23 House Republicans seek panel to investigate ‘radical left’ after Kirk killing

Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a group of House Republicans is pressing for a formal investigation into “radical left” networks.

On Sept. 11 — the day after Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University — Texas Rep. Chip Roy sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson asking to establish a committee to lead the probe.

Roy pointed to what he called a growing pattern of violence against conservatives, referencing the 2024 attempt on President Donald Trump’s life and the 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball game.

“We must take every step to follow the money and uncover the force behind the NGOs, donors, media, public officials, and all entities driving this coordinated attack,” Roy wrote.

The letter was signed by 22 other House Republicans.

If formed, the select committee would scrutinize organizations such as Antifa and donors like George Soros, a frequent target of conservative ire.

“Political violence of any kind is unacceptable, no matter who commits it,” South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, one of the letter signers, told McClatchy News.

“But let’s not pretend this is an even playing field,” Norman added. “In recent years, we’ve seen organized and well-funded efforts from the radical left to intimidate, disrupt, silence, and even justify violence against Americans they don’t agree with. Too often, the media downplays or excuses this violence when it comes from the left, as we’ve seen this week. That’s unfortunately the reality, and that’s where my concern lies.”

This sentiment was recently echoed by Trump.

“Radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives,” the president said during an Oval Office address the night Kirk was killed.

Experts say violence is on both sides

Experts — including data analysts and political scientists — disputed this Republican rhetoric, according to previous reporting by McClatchy News. They said that political violence in the U.S. is not monopolized by any one party or ideology.

They cited several recent examples of violence perpetrated against Democrats, including the 2025 assassination of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman, the 2022 attack on Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband and the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Moreover, when looking at the bigger picture, partisanship does not emerge as a common denominator in those who commit politically motivated violence, they added.

“Searching for a single partisan motive among perpetrators of political violence is likely a fruitless exercise,” Sean Westwood, a government professor at Dartmouth College and director of the Polarization Research Lab, said. “The more salient common factors are social isolation, mental illness, and a deep-seated conviction that the political system itself is illegitimate.”

​​“While people like to view political violence as left or right, the reality is that it usually is perpetrated by people who are aggressive and are often mentally unbalanced, who draw from a wide range of conspiracy theories and beliefs,” Rachel Kleinfeld, a senior fellow in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said.

Calls for unity

Meanwhile, in response to Kirk’s killing, Democrats have denounced efforts to sow division and called for unity.

“Instead of lowering the temperature, Trump is spiking it,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas told McClatchy News.

“We should be united in rejecting violence, but this partisan, one-sided approach only adds fuel to the fire,” he added. “Trump and his minions, who refuse to even post a plaque honoring the law enforcement heroes who stopped the January 6 insurrection, regularly demonize their adversaries and embrace violence. … Ending the cycle of violence calls for every American to recognize that violence is never the answer.”

“This moment requires leadership that brings the American people together, as opposed to trying to further divide us,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters on Sept. 11.

Many Republican figures have relayed the same sentiment.

“Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens,” former President George W. Bush said in a statement posted on X. “May God bless Charlie Kirk and his family, and may God guide America toward civility.”

“We can always point the finger at the other side,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on Sept. 12 after law enforcement apprehended a suspect in Kirk’s killing, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. “At some point we have to find an off ramp, or else it’s going to get much worse.”

This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 2:03 PM with the headline "23 House Republicans seek panel to investigate ‘radical left’ after Kirk killing."