Friday, Sept. 12 | By Jonathan Easley |
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© Isaac Hale/The Deseret News via A |
Utah governor calls for 'different path' after Kirk shooting
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SPENCER COX made an impassioned plea for the nation to "choose a different path" and end the scourge of political violence in the wake of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Republican governor of Utah, where Kirk was assassinated while speaking on a university campus this week, used a Friday press conference to urge the nation to lower the political temperature. Noting Kirk's connection with young people through his campus-focused group Turning Point USA, Cox called on the next generation of Americans to change the course of the country. "To my young friends out there, you are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option," Cox said. "But… we can choose a different path. Your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different from what we are suffering through right now. Not by pretending differences don't matter, but by embracing our differences and having those hard conversations." Cox's remarks came at a press conference where he announced that a 22-year old Utah man named Tyler Robinson had been arrested for allegedly shooting Kirk at an outdoor event at Utah State University on Wednesday. The governor said Robinson was turned in after he "confessed" to a family member that he carried out the crime. Authorities have said the alleged gunman was motivated by a disgust for Kirk's political ideology. "The problem with political violence is it metastasizes, because we can always point the finger at the other side, and at some point we have to find an off-ramp, or it's going to get much, much worse," Cox said. "I think we need more moral clarity right now," he added. "I hear all the time that words are not violence. Words are not violence. Violence is violence. There is one person responsible for what happened here and that person is now in custody and will be charged soon and will be held accountable." FBI Director Kash Patel was on hand for the press conference, but in an unusual turn, he spoke only briefly and largely ceded the floor to Cox. For many Americans, it will have been their first introduction to the Utah governor, who was elected in 2020. Cox at times grew emotional and said he was as angry and sad "as I've ever been." He pointed the finger at social media as a radicalizing force in the culture. "Social media is a cancer, and I would urge people to log off, turn off, and touch grass," Cox said. And he argued in favor of free speech, noting that Kirk had been gunned down while engaging in the kind of political debate that defined his career. "It's much bigger than an attack on an individual," Cox said. "It's an attack on all of us, an attack on the American experiment, it is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are." "The very act Charlie championed, of expression, the freedom of expression…in having his life taken in that very act makes it more difficult for people to feel they can share their ideas and speak freely," he continued. "We will never be able to solve all the other problems, including the violence problem, if we dan't have a clash of ideas safely and securely, especially those ideas with which you disagree." Kirk was a conservative media mega-star with close friendships across President Trump's administration. Trump has said he'll attend Kirk's funeral, which he said is expected to be held next weekend in Arizona. |
A profile of Robinson, the alleged shooter, is beginning to emerge. Robinson had "become more political in recent years," Cox said, and had allegedly singled out Kirk in discussions with family and friends. The FBI used facial recognition technology and surveillance footage to track his movements. Bullet casings found with the apparent murder weapon had political messages scrawled on them, the governor said, including: • "Hey fascist! Catch!" • "If you read this, you are gay, LMAO" • "Oh Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Ciao, Ciao," an anti-fascist meme. Robinson was arrested on the third day of a search on suspicion of aggravated murder and two other state felony charges. Cox said previously the state will pursue the death penalty, which Trump has called for. The Utah governor said they have ample evidence tying Robinson to the crime, including Discord messages about needing to retrieve a rifle. |
WASHINGTON POINTS FINGERS |
Trump and Republicans are arguing that political violence has become an entrenched feature of the left, underscored by Kirk's assassination and the two attempts on Trump's life in 2024. "The radicals on the left are the problem," Trump said Friday on "Fox and Friends." "And they're vicious, and they're horrible, and they're politically savvy." A group of Republicans in the House Freedom Caucus called for a select committee to investigate the "the money, influence, and power behind the radical left's assault on America and the rule of law." Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) criticized Republicans for blaming liberals. "You have people like Trump, who has incited violence against people like me," Omar told left-wing pundit Medhi Hasan. "And so, you know, these people are full of s—, and it's important for us to call them out while we feel anger and sadness." Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) blamed the news media. "You are responsible for that assassination yesterday," he told reporters at the Capitol. "You should be ashamed of yourself, it's disgusting." Corporations and public institutions are monitoring employees, with teachers, firefighters and other workers being put on leave or fired over insensitive social media posts. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned civilian and military employees that the Pentagon is "tracking" any comments from them that celebrate Kirk's death. Comcast on Friday sent a message to MSNBC staff scolding the network over its coverage and singling out commentator Matthew Dowd, who was fired after arguing on air that Kirk should have expected to be killed for "saying these awful words." "You may have seen that MSNBC recently ended its association with a contributor who made an unacceptable and insensitive comment about this horrific event," the note to staff said. "That coverage was at odds with fostering civil dialogue and being willing to listen to the points of view of those who have differing opinions. We should be able to disagree, robustly and passionately, but, ultimately, with respect. We need to do better." |
💡Perspectives: • Andrew Sullivan: Hitting the jugular of liberal democracy. • Jacobin: Charlie Kirk's murder is a tragedy and a disaster. • First Things: A turning point for America. • Slate: It's impossible to overstate Kirk's influence. • CNN: After Kirk's murder, an entire way of doing politics is at risk. |
Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared before the House Oversight Committee on Friday to testify about former President Biden's mental fitness while he was in office. California lawmakers sent legislation to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) that could prohibit federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from wearing masks while carrying out raids in the state.
- An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a man in a Chicago suburb on Friday after the administration said he resisted arrest and dragged the officer during a traffic stop.
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GOP eyes short-term patch to avoid shutdown |
Republicans in Congress are moving toward voting on a short term continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through Nov. 20 and avoid a shutdown at the end of the month. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the GOP plans to bring a "clean" CR up for a vote next week, even as Democrats warn they'll oppose it. President Trump said Friday the clean short-term CR is the likeliest way to avoid a shutdown at the end of the month "We have to get Republican votes, that's all," Trump said Friday on "Fox and Friends." Still, the outcome is no sure thing, given Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) struggles at times to keep his caucus in line. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) are signaling they're prepared to shut the government down if Republicans don't make some spending concessions. Many liberal Democrats are agitating for a showdown with Republicans, but The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports that centrists in the party are worried a shutdown would blow back on them. "Most people want to avoid brinkmanship, except some of those people who may be running for president, because I think people understand that it's important to keep the government operating," said one Democratic senator who requested anonymity. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was blunt in his assessment of a potential shutdown. "It was wrong for the Republicans to do it. It's wrong for us to do it, too," he told a reporter for HuffPost. |
Here's who's talking Sunday... NewsNation's "The Hill Sunday": Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.). Fox News' "Fox News Sunday": Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.); Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.). CBS's "Face the Nation": Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.). |
© Luis M. Alvarez, Associated Press |
Trump targets Memphis for next crime crackdown
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President Trump said Friday he plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, Tenn., to fight crime. "We're going to Memphis," Trump said on "Fox & Friends." "Memphis is deeply troubled." The president said that in addition to National Guard troops, he'd send in "anybody else we need," including the U.S. military "if we need it." Trump suggested that both Republican Gov. Bill Lee (Tenn.) and the Democratic Mayor of Memphis, Paul Young, are on board with the deployment. "The mayor is happy. He's a Democrat mayor. The mayor is happy," Trump said. "And the governor [of] Tennessee, the governor is happy." Young said earlier this week that he'd been informed of the decision. "I am committed to working to ensure any efforts strengthen our community and build on our progress," Young told WMCA in Memphis. Lee issued a statement Friday confirming "a comprehensive mission with the Tennessee National Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Memphis Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies." Memphis has the highest crime rate in the country, based on FBI data from 2024. • The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to allow the president to fire Federal Reserve board of governors member Lisa Cook ahead of a key two-day meeting next week to set interest rates. It's the latest effort by Trump to remove Cook after a federal judge intervened to stop her firing. The Trump administration has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, although no charges have been brought against her. The Federal Reserve says it will abide by whatever decision the courts render. Economists expect the central bank will cut rates at next week's meeting, although the combination of inflation and worrisome jobs numbers has muddied the picture and provoked fears of stagflation. Stephen Miran, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers who Trump tapped to fill a different open board seat, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate on Monday in time to cast a vote at the board meeting. • The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting Friday after Poland shot down Russian drones that entered its airspace. NATO saw the incursion into Polish airspace as a direct provocation and invoked Article 4. After initially appearing angered at Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump on Thursday brushed it off, saying the Russian drones in Polish airspace "could have been a mistake." Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk rejected that suggestion. "We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake," he said. "But it wasn't. And we know it." • Secretary of State Marco Rubio will head to Israel on Saturday for discussions on the Gaza Strip in the wake of an Israeli strike on Qatar. In addition, Trump will meet with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York on Friday, Axios reports. Qatar is furious at Israel for launching a strike in Doha against Hamas political leaders. In an interview with The Hill's Laura Kelly, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an "unhinged, narcissistic leader." The strike provoked a rare rebuke of Israel from the Trump White House. The U.S. joined the other 14 members of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday in condemning Israel's attack. Netanyahu has said he'll strike Qatar again if Hamas political leaders aren't expelled. |
💡Perspectives: • The Hill: Is 'Department of War' a symbolic bluff for our decline? • American Greatness: Europe faces self-inflicted crises. • Vox: What Israel's strike in Qatar could mean for Gaza. • Jerusalem Post: Will the IDF strike in Doha kickstart a hostage deal? • Compact: Nvidia is a national security risk. |
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