On Thursday, the House passed a resolution honoring the life of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this month while speaking at a college event in Utah. But not every member of Congress signed on. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, one of the most prominent progressive Democrats, voted against the measure and took to the House floor to explain why.

Ocasio-Cortez made it clear that condemning Kirk’s murder was not in dispute. She said, “Charlie Kirk’s assassination was a horrific and vile attack. Condemning the depravity of his brutal murder is a straightforward matter.”

Instead, Ocasio-Cortez argued, Republicans had written a measure that went further, painting Kirk as a unifying figure and downplaying his history of incendiary rhetoric. “Today’s resolution only underscores the majority’s recklessness by choosing to author this condemnation and honoring on a purely partisan basis,” she said, noting that Congress could have advanced a bipartisan measure similar to those passed in the past.

She pointed to Kirk’s own words as reason for her objection. She recalled his past dismissal of the Civil Rights Act, his comments after the violent assault on Paul Pelosi—when he suggested the attacker should be bailed out by “some amazing patriot”—and his promotion of antisemitic tropes about Jewish control of institutions from universities to Hollywood. “His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Beyond questions of history and legacy, Ocasio-Cortez tied her opposition to what she called an effort by Republicans and the Trump administration to weaponize the tragedy. She cited reports that President Trump and the FCC had raised the possibility of punishing networks like ABC for airing coverage critical of the administration, describing it as “a disgusting attack on the American people and the very First Amendment rights that define us as a country.”

Ocasio-Cortez closed her remarks with sympathy for his family. “We continue to pray for Mr. Kirk’s family and loved ones in the wake of this terrible act,” she said, noting the grief of his wife and children.