Kansas Senate president denounces Democrats for ‘out-of-context, BS’ comments on Charlie Kirk

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican running for governor, disputes quotes Masterson says were taken out of context about Charlie Kirk. Seen here during the opening of the legislative session on January 12, 2026. (Photo: Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate voted along partisan lines Wednesday to approve a resolution designating each Oct. 14 as a day to honor the late Charlie Kirk’s commitment to the constitutional rights of free speech and assembly.

The resolution, celebrated by Republicans and rejected by Democrats, was introduced by Sen. Tim Shallenburger, R-Baxter Springs, as a way to express his gratitude for Kirk after he was assassinated while speaking at a Utah college in September 2025. Kirk was known to host public events and verbally spar with attendees on public policy issues. He has attracted fans and critics for his controversial positions on civil rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and diversity, equality, and inclusion.

The Senate resolution, passed 30-9, would recognize his birth date as Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day in Kansas. The annual recognition of his birth and death was crafted by GOP sponsors to draw attention to the importance of First Amendment rights and the value of civil discourse.

“Every member of the Republican Party signed this,” Shallenburger said. “He was known to visit college campuses to communicate with those who disagreed with him.”

The lengthy debate over the resolution in the Senate included two amendments proposed by Democrats and rejected by Republicans. It was decided that neither had anything to do with the decision.

Sen. Silas Miller, a Wichita Democrat, began speaking by voicing his objections to the state government honoring Kirk. Miller cited widely published statements attributed to Kirk that included his criticism of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and his comment that he questioned whether Black airline pilots were qualified. He shared other quotes from Kirk in a document distributed to Senate members.

“Are these words you really want to stand behind?” Miller, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, asked his fellow senators. “Whether I agree to speak or not, I have agreed to fight for everyone’s right to free speech. It is one of the most fundamental rights granted to all Americans through the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican running for governor, emerged from his seat to defend Kirk. He objected to Miller’s distribution of quotes from Kirk without including information that would put those statements in context.

“What you heard there were the top three out-of-context, misquoted comments of BS that I’ve heard on public media,” Masterson said. “I ask each of you to look at the entire list and look at the context and the full breadth of the comments. It’s so out of context it’s appalling. This is the exact opposite of what (Kirk) was talking about. It represented the love of Jesus in difficult conversations.”

Masterson specifically objected to references to Kirk’s declaration that “it was a big mistake that we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s.” The landmark law is considered one of the most important pieces of civil rights law since Reconstruction. Federal law prohibited segregation in public accommodations, schools, and workplaces and prohibited discrimination based on race, color, and religion.

The Annenberg Center for Public Policy’s factcheck.org confirmed that Kirk touched on the issue during a Turning Point USA conference in 2023. The center said Kirk explained that the 1964 civil rights act led to “permanent DEI-type bureaucracy” that served to stifle free speech.

Additionally, Miller referenced the following statement attributed to Kirk: “If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to say, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified.'” Yahoo News fact-checked the quote, but a fact check said Kirk made the comment during a podcast in 2024 about DEI and how it could inspire so-called “thought crime.”

“You want to go for a thought crime?” Kirk said in terms of unhealthy thinking driven by DEI. “I’m sorry. If I see a black pilot, I’ll say, ‘I hope he’s qualified.’ That’s not who I am. That’s not what I believe in.”

Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, proposed an amendment to the resolution that would add references to President Donald Trump to the document to recognize the president’s level of commitment to free speech. lost 30-8.

Haley said she initially viewed Kirk’s decision with dismay, but later decided it was an opportunity for the Senate to “clear the air” by exploring perspectives on the speech that both Kirk and Trump supported. He said he assumes Senate Republicans won’t miss the opportunity to support Trump.

“Trump carries a bigger stick in the American soul,” Haley said.

This was followed by an amendment by Sen. Patrick Schmidt, D-Topeka. Schmidt said he defends people’s right under the First Amendment to make divisive statements, “even if I find that speech disgusting, ugly and disgusting.”

Schmidt said the Kirk decision could be improved by citing Kirk’s commitment to the Second Amendment and raising the profile of Trump’s comments undermining the right to bear arms of Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents during immigration protests in Minneapolis.

Senator Virgil Peck, the Havana Republican who presides over the Senate, asked Schmidt to stop deviating from the idea of ​​honoring Kirk. Schmidt returned to his remarks about Pretti’s death and Trump’s view that Pretti should not have brought a gun to the protest. At this point Peck struck with his gavel.

“You will not disrespect the chair,” Peck said. “You will not maintain this line of communication. You will remain in the decision.”