Charlie Kirk

The House State Affairs Committee voted 18-7 to designate Oct. 14 as a “Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance” amid fierce debate about Kirk's legacy, First Amendment rights and more.

Republicans in both chambers are moving forward with a proposal that would designate Oct. 14 as "Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance" in Florida.

A federal judge refused to dismiss most of a First Amendment lawsuit filed by a former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist who was fired because of a social-media post after the murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk.

The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Brittney Brown, who worked for the FWC, alleging that her Sept. 15 firing — five days after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed — violated her First Amendment rights.

Attorneys for the state said the state biologist was fired to “prevent foreseeable disruption, reputational harm and loss of public trust. "

Much of Monday’s arguments centered on “heckler’s veto,” when government officials silence an employee because of fear of a hostile reaction from the public.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the 69-year-old man wrote a letter in which he threatened to kill conservative activist Benny Johnson.

Democratic lawmakers and others say it politicizes higher education and distracts from more pressing statewide issues.

Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas lauded the slain activist as a "champion of open civic discourse" who "reminds us that disagreement can and must remain peaceful, principled and constructive."

The lawsuit alleges that the termination "was punishment for expressing a view disfavored by certain state officials."

Attorney General James Uthmeier tied the creation of the portal to the killing earlier this month of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and other acts of political violence.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll was conducted shortly after last week's assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. The poll shows the share of Republicans who see the country headed in the right direction has fallen sharply in recent months.