Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday (US time). To honour the right-wing Donald Trump ally, a moment of silence was observed on the House floor after the eye-widening horror made shocking headlines on September 10. However, the homage was not only short-lived, but also instantly turned on its head, as mere seconds later, pandemonium broke on the floor.
Amid the already politicised state of the matter, a vicious shouting match erupted between Republicans and Democrats after the moment of silence.
Speaker Johnson request Congress members to rise for the moment of silence
“The Chair would ask that all members presents in the Chamber, and those in the gallery, please rise for a moment of prayer for Charlie Kirk and his family,” said US Speaker of the House Rep Mike Johnson. The Republican politician himself bows down as a sign of respect to the late conservative media personality, as others joined him. Those originally sitting rose from their seats, sharing silence together.
For a few seconds, the entire floor comes to a halt. However, the palpable deafening silence in almost instantly shattered as rousing reactions take centre stage. Rep Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) is the first to be properly heard.
Right after the moment of silence, she urged the House to say a prayer for Kirk, as per Axios’ report. She can even be heard saying “silent prayers get silent results” in the official video of the scene circulating on social media ever since. Her call was immediately interrupted with negative raucous responses. Some were heard yelling out a loud “No” in the chamber.
Colorado school shooting mentioned on the House floor
The commotion only got worse from there on. Some Democrats quickly called the school shooting in Colorado, where a student suspect injured two and then killed himself, to attention. “What about the kids in Colorado,” they shouted in response.
Speaker Johnson repeatedly pounded his gavel to contain the situation, while calling to the House to be in order. However, the scene kept spirally out of control. At one point Boebert claimed that she was going to talk about the Colorado tragedy right as she was cut off by other, as per Axios.
Republican Rep Anna Paulina Luna from Florida eventually stood up and spoke out against Democrats, adding, “You caused this!” She has also been the director of Hispanic engagement at Charlie Kirk‘s conservative organisation Turning Point USA. Later on, she called the disruptions “disgusting,” insinuating that she would encourage Johnson to “go back tomorrow and let us pray on the floor for Charlie Kirk’s family.”
On the contrary, Democratic Rep Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, who is a gun violence prevention task force leader, shouted back, “Pass some gun laws!”
Democratic leader explains why commotion broke out over saying a prayer for Charlie Kirk
Despite having participated in the moment of silence, it appears as if most Democrats took issue with saying a prayer on the House floor, suggesting that it would have been a protocol-breaking undertaking.
House Administration Committee ranking member Joe Morelle, who is a Democrat from New York, told the US news outlet that doing so would’ve gone against their usual practice, as they didn’t even do that for “fallen members.”
He further explained that if there already existed a system that they followed for everyone, violating it for someone particular and creating exceptions “leads to this uneasiness.” Morelle attributed the same to what happened on the House floor on Wednesday afternoon when Boebert asked everyone to say a prayer for Kirk.
See the House Floor shouting match video after Charlie Kirk’s death:
