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The four Republicans who sided with Democrats were Mike Flood (R-NE), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Jeff Hurd (R-CO), and Cory Mills (R-FL).
After the vote, McClintock admitted Omar’s words were “vile” but argued that defending free speech—even the speech we hate—is part of what makes America free.
“Ilhan Omar’s comments regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk are vile and contemptible. They deserve the harshest criticism of every man and woman of good will. But this disgusting and hateful speech is still speech and is protected by our First Amendment,” McClintock said.
He went further, insisting that Congress should not be in the business of punishing lawmakers for speech outside official House proceedings. “Censure is formal punishment by the House and we have already gone too far down this road. Omar’s comments were not made in the House and even if they were, they broke no House rules. A free society depends on tolerating ALL speech — even hateful speech — confident that the best way to sort good from evil is to put the two side by side and trust the people to know the difference,” he explained.
Hurd expressed a similar view. While condemning Omar’s words, he said stripping her of committee assignments would set a dangerous precedent.
“Ilhan Omar’s comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, as well as her comments about those who supported Charlie, are ghoulish and evil. I condemn them completely,” Hurd said.
“But I voted against today’s censure because it tried to strip another Member of Congress from committees and to silence her for exercising the First Amendment right to free speech. The right response to reprehensible speech like this isn’t silencing: it’s more speech. That’s what Charlie Kirk believed and practiced, and I agree,” he told Fox News Digital.
Meanwhile, Democrats quietly dropped a separate censure motion against Rep. Cory Mills, who has faced accusations of domestic abuse and financial misconduct—allegations he strongly denies.
“The 7 Articles and 27 Amendments of our Constitution are not followed only when it serves your purpose…We may not like or agree with what someone says, but that does not mean we should deny their protected 1A Right,” Mills posted after the vote.
Rep. Flood told Fox News the proper venue for addressing Omar’s remarks is the House Ethics Committee, not the House floor.
“Ilhan Omar’s statements and social media posts are reprehensible and should be referred to the Ethics Committee. The appropriate time to consider a censure motion would be after ethics reviews her conduct,” Flood said.
Omar violated the very FIRST RULE OF ETHICS IN THE HOUSE…..RULE XXIII—CODE OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT
There is hereby established by and for the House the following code of conduct, to be known as the ‘‘Code of Official Conduct’’:
1. A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.
2. A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall adhere to the spirit and the letter of the Rules of the House and to the rules of duly constituted committees thereof.