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Abbreviated Pundit Roundup: Political violence is never justified [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-09-11

Weird that you have to say that. But it’s true.

Washington Post:

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after being shot at Utah event; shooter at large Kirk, 31, emerged as one of the most prominent voices on the right, gaining an audience of millions of listeners between his daily talk show and social media channels. He rose to prominence in conservative circles largely by holding events on college campuses where he debated liberal students. He developed a close relationship with Trump in recent years and was a regular presence at Mar-a-Lago in the winter during Trump’s transition to his second presidential term. Wednesday’s event was sponsored by Utah Valley University’s Turning Point chapter. The school is in Orem, Utah, just north of Provo.

Also true: too many guns.

x In a display of unity across the political aisle, the Young Democrats of Connecticut and Connecticut Young Republicans have issued a joint statement offering prayers for Charlie Kirk and condemning political violence: pic.twitter.com/YpB0WFCmTS — Mike Cerulli (@MikeCerulliCT) September 10, 2025

K5:

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect still at large | What we know The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

x The problem with allowing guns everywhere is that no one is safe anywhere. — Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) September 10, 2025

Steven Beschloss/America, America:

Snapshot: The Assassination of Charlie Kirk The far-right activist’s killing is a tragedy and yet another example of America's epidemic of gun violence The shooting will be traumatic for both eyewitnesses and social media users: A graphic video shows the moment Kirk is shot in the neck, his head jerking back as blood poured out. Decent people can’t help but feel pain for his family. But I’m also thinking about all the people in attendance for this public event and all those who watched the video: Political violence has many victims, including those who have the misfortune to witness it. This latest act of violence adds to the terrible trauma that pervades our society. I dread the ripple effects, even while we should all urge restraint rather than fanning the flames.

x Quinnipiac poll | 9/4-9/8 LV



New York City mayor

🟦Zohran Mamdani 45%

⬜️Andrew Cuomo 23%

🟥Curtis Sliwa 15%

⬜️Eric Adams 12%

—

Without Eric Adams

🟦Zohran Mamdani 46%

⬜️Andrew Cuomo 30%

🟥Curtis Sliwa 17%https://t.co/Ya9R4qXsLl — Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) September 10, 2025

Quinnipiac:

Mamdani Dominates NYC Mayor's Race, Up 22 Points Over Cuomo In 4-Way Race, Quinnipiac University New York City Poll Finds; If Adams Drops Out, Mamdani Still Leads By Double Digits Among likely voters backing Mamdani, 91 percent say they are either very enthusiastic (44 percent) or somewhat enthusiastic (47 percent). Among likely voters backing Sliwa, 79 percent say they are either very enthusiastic (47 percent) or somewhat enthusiastic (32 percent). Among likely voters backing Adams, 75 percent say they are either very enthusiastic (44 percent) or somewhat enthusiastic (31 percent). Among likely voters backing Cuomo, 75 percent say they are either very enthusiastic (32 percent) or somewhat enthusiastic (43 percent).

Ross Barkan/New York:

Why Eric Adams Hates Andrew Cuomo Adams, of course, is polling so badly that his presence in the general election may not matter much either way. Certainly, it will help the young socialist if Adams decides to stick around through November. Sliwa doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. If both men remain actively in the race, Cuomo cannot win. Mamdani, though, could have enough cash and campaign muscle to win no matter what. He’s hit the $8 million spending cap for the general election already, while Adams, Cuomo, and Sliwa are nowhere close. Unlike the primary, he’ll have legitimate outside assistance. A pro-Mamdani super-PAC should be able to raise a lot more money. Large labor unions, backing him instead of Cuomo, are expected to pour cash into an independent expenditure. In June, with the aid of a super-PAC that raised nearly $30 million, Cuomo vastly outspent Mamdani. But there’s no indication that kind of help is arriving again. Rich donors resent Mamdani as much as ever, but they don’t want to back a loser. They saw their super-PAC checks come to nothing in the primary. Most of them would rather wait to see if Cuomo can rise in the polls; others won’t open up their checkbooks again in 2025.

x "Twenty-six percent of likely voters in New York City approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 69 percent disapprove, and 5 percent did not offer an opinion" https://t.co/McYHBHgaGt — Nick Field (@nick_field90) September 10, 2025

Washington Post:

FBI leaders allege in lawsuit they were unlawfully fired over political loyalty The former acting director says a Trump administration official asked a series of questions, including “Who did you vote for?” Before he was briefly named the FBI’s acting director early this year, Brian Driscoll says, he got a call from a Trump administration official who peppered him with a series of pointed questions that appeared to be a loyalty test. Among them: “Who did you vote for?” “When did you start supporting President Trump?” “Have you voted for a Democrat in the last five elections?” “Do you agree that the FBI agents who stormed Mar-a-Lago … should be held accountable?” Driscoll, promoted to the temporary post despite refusing to answer most of the questions, detailed the episode in a federal lawsuit Wednesday in which he and two other former senior FBI officials allege they were ultimately fired by eventual FBI Director Kash Patel for unlawful and politically motivated reasons that often appeared to be in response to social media posts from far-right critics.

ABC:

Schumer makes move to force Senate vote on releasing the Epstein files Schumer told reporters that "the American people need to see this." Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took a rare procedural step that will force a vote that will put Senate Republicans on the record about whether they want the Jeffrey Epstein files released. The surprising move by Schumer forces a vote on an amendment that would compel the Department of Justice to release the Jeffrey Epstein files ahead of a vote on the massive must-pass defense spending bill. It means that the Senate will have to vote on Schumer's Epstein amendment before they vote on the must-pass bill that gives raises to troops and funds military projects. There's no clear way for the Senate to avoid taking up Schumer's Epstein amendment -- and no real way for senators to avoid going on the record about whether they want the files released. Schumer told reporters he was forcing a Senate vote on releasing the Epstein files because "the American people need to see this."

The amendment failed 51-49 but Rs are now on record as voting for an Epstein cover-up.

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