Johnson County chair defies order to fly flags at half-staff in memory of Charlie Kirk

IOWA CITY — The chair of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, Jon Green, is defying an order from Gov. Kim Reynolds that flags on public buildings be flown at half-staff through Sunday in honor of Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, the CEO and cofounder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, died after being shot Wednesday at an event at Utah Valley University.

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“I condemn Kirk’s killing, regardless of who pulled the trigger or why. But I will not grant Johnson County honors to a man who made it his life’s mission to denigrate so many of the constituents I have sworn to protect, and who did so much harm not only to the marginalized, but also to degrade the fabric of our body politic,” Green wrote in a Facebook post.

Green said he came to the decision in part because a similar order was not given for other victims of political violence, specifically Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman, who with her husband was killed in June.

“She was assassinated because of her politics, and for the governor of a neighboring state to fail to acknowledge that and to show her and her family the deference, respect and societal mourning that is both appropriate and I think necessary was a grievous disappointment,” Green told The Gazette.

Reynolds did issue a statement online condemning the attacks on Hortman and another Minnesota state lawmaker.

Green has emphasized that the directive came from him alone and he will accept any “legal or electoral” consequences that come from the move.

“My constituents deserve to see principled leadership from the folks that they elect, and I hope that I'm providing that,” Green said of his decision.

Reynolds, other Republican leaders condemn move

The governor’s proclamation says flags "will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex.“ It notes that flags ”will also be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state.“

It also “encourages individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties, and other government subdivision to fly the flag at half-staff” as a sign of respect.

Republican leaders from across the state have condemned Green’s decision.

“It’s disgraceful that a locally-elected official has chosen to put politics above human decency during a time like this,” Reynolds said in a statement provided to The Gazette. “Charlie Kirk’s profound impact on our country’s youth should be honored, which is why I ordered all American flags on state grounds and buildings to be lowered in accordance with the presidential proclamation. Our state has a long-standing history of complying with such orders regardless of which political party occupies the White House. I strongly encourage local governments, schools, businesses, and Iowans across our state to fly their flags at half-staff in solidarity as a symbol condemning political violence of any kind.”

In addition to Reynolds, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson shared her disapproval of the move.

“This should be universally condemned. I can’t believe an elected official — at any level — would celebrate the political assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Hinson wrote on her X account.

While Green chose to defy the order flags be flown at half-staff in memory of Kirk, flags were flown at half-staff Thursday to honor victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com

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