California state Sen. Scott Wiener condemned the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk while saying Kirk “was a vile bigot who did immeasurable harm to so many people by normalizing dehumanization,” statements that prompted immediate backlash from conservative accounts on social media.
Wiener, a Democrat, posted on X that "Charlie Kirk did not deserve to die. Also Charlie Kirk was a vile bigot who did immeasurable harm to so many people by normalizing dehumanization." He followed an earlier post saying the slaying was "horrific" and calling for "basic safeguards" on access to firearms.
In a Sept. 11 post on X, Wiener wrote that "Multiple things can be true: Political violence is toxic & Kirk’s assassination must be condemned. Kirk was exceptionally talented & helped build a movement. That movement brainwashed many young men with bigoted, violent poison. Condemn his murder, but do not lionize him." Wiener reiterated that "political violence is never the answer" and said the killing made the political system "toxic & dangerous." He urged adoption of what he called basic gun-safety measures so people would not live in fear of targeted violence.
Conservative responses were swift. The RNC Research account on X shared Wiener's post and wrote, "This is the ‘tolerant left.’ Absolutely disgusting." Actor and commentator Dean Cain shared the post and wrote, "Pot, meet kettle," criticizing Wiener's juxtaposition of condemnation and critique.
Kirk, a prominent conservative organizer and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed in Utah last week, an event that prompted vigils at universities across the United States and an ongoing law enforcement investigation. Public reaction has included calls across the political spectrum to denounce political violence while debate has continued over how to discuss the influence and rhetoric of public figures in the aftermath of the killing.
Wiener’s comments highlight tensions between condemning an act of violence and critiquing the record and rhetoric of a public figure. He has at times been a visible presence in California politics, and his statements on X reflect an effort to both denounce the assassination and place it in the context of what he described as harmful political messaging.
