U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) signaled her view of the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Friday by voting “present” on a resolution that condemned the politically motivated shooting of the top Christian and conservative activist.
The resolution, put forward by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), drew 196 Republican co-sponsors and honored Kirk as a patriot and a Christian dedicated to the Constitution and civil discourse, while condemning political violence.
It “honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk, whose steadfast dedication to the Constitution, civil discourse, and Biblical truth inspired a generation to cherish and defend the blessings of liberty.”
And it “calls upon all Americans—regardless of race, party affiliation, or creed—to reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.”
The resolution condemned the assassination of Kirk and all political violence “in the strongest possible terms,” offered condolences and prayers for Kirk’s family, thanked law enforcement for searching for Kirk’s killer, and urged swift justice for the assassin.
It ultimately passed with an overwhelming 310-58 vote, with all voting Republicans supporting it.
Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) was among the 95 Democrats who supported the resolution. Pingree was one of 38 Democrats who conspicuously voted “present.”
A shocking 58 Democrats voted against the resolution, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and the Somali-born Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).
Twenty-six Democrats and four Republicans were marked as “not voting.”
At the time of the shooting, Pingree issued a social media statement condemning political violence while avoiding praising Kirk in any way.
“Political violence has no place in our country. Not now, not ever. I’m horrified by this attack, and truly hope Charlie makes a full recovery. College campuses should be places where dialogue, debate, and mutual respect are upheld. This kind of violence must be condemned in the strongest terms,” said Pingree on BlueSky.
