Howell, MI – A Democratic candidate for city council is facing growing backlash after publicly describing the assassination attempt on conservative activist Charlie Kirk as “karma.” Jeffrey Amayo, who is running for office this year in Howell, doubled down on his remarks in a fiery social media post on Wednesday, drawing condemnation from opponents and calls for labor unions to revoke their endorsements.
Amayo, a Democrat and supporter of Kamala Harris for President in 2024 said he is running for office to preserve his rights, claiming, “They have already taken my daughters from me.”
Amayo, endorsed by IBEW Local 252 and Local 665, initially posted the “karma” comment shortly after the shooting incident involving Kirk. Critics quickly accused him of celebrating political violence. Instead of walking back his remarks, Amayo released a defiant statement Thursday morning, rejecting calls to apologize and insisting he does not condone violence.
“To those blowing up my phone… you think that intimidation tactic really works?” Amayo wrote. “I do not condone violence… and I have that woke emotion empathy for Charlie Kirk’s children… I am not intimidated… grow the [expletive] up.”
He went on to defend his original post, arguing he was making a statement about hypocrisy, not celebrating the shooting. “I just stated a fact… he began to talk about the gun violence perpetrated by the trans community when he was shot,” Amayo said, adding, “According to Charlie, this life is all about the preparation of the next… so he will get to spend an eternity with his God.”
The comments have stirred fresh debate in Howell, where Amayo is campaigning for a seat on city council. His critics have pointed to his past appearances as an antagonist at a 2024 Trump rally as evidence of a history of confrontational politics.
As of Thursday, neither IBEW Local 252 nor Local 665 had publicly addressed whether they will reconsider their endorsements following the controversy.
Key Points
- Howell city council candidate Jeffrey Amayo called the Charlie Kirk shooting attempt “karma” in a social media post.
- Amayo doubled down on his comments, saying he does not condone violence but refused to apologize.
- He is endorsed by IBEW Local 252 and 665, with critics demanding the unions withdraw support.
Howell voters are now watching closely to see if Amayo’s defiance will cost him support in the race.