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Line 53: − − ==Controversies== − TPUSA early on relied on funds from many big donors, including the [[Koch Brothers]]<ref>https://www.prwatch.org/news/2020/04/13557/koch-foundation-criticizes-turning-point-usa-even-koch-network-funds-group</ref><ref>https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Turning_Point_USA</ref>. They claim to advocate for conservative values, yet their conservatism is lukewarm at best, despite what Charlie Kirk may say. They were recently heard telling their employees to avoid discussing controversial social issues, and to instead focus solely on agreeable [[fiscal policy]]. − − Former employees of the organization have accused it of engaging in [[racist]] practices, as well as potentially illegal involvement in the [[2016 presidential election]]. − − In 2016, Turning Point at [[Grand Valley State University]] filed a lawsuit against the trustees of the school. The complainants asked the court to prohibit enforcement of GVSU's Speech Zone policy and declare it a violation of the students' 1st and 14th Amendment freedoms. They have since reached a settlement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/03/gvsu_reaches_settlement_with_s.html|title=GVSU reaches settlement with student group alleging it restricted free speech|work=MLive.com|access-date=February 7, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> − − In December 2016, Turning Point quoted [[Nancy Pelosi]] in a Facebook post as saying: "Employers cutting hours is a good thing. It then gives that person time to pursue their dreams and passions."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2016/dec/12/turning-point-usa/facebook-image-revives-made-claim-nancy-pelosi-pra/ |title=Group spreads fake quote from Pelosi about working hours |newspaper=@politifact|access-date=February 19, 2017|language=en}}</ref> − − In May 2017, [[DePaul University]] refused to allow Turning Point to post "Gay Lives Matter" posters on campus. Matt Lamb, a spokesperson for Turning Point, said that the action by DePaul was an infringement of free speech rights.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://depauliaonline.com/2017/05/22/university-rejects-gay-lives-matter-poster-promoting-guest-speaker/|title=University rejects Gay Lives Matter poster promoting guest speaker • The DePaulia|date=May 22, 2017|website=The DePaulia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804052949/http://depauliaonline.com/2017/05/22/university-rejects-gay-lives-matter-poster-promoting-guest-speaker/|archive-date=August 4, 2017}}</ref> − − In September 2017, a [[University of Nebraska]] lecturer was reassigned after she received threats stemming from a video posted online that showed her confronting a student recruiting for TPUSA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=45726911&title=nebraska-lecturer-reassigned-after-student-confrontation|title=Nebraska lecturer reassigned after student confrontation {{!}} KSL.com|access-date=September 8, 2017|language=en}}</ref> − − In October 2017, several Turning Point student members at [[Kent State University]] conducted a protest against campus "safe space" culture, which involved members dressing up in diapers as babies.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/tpusa-diaper-protest-kent-state/|title=Conservative group dons diapers to protest safe spaces at Kent State|date=October 19, 2017|work=The Daily Dot|accessdate=November 23, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/a-bunch-of-conservative-students-dressed-up-as-babies-to-protest-safe-spaces/120706|title=A Bunch of Conservative Students Dressed Up as Babies to Protest Safe Spaces – The Ticker - Blogs - The Chronicle of Higher Education|website=Chronicle.com|language=en-US|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref> Following widespread ridicule on social media, the student-run publication ''KentWired.com'' reported that the Turning Point chapter at Kent State had disbanded.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.kentwired.com/latest_updates/article_150da234-1053-11e8-a675-0b661d4f9580.html|title=Kent State chapter of Turning Point to disband|last=Gall|first=Addie|work=KentWired.com|access-date=February 13, 2018|language=en}}</ref> − − In February 2018, the [[University of South Florida]] chapter of TPUSA was dissolved when it was discovered that their president, Aida Vazquez-Soto, was working with a pro-Palestinian group. Vazquez-Soto said 'Something is clearly wrong with an organization that felt that somehow by silencing me they could deal with the problem at hand.' <ref>[http://www.usforacle.com/news/view.php/1032038/Rumors-lead-to-shake-up-of-TPUSA] {{dead link|date=February 2019}}</ref> − − In June 2018, conservative radio talk show host [[Joe Walsh (Illinois politician)|Joe Walsh]] resigned from the TPUSA board because Charlie Kirk was too closely tied to Donald Trump. Walsh said that "It’s so important to not be beholden to politicians, but to be beholden to the issues ... When Charlie went to work for Trump, that crossed that line. You can’t advance Trump and advance these issues."<ref>Keilman, John (October 20, 2018) [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-charlie-kirk-turning-point-campus-conservatives-profile-20181019-story.html "Before Trump and Kanye became fans, Charlie Kirk battled 'Marxist' high school teachers in Chicago's suburbs"] ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''</ref> − − In October 2018, the Miami New Times reported that TPUSA members at [[Florida International University]] shared jokes "about watching underage cartoon [[pornography]] and deporting [[Latina]] women, and, in the most repugnant case, share racist '[[Pepe the Frog]]' memes showing Syrian men raping a white Swedish woman at gunpoint."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/turning-point-usa-fiu-chapter-shares-racist-sexist-pepe-memes-10827433|title=Chats Show FIU Turning Point USA Members Sharing Racist Memes and Rape Jokes|first=Jerry|last=Iannelli|date=October 16, 2018|newspaper=[[Miami New Times]]|accessdate=February 15, 2019}}</ref> − − In November 2018, [[Fox News]] correspondent Rick Leventhal cut off Turning Point USA's Anna Paulina after she compared former Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] to the disease [[herpes]].<ref>Croucher, Shane (November 23, 2018) [https://www.newsweek.com/video-fox-news-guest-attacks-hillary-clinton-she-wont-go-away-shes-herpes-1228486 "Fox News Guest Attacks Hillary Clinton—'She Won’t Go Away, She’s Like Herpes'] ''[[Newsweek]]''</ref> − − ''[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]'' reported in February 2019 that [[Benny Johnson]] – who was fired from [[BuzzFeed]] in 2014 for multiple instances of [[plagiarism]], and later let go by [[Independent Journal Review]] for multiple problems, including plagiarism – was joining TPUSA as their "Chief Creative Officer".<ref>Kirell, Andrew (February 6, 2019) [https://www.thedailybeast.com/serial-plagiarist-benny-johnson-joining-charlie-kirks-turning-point-usa "Serial Plagiarist Benny Johnson Joining Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA"] ''[[The Daily Beast]]''</ref> − − === Accusations of racism === − In December 2017, ''[[The New Yorker]]'' published an article by [[Jane Mayer]] showcasing interviews with former minority members of the organization. Former staff members said they witnessed widespread discrimination against minorities in the group, and stated "the organization was a difficult workplace and rife with tension, some of it racial."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-conservative-nonprofit-that-seeks-to-transform-college-campuses-faces-allegations-of-racial-bias-and-illegal-campaign-activity|title=Allegations of Racial Bias and Illegal Campaign Activity at a Conservative Nonprofit That Seeks to Transform College Campuses|last=Mayer|first=Jane|date=December 21, 2017|url-access=limited|work=The New Yorker|access-date=December 23, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Conservative Campus Org Turning Point USA 'Rife' With Racism, Probably Illegal Campaign Activity|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/conservative-campus-org-turning-point-usa-rife-with-racism-possibly-illegal-campaign-activity|newspaper=[[The Daily Beast]]|date=December 22, 2017|accessdate=December 23, 2017}}</ref> One former employee, an African-American woman, said she was the only person of color working for the organization at the time she was hired in 2014; she then said that she was fired on [[Martin Luther King Jr. Day]]. The article also revealed text messages sent by Crystal Clanton – who was a leading figure in the organization and served as the group's national field director for five years – to another Turning Point employee saying "i hate black people. Like f*** them all . . . I hate blacks. End of story." Kirk responded to the revelations by saying that "Turning Point assessed the situation and took decisive action within 72 hours of being made aware of the issue."<ref name=":0" /> The article also noted that Kirk had explicitly praised Clanton in his book ''Time for a Turning Point'', saying that she had been "the best hire we ever could have made," and that "Turning Point needs more Crystals; so does America."<ref name=":0" /> − − In an article titled "Turning Point USA Keeps Accidentally Hiring Racists," ''[[HuffPost]]'' reported that the woman hired to replace Crystal Clanton had a history of using racial slurs, particularly against African-Americans, on [[Twitter]] before deleting her account. In response to the reports, Kirk referred to the individual in question as "a former employee" in his official statement (without clarifying when she had been fired), and Turning Point issued an internal memo announcing that all current and new staff would face social media background checks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/turning-point-usa-racist-tweets_us_5ad65b06e4b029ebe01ed1ac|title=Turning Point USA Keeps Accidentally Hiring Racists|date=April 25, 2018|work=[[HuffPost]]|first=Ashley|last=Feinberg|accessdate=May 1, 2018}}</ref> − − Charlie Kirk has said Turning Point USA has no relationship with [[alt-right]] groups.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/education/2016/11/professor_watchlist_is_a_grotesque_catalog_of_left_leaning_academics.html|title=Oh Good, a "Professor Watch List"|date=November 23, 2016|journal=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|first=Rebecca|last=Schuman}}</ref> In 2017, Turning Point chapters organized campus visits by former Breitbart editor [[Milo Yiannopoulos]] to the [[University of Colorado Boulder]] and [[Miami University (Ohio)]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.timescall.com/lifestyles/ci_30740081/2-000-student-fees-going-toward-milo-yiannopoulos|title=$2,000 in student fees going toward Milo Yiannopoulos visit to CU Boulder|access-date=February 19, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cuindependent.com/2017/01/26/turning-point-usa-defends-decision-invite-milo-yiannopoulos-cu-boulder/|title=Turning Point USA defends decision to invite Milo Yiannopoulos to CU Boulder|last=CUIndependent|date=January 26, 2017|website=CU Independent|access-date=February 19, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thesantaclara.org/boiling-point-over-turning-point/#.WKJJ5IWcG00|title=Boiling Point Over Turning Point|newspaper=The Santa Clara|access-date=February 19, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> − − In 2018, The [[Southern Poverty Law Center]]'s [[Hate Watch]] documented TPUSA's links to [[white supremacists]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/02/16/turning-point-usas-blooming-romance-alt-right|title=Turning Point USA's blooming romance with the alt-right|website=Southern Poverty Law Center|accessdate=February 15, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/06/15/turning-point-usa-accused-%E2%80%98boosting-their-numbers-racists%E2%80%99-long-established-conservative|title=Turning Point USA accused of ‘boosting their numbers with racists’ by long-established conservative student group|website=Southern Poverty Law Center|accessdate=February 15, 2019}}</ref> − − ===Conflicts with other conservative organizations=== − In May 2018, an internal memo written by [[Young America's Foundation]] (YAF) was leaked, in which YAF leadership "warned" its members to not associate with Turning Point. The memo accused the organization of various improprieties such as exaggerating the number of Turning Point chapters and activities around the country, taking credit for other organizations' events, increasing attendance at its own events by "boosting numbers with racists & Nazi sympathizers," and sponsoring "humiliating" campus activism events, in reference to the Kent State diaper incident.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/Leaked-Memo-From-Conservative/243688|title=Leaked Memo From Conservative Group Cautions Students to Stay Away From Turning Point USA|work=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]|author=Michael Vasquez|date=June 15, 2018|accessdate=August 21, 2018}}</ref> In addition, the YAF memo included another memo on the subject circulated internally by [[Young Americans for Liberty]], which accused Turning Point of illegally obtaining YAL's email list and soliciting its students without their permission, which Turning Point only stopped doing after being issued a cease-and-desist order.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yaf.org/news/yaf-memo-advising-our-students-about-tpusa/|title=YAF Memo: Advising Our Students About TPUSA|work=[[Young America's Foundation]]|author=Kimberly Begg|date=May 25, 2018|accessdate=August 21, 2018}}</ref> − − After the memo was leaked in June 2018, a representative for Turning Point criticized Young America's Foundation in a statement to ''[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]'', accusing the group of "abandoning the 'Reagan Rule'" that "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican." Although Charlie Kirk did not directly respond to the memo, he posted on Twitter that he wished "some conservatives fought the left as hard as they fight people who support President Trump." Turning Point's Communications Director [[Candace Owens]] directly responded to the memo, saying she was "truly speechless" over the memo supposedly attacking Kirk for his lack of college experience. A former employee stated on Twitter that "TPUSA activists do some incredible work. It’s a shame the face for their work has become constant, EXTREME inflation of numbers to mislead donors. They have an opportunity to turn this around, and they should."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/Leaked-Memo-From-Conservative/243688|title=Leaked Memo From Conservative Group Cautions Students to Stay Away From Turning Point USA|newspaper=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]|date=June 15, 2018|first=Michael|last=Vasquez}}</ref> − − In the [[Hillsdale College]] Daily Collegian, opinions editor Kaylee McGhee, wrote an article titled "Charlie Kirk and TPUSA aren’t conservative, as real conservatives already knew." In the article, McGhee referred to TPUSA as a "reactionary cancer" rather than a group supporting real conservatism that is "supposed to preserve the timeless principles of liberty and equality for all." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://hillsdalecollegian.com/2018/06/charlie-kirk-tpusa-arent-conservative-real-conservatives-already-knew/|title=Charlie Kirk and TPUSA aren’t conservative, as real conservatives already knew|first=Kaylee|last=McGhee|date=June 21, 2018|website=Hilldadalecollegian.com|accessdate=February 15, 2019}}</ref> − − In late October 2018, ''[[The Daily Beast]]'' reported that [[Lucian Wintrich]] and other conservatives blamed Charlie Kirk and [[Candace Owens]] for losing [[Kanye West]] as an ally of President Trump.<ref>Sommer, Will (October 31, 2018) [https://www.thedailybeast.com/pro-trump-activists-blame-charlie-kirk-and-candace-owens-for-losing-kanye-west "Pro-Trump Activists Blame Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens for Losing Kanye West"] ''[[The Daily Beast]]''/</ref> Since then, West has re-affirmed his support for President Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pagesix.com/2019/01/01/kanye-west-wants-everyone-to-know-hes-still-team-trump/?_ga=2.27388798.394705930.1546823176-138486764.1546823176|title=Kanye West wants everyone to know he's still team Trump|date=January 1, 2019|access-date=January 6, 2019|publisher=''[[Page Six]]''}}</ref> − − ===Internal dissension=== − After TPUSA's annual "Student Action Summit" in late December 2018, dissidents within the organization, headed by conservative activist Kevin Martin, formed "Heal Our Voice", a group critical of Kirk's leadership of Turning Point USA. One member of the group told ''[[The Daily Beast]]'' that "Charlie Kirk can be a little bit of a snowflake — or a lot a bit of a snowflake." Other complaints concerned sexual harassment and assault at TPUSA events.<ref>Sommer, Will (January 8, 2019) [https://www.thedailybeast.com/turning-point-faces-internal-backlash-rude-memes "Turning Point Dissidents Turn on 'Snowflake' Founder and Fox News Darling Charlie Kirk"] ''[[The Daily Beast]]''</ref>
Turning Point USA (view source)
Revision as of 15:41, September 19, 2025
, 15:41, September 19, 2025→Controversies
In October 2016, Kirk participated in a [[Fox News]] event along with [[Donald Trump Jr.]], [[Eric Trump]], and [[Lara Trump]] that had a pro-[[Donald Trump]] tone. A Turning Point staff member wrote on Facebook that students who attended the event would have their expenses covered. The event led tax experts to say the organization's conduct may have violated its tax-exempt status, a charge disputed by Turning Point.<ref name=auto/>
In October 2016, Kirk participated in a [[Fox News]] event along with [[Donald Trump Jr.]], [[Eric Trump]], and [[Lara Trump]] that had a pro-[[Donald Trump]] tone. A Turning Point staff member wrote on Facebook that students who attended the event would have their expenses covered. The event led tax experts to say the organization's conduct may have violated its tax-exempt status, a charge disputed by Turning Point.<ref name=auto/>
== Founder Charlie Kirk ==
== Founder Charlie Kirk ==