Cody wrote a post on his personal account, sharing a quote by Kirk defending Second Amendment rights, calling the political organizer and television host a “fitting sacrifice” at the altar of gun rights.
“Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords: Smith and Wesson. Hallowed be their names,” Cody wrote, the latter an apparent reference to the Lord’s Prayer. The text and image of the post have been preserved by several Florida media outlets, including the Tampa Free Press. The council member posted the message on his personal Facebook account, which sports an image, apparently created by artificial intelligence, of President Donald Trump holding and yelling at a taco.
WATCH — Charlie Kirk Talks About God, Divine Providence after Donald Trump Assassination Attempt:
Charlie Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, a national political organizing initiative to galvanize young conservatives on college campuses, and hosted an online program. He was a prolific commentator on domestic and international political issues. On Wednesday, Kirk was leading a public event at Utah Valley University in which he encouraged college students to challenge his beliefs and engage in open, civil debate. It was part of a larger tour of college campuses meant to rekindle civil debate between the left and right among youth in America.
An unknown shooter killed Kirk with a shot to the neck during the public debate. The suspect remains at large at press time and the FBI announced on Thursday it would offer up to $100,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the suspect in question.
Cody has since deleted his post mocking Kirk – following calls for his resignation from several high-profile Florida political leaders – and published a letter apologizing for his statements and expressing condolences for Kirk.
“Yesterday, I regrettably made a significant error in judgment by sharing a quotation on my personal Facebook page that referenced remarks made by the deceased Charlie Kirk,” Cody wrote. “This action, born out of my deep anger and frustration with the now too common tragedy of gun violence, was misguided.”
“I want to state unequivocally that this post did not and does not reflect my personal values, my deeply held beliefs, or my solemn responsibilities as an elected official,” he claimed. “To the Kirk family, my sincere condolences during this difficult time, and my apologies for any statements I made that caused you further distress.”
Cody shared the letter to his personal account with the caption, “I screwed up.”
Republicans in Florida have vocally condemned Cody’s rhetoric following the harrowing assassination.
“Absolutely mortified by Palmetto Bay councilman Steve Cody’s mocking of Charlie Kirk’s death in real time,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) wrote in a statement on social media. “This is unbecoming of any elected official. Steve Cody must resign.”
Colleague Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) similarly demanded Cody “resign immediately.”
“How disgusting for Steve Cody, an elected official, to not only celebrate news of Charlie Kirk’s assasination, but also, sacrilegiously smear the name of an American Patriot who was passionate about his faith in the one true lord, Jesus Christ,” she wrote. “Charlie wanted his legacy to be courage for his faith. People like Cody betray the trust of the very community they represent. ”
“Palmetto Bay deserves leaders who model integrity and respect, not officials who glorify violence and mock a man’s faith,” she concluded. “This country was built on the values of free speech, civic discourse and debate. Steve Cody doesn’t understand one of the most fundamental and basic principles of our nation, or have any common decency.”
In a pithier response to Cody’s statement, Florida State Senator Ileana Garcia (R) wrote, “Abhorrent!! Unacceptable!! Resign!!!!!!!!!!!”
Cody, who was born in Massachusetts, has served as a council member for Palmetto Bay since 2020 and is an outspoken opponent of President Trump. His tenure has not been without controversy on the council. In May, Cody dramatically challenged the legitimacy of Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer, suing over the matter following a property dispute. Local media decried that Cody’s challenge “is costing residents thousands of dollars in legal fees” as Palmetto Bay “must pay for its own legal representation as well as Merwitzer’s defense.”
The calls for Cody to resign follow an outpouring of celebration and hatred from leftist public and private figures, including educators, in Florida. The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) addressed the situation by stating it would engage in thorough investigations of any celebrations of the assassination.
“It has been brought to my attention that some Florida educators have posted despicable comments on social media regarding the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas announced. “These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida’s educators. Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”
At least one education official in Miami lost his job in the past 24 hours for publishing a statement on social media describing the assassination as “karma.”
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