This story first appeared at Colorado Newsline.
DENVER | Colorado’s members of Congress were split on a House Resolution last week honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk and condemning his assassination.
All four Colorado Republicans voted in support of the resolution, along with Democrat Jason Crow. Colorado’s other two House Democrats voted “present” and one did not vote. The resolution passed the House in a 310-58 vote.
All 58 votes against it came from Democrats. Ninety-five Democrats voted in favor of the resolution, 38 voted “present” and 22 did not vote.
Crow, of Centennial, joined Republican U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert of Windsor, Jeff Crank of Colorado Springs, Gabe Evans of Fort Lupton, and Jeff Hurd of Grand Junction in supporting the resolution.
Democratic U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette of Denver and Brittany Petterson of Lakewood voted “present” on the resolution, while House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse of Lafayette did not vote on it.
Kirk was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking at a college campus in Utah. The House resolution came as President Donald Trump and his administration have sought to crack down on anti-Kirk rhetoric.
Pettersen supports language in the resolution that condemns violence, but she “could not vote in favor of the partisan language” also included in the resolution, she said. She and other Democrats introduced a separate resolution “condemning all forms of political violence and rejecting rhetoric that dehumanizes or demonizes political opponents.” It highlighted the June assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, among other acts of political violence in recent years, including the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“Instead of bringing us together to heal and stand together, unfortunately, Speaker Johnson was willing to play partisan games that continue to divide us,” Pettersen said in a statement, referring to U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson. “It is truly unimaginable that in this moment of tragedy, these cynical tactics were prioritized over the leadership that is so desperately needed right now in our country.”
Crow voted in favor of the resolution a day after he gave a floor speech in the House condemning political violence and highlighting the importance of free speech. He said Trump, who blamed “the radical left” for Kirk’s death, is attacking the rights of those who disagree with him.
“I went to war three times for this country to defend the Constitution and the rights of people to say things I may disagree with,” Crow, a former Army Ranger, said in his speech. “The right of every American to speak freely, peacefully organize, and protest is fundamental to who we are. After all, what is more American than the ability to question authority? Questioning authority is, in fact, our foundation and how we came about as a nation.”
DeGette said Congress “cannot condemn political violence only when it happens to one party,” adding that she supports the Democrat-led resolution condemning political violence because it “denounces all forms of political violence, regardless of the victim’s political affiliation.”
“However, I cannot vote yes on this resolution because it grossly misrepresents Charlie Kirk’s methods, views, and beliefs while citing Christian nationalist language,” DeGette said in a statement. “I will always condemn heinous acts of violence, but this resolution ignores the false and hateful rhetoric that was too often present in his debates.”