members of our community have received threatening communications from non-GW individuals.” HILLARY CLINTON SPARKS SOCIAL MEDIA FIRESTORM FOR PROMOTING BOOK WARNING ABOUT ‘FASCISTS’: ‘SICK PEOPLE’ Outrage over the administrator’s post and the school’s response spread across social media, and the university’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter put out a statement condemning the post. “GW YAF draws a distinction and condemns the statement of a recent administrator,” the conservative student group posted on Instagram. “In the shadow of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we realize the danger of political violence and the need for helpful dialogue. “This administrator took advantage of this time of despair and anxiety to propose that Mr. Kirk, through his rigorous defense of the Second Amendment, was in some way responsible for his own death and other tragedies,” it continued. “This argument is not made in good faith. Furthermore, the grave reality which must be recognized is that America suffers from deadly polarization — polarization that recent comments have exacerbated. We must commit ourselves against political violence and not celebrate, defend, or be selectively ambivalent towards it, as we have unfortunately seen on campus recently.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The group added that while it supports free speech, “we also realize the necessity for political dialogue which is truly productive. “But as conservatives on a college campus, we understand students’ fears for the future of safe, free speech. This administrator was callous toward these concerns. To win political points when students fear for our political process is irresponsible.”
Trump says Jimmy Kimmel pulled off air due to ‘lack of talent’
President Donald Trump claimed that late night television host Jimmy Kimmel’s program is being yanked off the air because Kimmel lacks talent. “Well Jimmy Kimmel was fired ’cause he had bad ratings more than anything else and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they shoulda fired him a long time ago,” Trump asserted during a press conference alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in England. “He was fired for lack of talent,” Trump said of Kimmel. DISNEY SAYS JIMMY KIMMEL’S SHOW WILL BE PREEMPTED INDEFINITELY FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION COMMENTS As Fox News Digital has previously reported, a Disney spokesperson said “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be preempted indefinitely.” This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
SCOOP: Iryna Zarutska stabbing fuels transit safety overhaul talks in House
FIRST ON FOX: The House of Representatives is charging ahead with discussions on how to bolster trust in public transit after the deadly stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, N.C. A panel of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is holding a closed-door roundtable with federal transit officials, as well as law enforcement and union representatives on Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned. It’s being led by Highways and Transit subcommittee chair Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., who represents the state where the stabbing occurred. “The recent deadly stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail is a stark reminder safety must be at the center of our national transit conversation,” Rouzer told Fox News Digital. CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDER FRONT AND CENTER IN CRUCIAL 2026 SENATE BATTLE: ‘SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES’ Lawmakers said they are hoping to hear directly from officials on strategies to mitigate crime on public transit systems. While public transportation has already been under the committee’s purview, the tragic killing of Iryna Zarutska on a train in Charlotte last month is fueling new urgency for House lawmakers on the panel. The Thursday roundtable is directly tied to that incident, Fox News Digital is told. Among the participants expected are Federal Transit Administration leader Marc Molinaro, who is a former House lawmaker, as well as American Public Transportation Association President Paul Skoutelas, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves, AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department President Greg Regan and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) CEO Randy Clarke. A member of House GOP leadership, Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., is also expected to attend. A spokesperson for the House Transportation Committee, led by Chair Sam Graves, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital that the roundtable would help inform legislation being crafted by the panel. “The committee is in the process of developing a broad, comprehensive surface transportation reauthorization bill – sometimes referred to as the ‘highway bill,’ but it also includes policy changes and funding authorizations for federal transit programs,” the spokesperson said. “This roundtable will inform that bill development process.” Graves added, “Trust in transit overall will continue to erode if we don’t take action to stop violent crime on public transit.” Zarutska, 23, was killed on a Charlotte light rail train on Aug. 22 while on her way home from work. Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., who allegedly stabbed Zarutska in an unprovoked attack, was charged with first-degree murder this week. Zarutska had fled Ukraine in August 2022 after Russia launched its invasion of the sovereign country. She was working at a local pizza shop and studying at a community college at the time of her killing. CHARLOTTE MAYOR SCORES PRIMARY RE-ELECTION VICTORY AMID NATIONAL BACKLASH OVER GRUESOME TRAIN MURDER The case is now the latest example being held up by Republicans of big cities having too lax a justice system in dealing with crime, including on mass transit. It comes amid broader partisan divisions over the merits of President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard to major cities in order to deal with violent crime. And while Thursday’s roundtable is bipartisan, Democrats have previously accused Republicans of politicizing the 23-year-old’s death. “I think it’s outrageous that people are trying to politicize the death of this wonderful young lady. It’s outrageous that anyone would politicize that death. What decency do people have at a moment like this, as opposed to trying to find commonsense solutions?” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said earlier this month.
WATCH: Coast Guard seizes cocaine, suspected narco-terrorists in Pacific Viper raid
FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Coast Guard has seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended nearly 60 suspected narco-terrorists and drug smugglers since launching Operation Pacific Viper in August, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Pacific Viper is a joint effort between the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy aimed at countering the influx of illegal drugs to the U.S. as part of President Donald Trump’s larger effort to crack down on drug cartels. Video footage shared with Fox News Digital depicts the Coast Guard cutter Seneca, which is part of Operation Pacific Viper, completing a drug interdiction Sept. 10 northeast of the Galápagos Islands, which resulted in the seizure of 5,500 pounds of cocaine from a low-profile vessel. Operation Pacific Viper also was responsible for conducting the two strikes against alleged drug-laden vessels from Venezuela. The first strike took out 11 suspected Tren de Aragua (TdA) narco-terrorists, while the second strike took out three individuals. “You had massive amounts of drugs,” Trump told reporters Sept. 3 after the first strike. “We have tapes of them speaking. It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people. And, everybody fully understands that fact. You see it, you see the bags of drugs all over the boat, and they were hit. Obviously, they won’t be doing it again. And I think a lot of other people won’t be doing it again. When they watch that tape, they’re going to say, let’s not do this. We have to protect our country and we’re going to. Venezuela has been a very bad actor.” This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Lawmaker who tied Kirk to ‘domestic terrorism’ facing expulsion calls amid politician blowback nationwide
Several public officials have faced expulsion calls over their reactions to Charlie Kirk’s murder, including a West Virginia delegate who compared him to the Charlotte train stabbing suspect and framed the issue in terms of alleged “racist” language and domestic terrorism. Their comments highlight how Kirk’s death has become a flashpoint in the national debate over political rhetoric and violence. Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Morgantown, who leads the NAACP branch in Monongalia and Preston counties, faced blowback for Facebook posts that appear to have since been deleted accusing the late conservative activist of racism and claiming such “words of a racist nature” are tantamount to domestic terrorism. “The value of truth exposes your values, priorities and beliefs. You can profess Jesus, tweet about Him, and talk about Him in your speeches, and yet be a racist,” Hamilton posted, according to screenshots circulated by Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.V., former top Ted Cruz staffer Steve Guest and others. “You can murder one woman on a train by stabbing her in the neck and be condemned by the masses or you can travel the nation spewing hatred and racism, harming thousands and be loved by the masses and both have the same outcome,” the posts read. CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER THE LATEST IN INCREASING POLITICAL VIOLENCE NATIONWIDE, FROM PA GOVERNOR TO SCOTUS “Speaking words of a racist nature is not your First Amendment right, but are acts of domestic terrorism upon the souls of American people,” Hamilton continued, per the screenshots. Hamilton also said proper debate cannot take place where the Black population is “1.36%,” which matches figures for Utah, where Kirk was killed. Moore responded by calling for Charleston lawmakers to expel Hamilton, adding, “This is the ideology we are up against.” “Tolerating the warped mindset that leads to disgusting behavior like this from radical Leftists with no consequence is how we end up with a 31-year-old dad being shot and killed in cold blood.” Moore added that lawmakers cannot be “justifying murder.” Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., strongly condemned Hamilton. “The delegate from the 81st (District) ought to be ashamed because celebrating the death of an individual who engages in regular political dialogue on college campuses is really, truly sad to see,” said Justice. BEFORE CHARLIE KIRK MURDER, UTAH GOV. COX PUSHED EFFORT TO ‘DISAGREE BETTER’ The governor-turned-senator originally appointed Hamilton to the role — with a senior government staffer familiar with the appointment telling Fox News Digital he was bound by a rule to choose one of Democrats’ handpicked options. The staffer told Fox News Digital that Hamilton’s comments show how common it is for the opposing parties in West Virginia to offer only the “most radical” candidates for vacancy appointments. Del. Wayne Clark, R-Charles Town, reserved comment on Hamilton’s statements but told Fox News Digital that Kirk’s murder is a “tragic loss for our country” and that his “ability to debate while maintaining civility is unmatched in anyone in our lifetime.” “Those who feel that his assassination is justified for any reason should question their moral beliefs on the preservation of life,” Clark said. State Del. Geno Chiarelli, a Republican who also represents Monongalia County like Hamilton, confirmed discussions have been going on in the legislature about how to punish Hamilton, up to and including expulsion. Chiarelli told Fox News Digital he isn’t officially part of such considerations but would support expulsion if the caucus leadership decided that was the route they want to go. A Charleston official also cited an uphill climb for expulsion versus censure or other punishments, as it would require a 2/3 vote of the 91-9 GOP-majority chamber. “The left is already trying to downplay this, but the reality is sobering: Charlie Kirk was murdered by somebody who thought he was ‘full of hate’,” Moore said, calling the murder “left-wing terrorism” brought about by “endless demonization” by the Democratic Party. Beyond Mountaineer country, several other lawmakers have come under fire for their responses to Kirk’s murder. In Bernville, Pennsylvania — a quiet Pennsylvania Dutch community best known for its nationally recognized Christmas Village — the town’s Democratic mayor posted a clip from Charlie Kirk’s podcast implying he was glad Kirk had died. “This is what MAGA represents. This is what Trump lowered flags for,” wrote Mayor Shawn Raup-Konsavage, according to Allentown’s WFMZ-69 News. “If this represents you, then I don’t want to hear that you are offended that I’m glad he is gone.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Raup-Konsavage previously made headlines after President Donald Trump’s first assassination attempt, with a post that reportedly read, “Try harder.” Bernville Borough Councilman Wayne Lesher told WFMZ that while he disagrees with Raup-Konsavage, the remarks were made on a private page under First Amendment protections. “You’re celebrating the death of somebody. That’s nothing to celebrate,” Lesher said. Separately, a councilmember in Tucson, Arizona, faced blowback for an apparently misspelled post meant to read “Karma,” after Kirk’s murder, according to the city’s CBS affiliate. Another West Virginia official – a mayor in the Northern Panhandle – expressed surprise at criticisms he said outnumbered people who voted in the previous municipal election. Wellsburg, West Virginia, Mayor Dan Dudley reportedly wrote, “Sad day in America. Flying an American flag half-mast for a racist. Priceless. Wellsburg Mayor Daniel L. Dudley,” according to Wheeling’s ABC affiliate. State Del. Jimmy Willis, R-Wellsburg, told the outlet that whether it is attacks on Kirk, Trump or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, “violence is never the answer.” Fox News Digital reached out to Hamilton and the NAACP’s Kingwood chapter for comment.
Hillary Clinton sparks social media firestorm for promoting book warning about ‘fascists’: ‘Sick people’
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting blasted on social media after posting a picture supporting American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten’s new book that suggests her political opponents are “fascists.” “Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers.’ From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Clinton posted on Wednesday, along with a picture of Weingarten holding the book. “Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment,” she wrote. Clinton was criticized by conservatives for the post, which they argued continued the smear campaign against political opponents that many believe contributed to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. TOP UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATOR CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION ‘FAIR’ DUE TO STANCE ON GUNS: ‘NO PRAYERS’ “It’s been one week since Charlie Kirk was murdered by a lunatic who wrote about ‘fascists’ on shell casings,” Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. “Now, Randi Weingarten has a new book arguing everyone who disagrees with her views on public education – which have destroyed public education in America – is a fascist.” American Culture Project senior fellow Corey DeAngelis wrote on X, “Hillary Clinton and Randi Weingarten are going full speed ahead with this disgusting rhetoric right after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Sick people.” LIBERAL PROFESSORS’ GROUP BACKS FACULTY SPEECH AFTER CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION, SILENT ON CONDEMNING ATTACK “Charlie Kirk was murdered exactly one week ago,” conservative influencer Jack Posobiec posted on X. “Here’s Hillary Clinton today:” “They wrote an entire book on a word they don’t even understand,” restaurateur and Huntington Beach City Council member Andrew Gruel posted on X. “The room. That’s what y’all should read,” Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross posted on X. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Democrats Hillary Clinton and Randi Weingarten are still suggesting Republicans are ‘fascists,’” an account belonging to the Republican National Committee (RNC) posted on X. “They really can’t help themselves, can they?” Fox News Digital reached out to Clinton’s office for comment on the post, which has racked up 2 million views on X, but did not immediately hear back. “Have they read the book?” Weingarten said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “If they did they’d discover it’s a love letter to teachers.” Weingarten’s book, which hit bookshelves Tuesday, elaborates on her views on battling what she says is fascist ideology and how it works to “undermine democracy, opportunity and public education as we know it.” “Attacks on schools and teachers have long been a hallmark of fascist regimes: Throughout history, as many dictators rose to power they began banning books and controlling curriculum,” the book’s preview reads. “Fascists fear teachers because teachers foster an educated and empowered population that can see past propaganda and scare tactics. Fascists fear teachers because they teach young people how to think for themselves.” Media pundits and conservatives have been pointing to the left’s years of claiming conservative figures such as Kirk are “fascists.” Following Kirk’s assassination at the hands of a shooter authorities say embraced a leftist ideology, numerous examples have surfaced of liberal pundits, politicians, professors and other individuals celebrating or downplaying the death of Kirk, prompting many to blame heated political rhetoric from the left as a contributor to Kirk’s death. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from deporting hundreds of Guatemalan minors
A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from deporting certain Guatemalan minors to their home country after the government walked back claims that it intended to reunite the youths with their parents. Judge Timothy Kelly, who issued the order, signaled his skepticism of the removals in a hearing last week, noting declarations from minors who said they feared facing violence or neglect if they were returned to Guatemala. “It goes without saying that makes that irreparable harm,” Kelly said of their possible removals. Kelly, a Trump appointee, also raised a report from the Guatemalan attorney general’s office, which plaintiffs submitted to the court. The report was compiled in response to Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement notifying the Guatemalan government that the government planned to return more than 600 minors to Guatemala. No parents had requested the return of their children, the report said. DOJ attorney Sarah Welch responded during the hearing that she had no evidence to contradict the report. BIDEN JUDGE HALTS ‘SURPRISING’ ILLEGAL ALIEN MINOR REPATRIATION PLAN AFTER ADVOCACY GROUPS SUE “I don’t have anything specific that I can refer to contest the Guatemalan AG’s report,” Welch said, though she also said that some children have signaled they are interested in returning home. The judge’s order arose from a lawsuit brought against the Trump administration after federal authorities woke up 70 minors, aged 10 to 17, in the middle of the night over Labor Day weekend while they were in HHS custody and transferred them to a plane bound for Guatemala. Attorneys for the minors secured an emergency restraining order from Judge Sparkle Sooknanan that prevented their imminent deportation. Kelly’s order effectively extends that order indefinitely. The Trump administration could appeal the decision. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, which is named in the lawsuit, for comment. The minors’ attorneys argued their clients were at imminent risk of removal despite some having pending asylum cases or other legal claims that had not fully been vetted by the courts. LAWYERS CHALLENGE DEPORTATION OF HUNDREDS OF MINORS TO GUATEMALA Sooknanan initially addressed the lawsuit over Labor Day weekend, but Kelly has since taken the case over. Trump administration officials, including a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, had excoriated Sooknanan when she issued her order, claiming the judge was blocking children from returning to their parents. “Judge Sparkle [Sooknanan] is blocking flights to *reunify* Guatemalan children with their families,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin wrote on social media at the time. “Now these children have to go to shelters. This is disgusting and immoral.” The minors’ attorneys argued in court papers that trafficking and immigration laws “prevent unaccompanied children from being whisked off under cover of darkness at the whim of any government.” The minors in question are currently in Health and Human Services custody and have no legal guardians in the United States, the attorneys have said.
Senate Republican pushes Charlie Kirk Act to stop government-funded ‘propaganda’
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to stop “propaganda” in America in the name of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, plans to introduce the Charlie Kirk Act, which would halt the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) from disseminating media, such as radio shows, videos and websites, to influence Americans. Lee said in a statement to Fox News Digital that from the end of World War II to former President Barack Obama’s second term, the USAGM, which is an apparatus of the State Department, was barred from distributing media within the U.S. Lee argued that until 2013, it was illegal to “target American citizens with propaganda.” HOUSE CLEARS PATH FOR VOTE HONORING CHARLIE KIRK, DENOUNCING ‘POLITICAL EXTREMISM’ “In 2013, these protections were taken away,” Lee said. “My legislation restores this safeguard under the name of an American martyr for freedom of speech and freedom of thought: Charlie Kirk.” “As Charlie’s vital work so ably demonstrated, Americans can figure out the truth for themselves without government telling them what to believe,” he continued. CHARLIE KIRK MURDER SPURS FIRST-IN-THE-NATION STATE POLITICAL VIOLENCE HATE CRIME LEGISLATION Lee’s bill would add stronger guardrails to the Cold War-era Smith-Mundt Act, which was initially designed to promote the U.S. around the globe. However, the law was tweaked in 2012 to allow the materials produced by the agency to be made available in America. The Charlie Kirk Act would prevent media produced by the agency from being shown in the U.S. right away, instead effectively embargoing it in the U.S. for 12 years. It would also prevent the agency from using the media it produces from influencing Americans. CHARLIE KIRK MOURNED BY WORLD LEADERS AFTER SHOCKING UTAH ASSASSINATION Lee’s latest legislation is not the first bill he’s introduced to honor Kirk, who was assassinated in Orem, Utah, last week. His resolution condemning that act of political violence passed unanimously in the Senate this week. “This is just a flag planted on a hill,” Lee said on X. “What matters is where we carry it next.”
Colleges warned not to invoke Charlie Kirk’s death to silence free speech, unfairly hike security costs
FIRST ON FOX: More than a dozen state attorneys general sent a letter to public university and college presidents in their respective states Thursday warning them against invoking the assassination of Charlie Kirk to chill conservative free speech, or face investigations and potential lawsuits, Fox News Digital exclusively learned. “Unfortunately, we have heard troubling reports that some university officials are using the murder of Charlie Kirk as a justification to shut down speech on campus,” the letter reads. “While considering safety concerns, it is critical that universities are not imposing what would effectively be a tax on free speech.” “Particularly at this moment, when free speech itself was attacked, our universities must show through their actions that they will defend free speech and resist the ‘Assassin’s Veto.’ You have an obligation to protect free speech—you must not use the burden of protecting free speech to prevent free speech.” The “assassin’s veto” is understood as a phenomenon of using violence or threats of violence to silence opposing views. CHARLIE KIRK’S KILLING AT UTAH UNIVERSITY PROMPTS SCRUTINY OF SECURITY MEASURES At the heart of the letter is the issue of security costs as it pertains to conservative speakers. Colleges and universities previously have come under fire over accusations of charging higher security fees for conservative speakers. Such accusations have led to free speech lawsuits in the past, including the University of California, Berekely, settling a lawsuit with campus conservative groups, the College Republicans and Young America’s Foundation, in 2018 concerning allegations the school discriminated against conservative speakers by leveling higher security fees and other safety restrictions that led to the cancellation of right-leaning speakers on campus. Berkeley argued that the higher security fees were based on assessment from law enforcement officials that the speakers were likely to face an increase in public disruption and violence, before reaffirming its “commitment to free speech” and changing its security fee operations. The state attorneys general called on colleges to ensure they “impose security fees in a content-neutral and viewpoint-neutral manner” or face potential investigation and legal action. YEARS OF CAMPUS ATTACKS ON CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS RESURFACE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER “Any security policy that appears neutral on its face must not be applied in a discriminatory manner. There is a long and troubling trend of universities misusing security policies to unconstitutionally chill conservative speech on campus. For example, just last year, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico issued a preliminary injunction against the University of New Mexico after the university attempted to charge Turning Point USA over $5,000 in security fees for an October 2023 event featuring conservative speaker Riley Gaines. As the Court found, that was unacceptable,” the letter continued, pointing to another instance of colleges using security fees to allegedly silence conservative voices. The letter was spearheaded by Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. A total of 17 Republican state attorneys general signed onto the letter, including top law enforcement officials from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Utah. “The tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a sobering reminder that the right to free speech must be protected,” Bird told Fox Digital. “Charlie was murdered while debating on a university campus, a place where the free exchange of ideas should be encouraged; we cannot allow the actions of an assassin to stop free speech in any way. Colleges and universities must take steps to keep their students safe while preserving free discussion and open debate.” Kirk was killed Sept. 10 while he was at Utah Valley University’s campus as part of a Turning Point USA event. The conservative powerhouse was sitting under a tent while chatting with students when a single shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck. “We were shocked and saddened by the assassination of Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday,” the letter reads. “As the chief law enforcement officers of our states, we unequivocally condemn political violence of any kind. The fact that the slaying took place on a college campus, during a debate, makes it even more tragic.” “It is critical our state institutions of higher learning serve as forums for robust debate from all perspectives,” the letter continued. “The campus should be the very place where the First Amendment rings loudest for all to hear. We urge you to say no to the ‘Assassin’s Veto.’” The attorneys general argued that students might be considered “consumers” under the respective states’ Consumer Fraud Acts or Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices laws, and that the universities might violate state “laws if you invoke ‘security concerns’ to impose exorbitant fees on student groups,” while simultaneously advertising to students that the school is open for discussion and dialogue across the political spectrum. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: TIMELINE OF UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING DETAILS ATTACK, MANHUNT FOR SUSPECT “If we receive complaints about your school, we will fully and fairly investigate those complaints subject to the authority of our respective offices,” the state attorneys general wrote. “Our offices are committed to ensuring that all our state entities, including our public colleges and universities, follow the Constitution.” Conservative nonprofits, including President of Defending Education Nicole Neily, celebrated that the AGs’ calls for better protecting free speech is the ideal way to honor Kirk’s legacy. “This is a moment for leadership, and we are deeply grateful that the nation’s attorneys general are using their authority to remind university administrators of their sacred obligation to protect free speech and open discourse on college campuses,” she said. “I can think of no better way to honor Charlie’s legacy than through ensuring that students voices cannot be silenced by fear or malice.” Will Hild, the executive director for Consumers’ Research, a longtime nonprofit dedicated to consumer information, lauded Bird for leading the charge on ending the “assassin’s veto.” “By sustaining the assassin’s veto, these University bureaucrats are actively aiding Charlie’s murderer, using the threat of violence to