Mike Allen at Axios:
Prominent right-wing influencers are amplifying screenshots of anti-Kirk social posts along with names and employers, tagging companies directly and urging their followers to demand firings. Numerous employees have been fired or suspended.An anonymous website claims to be building a searchable database with more than 50,000 submissions — at one point branding it the "largest firing operation in history."
Participants in the massive grassroots campaign dismiss accusations of right-wing "cancel culture," framing it as a moral test: If you cheer an assassination, your employer should know.Trump officials have embraced the effort: Several members of the military have already been fired after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directed Pentagon staff to monitor social media posts.
"These are radicalized people," Miller furiously declared on Fox News, citing examples of teachers, nurses and federal workers celebrating Kirk's death. "There is a domestic terrorist movement in this country."
Universities in red states have fired or suspended employees regarding social media posts about Charlie Kirk’s death that school leadership found inappropriate, underscoring how fraught freedom of speech on college campuses is becoming.
The firings and suspensions come after backlash from Republican elected officials. In some cases lawmakers shared screenshots of employee posts on their social media accounts.
Clemson University, a college in South Carolina, announced on Saturday that it suspended one of its employees. The school said it is continuing “to thoroughly review the inappropriate social media content posted by employees in response to the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk.” The university said it would be providing no further details since it’s a personnel matter.
The employee’s suspension comes one day after House Judiciary Republicans posted “Defund Clemson” on X in response to the university’s statement condemning endorsement of political violence, while also reaffirming its commitment to free speech. Other Republicans chimed in.
“Free speech doesn’t prevent you from being fired if you’re stupid and have poor judgement,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a post on X.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-N.C.) also publicly condemned the university for not firing employees she believed made inappropriate comments about Kirk.
Cumberland University, in northern Tennessee, announced on Friday that two employees — an assistant coach and an English professor — were no longer at the university. President Paul Stumb said that the employees “made inappropriate comments on the internet related to the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk.”
“This decision was not made lightly,” Stumb said in a statement. “We understand the importance and impact of this action, and we want to emphasize that we conducted a comprehensive investigation prior to making our decision.”
