A packed chamber met Kelso City Council members Tuesday evening after local Facebook groups posted screenshots of an online comment councilmember Jim Hill made disparaging conservative activist and recently assassinated Charlie Kirk.
Hill's online comment questions if Kirk's death was positive, and predicted more assassinations in light of the county's political divide.
The Facebook group Cowlitz County News created on Monday a Facebook event — in which 215 people responded to — to encourage people to speak against Hill’s comments at Kelso City Hall.
The backlash comes as others across the country — including teachers, an Office Depot employee, government workers and a TV pundit — were fired or punished following negative comments about Kirk.
Councilmember Keenan Harvey called for a vote of no confidence from the council regarding Hill — though no vote took place — while Councilmember Lisa Alexander encouraged people to unite and pray for peace.
Hill said he'd rent a space to allow those who didn't have time to speak at the meeting to share their opinions with him. But he made one thing clear.
"I do not support assassinations as a tool," he said.
Hill confirmed he posted the comment after a member of the public asked him at the meeting.
The comment in question was left on the website of former The Daily News City Editor Andre Stepankowsky, and said in part, "There is one less voice to promote Trump's agenda. Where Trump, and his minion's want our Country to go. Perhaps its a good thing his voice was silenced."
The comment was in response to an opinion piece Stepankowsky wrote against recent assassinations, including Kirk's on Sept. 10 and a Democratic Minnesota legislator and her spouse's in June, as well as the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in July 2024.
Hill's post also says, "Folks face the truth that this is our new reality. Assassinations are going to continue. That there is unprecedented hate, I think, is out there. And guns are going to be the answer as to whether we continue to seek the ideals of our Constitution, continue our search for a better nation on one side or Trumpism wins out. We must expect people on both sides take up arms ..."
About a dozen people spoke at the start of the meeting, telling Hill he stoked the fires of hate, suggesting fellow councilmembers distance themselves from Hill, and asking Hill to resign.
He was told his views on Kirk were ill-informed because he relies on left-wing media like The New York Times, and that Kirk was tolerant and a champion of free speech because he listened to the views of different people, including those who are gay and transgender.
Cheers erupted from the roughly 80 people present after the first speaker discussed Kirk, prompting Mayor Veryl Anderson to warn the audience to quiet before the room was cleared. Still, the claps continued after other speakers.
David Knoeppel, of Castle Rock, said Kirk didn’t attack or raise his voice, but promoted free speech by “going into the lion’s den” at college campuses.
The 31-year-old father of two dropped out of college to cofound his political nonprofit Turning Point USA, eventually becoming a key Trump ally.
Kirk was killed at a Utah college, speaking at a debate hosted by his organization. Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.
“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” the person asked. Kirk responded, “Too many.”
One more question was asked, then a single shot rang out.
Cowlitz County Republican Party Chairman Randy Knox said at the meeting that he knows Hill and has had lunch with him, but it was "out of line" for an elected leader with power to share such a hostile opinion. He called on people to bridge their divides and make their country better.
When the allotted time for public comment ended and more wanted to speak, Harvey motioned to extend the period, but it was voted down.
Shouts of "cowards" and "resign" sprang from the audience. One man yelled "USA" as a chunk of the crowd dispersed into the hallway, and another man continued to speak at the podium, pointing his finger at Hill and telling him to resign.
Harvey's motion for a vote of no confidence in Hill is the latest dispute between the pair following the 2019 election, when Harvey unseated Hill with nearly 58% of the votes. Hill later ran for a different seat and won.
Meeting attendees on Tuesday included about four youth, as well as other elected leaders, including all of the Cowltiz County commissioners and Longview City Councilmember Kalei LaFave. Some people wore American flag shirts; one woman held a cardboard sign that read, in part, "Kelso must not let hate win."
Before the meeting, a pastor led a prayer, asking for healing in light of recent events, and for “God’s truth” to remain present during the meeting.
A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution spoke before public comment about the 238th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution’s signing on Wednesday, as well as Kirk’s courage to speak "the truth."
After the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the meeting, an audience member cheered.
