MADISON — For the second time in months, the Wisconsin Assembly paused to reflect in silence on the assassination of a political figure with a call for civility and a plea to ward off political violence.
Lawmakers began their Sept. 11 floor session with moments of silence in recognition of the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks — naming 12 victims with ties to Wisconsin — and in honor of those mourning the Sept. 10 murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, the leader of Turning Point USA, was shot during a question-and-answer session with students at an event held on Utah Valley University’s campus. He later died after being taken to a nearby hospital, President Donald Trump confirmed. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.
“The state of our nation’s politics is rapidly deteriorating,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, as the session began. “Many see the other party as their mortal enemies out to destroy the country, not just the good-hearted political rivals that we should be. That mindset makes each day a struggle between good and evil rather than a contest between political ideas, both of which have value.”
Such conflicts are ‘”wiping away any public displays of bipartisanship,” Vos said.
“And that’s a huge threat to democracy and to our future.”
Kirk’s murder condemned by Republicans and Democrats
Wisconsin Republicans and Democrats alike condemned Kirk’s murder, including Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who said in a statement, “Violence against anyone because of their political beliefs is wrong. Violence against others is wrong. Violence is never the answer for resolving our differences or disagreements.”
Democratic lawmakers will condemn political violence “wherever it happens, and we promise and pledge to work with anyone to stop this from happening again,” Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, told reporters at a news conference before the Assembly met.
“Violence is never the answer.”
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, prefaced the session by noting it was a “somber day with the recognition of 9/11 and also thinking about the family of Charlie Kirk in the wake of another act of senseless political violence,” but chided Republicans for voting on a bill that would bar government buildings from flying certain flags, acccusing them of “prioritizing culture wars.”
The author of the bill, Rep. Jerry O’Connor, R-Fond du Lac, argued it’s one designed to eliminate “government-sponsored division” and could prevent future political violence by limiting which flags can be on display.
Assembly paused following Minnesota lawmakers shootings
The Assembly had taken a similar pause three months earlier, on June 18, after two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were gunned down in their homes. Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were injured in the politically motivated shootings.
A number of Wisconsin Democrats’ names were included on a manifesto written by the Minnesota shooter. That incident was brought back to the fore last week, when a Democratic lawmaker was briefly investigated for comments her party’s legislative leaders said were about shooting three lawmakers with whom she had disagreements. Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez was cleared, promising to refrain from such “poorly worded hyperbole” in the future.
President Donald Trump did not include the Minnesota shootings in a list of incidents of political violence — including the attempt on his own life last year in Butler, Pennsylvania — as he delivered remarks blaming the “radical left” for Kirk’s death.
Trump vowed that his administration “will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it as well as those who go after our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country.”
Asked about the president’s omission of the attacks on Minnesota Democrats, Vos told reporters he hadn’t seen Trump’s video message, “but I know in his heart, like in the heart of hopefully every patriotic American, we would say that no matter who is assassinated — on the far right, the far left, man, woman, rich, poor, gay, straight — doesn’t matter. Assassination is 100% of the time wrong.”
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Assembly reflects on Kirk assassination, 9/11 anniversary