Multiple companies across the United States have issued warnings to employees that they won’t have a job to go back to on Monday if they post comments celebrating or mocking the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
The affected professions range from educators to airline pilots. One of the more prominent early cases was the firing of MSNBC analyst Mike Dowd on Sept. 11, the day after Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah university.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Sept. 13 said that multiple pilots employed by American Airlines have been immediately grounded and removed from service, and Delta Airlines employees have also been suspended pending investigation.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed in an email to The Epoch Times on Sept. 12 that the service was made aware of comments made by one of its agents, and has placed that agent on leave.
“The U.S. Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct,” Guglielmi said.
Pough added later: “At the end of the day, you answer to GOD and speak things into existence. You can only circumvent karma, she doesn’t leave.”
“Your employee celebrated and attempted to justify a political assassination,” Blackburn wrote. “This conduct is inexcusable, and I urge you in the strongest possible terms to immediately terminate his employment.”
Investigations have also begun into members of the military and homeland security agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy.
On Sept. 13, Florida’s Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas announced that he will conduct “an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior,” after a public school in Clay County announced the departure of one of their teachers.
On Sept. 13, Florida Atlantic University’s president, Adam Hasner, announced that a tenured faculty member had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into his comments regarding Kirk’s assassination.
Cumberland University, a private liberal arts college in Lebanon, Tennessee, announced the firing of a staff member and a faculty member on Sept. 12.
The employees made “inappropriate comments on the internet related to the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk,” according to Cumberland President Paul Sumb.
Middle Tennessee State University announced on Sept. 10 the termination of an employee who “offered inappropriate and callous comments on social media concerning the horrific and tragic murder of Charlie Kirk,” according to the university’s president, Sidney McPhee.
“The comments by this employee, who worked in a position of trust directly with students, were inconsistent with our values and have undermined the university’s credibility and reputation with our students, faculty, staff and the community at large,” McPhee said in a statement. “This employee has been fired effective immediately. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Kirk family.”
University of Mississippi’s chancellor Glenn Boyce also announced that an employee had been let go after he or she “re-shared hurtful, insensitive comments on social media regarding the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk.”
Clemson University in South Carolina issued a statement condemning any posts glorifying political violence after three faculty members were flagged for their comments.
“We stand firmly on the principles of the U.S. Constitution, including the protection of free speech,” the statement reads. ”However, that right does not extend to speech that incites harm or undermines the dignity of others. We will take appropriate action for speech that constitutes a genuine threat which is not protected by the Constitution.”
None of the faculty members have been fired, and the South Carolina Freedom Caucus has called for a special session in the state legislature to defund the school.
“I proudly support their efforts and hope that the legislature will act swiftly to send a decisive message to all institutions which receive state money: you cannot sit idly by while people under your purview glorify political violence,” Ralph Norman, a Republican candidate for South Carolina governor. ”It cannot be tolerated for a single second, and if you refuse to act, we will strip you of every red cent the hardworking taxpayers have given you.”
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced his department’s own investigations on Sept. 12 after comments made online by teachers were brought to his attention.
An Office Depot employee was also fired for refusing to print posters featuring Charlie Kirk for a vigil.
A video shared to social media showed an employee—who identified as the manager on duty—refusing to print the posters, saying, “We don’t print political propaganda.”
An internal review had been launched as well as reinforced training to ensure “respect, integrity, and customer service are upheld at every location.”
