A North Carolina Democrat is attempting to promote censorship in his state at the same time his party is framing late night host Jimmy Kimmel being taken off the air as an issue of freedom of speech.
State Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed wants to amend Article 22A of Chapter 163 of the North Carolina General Statutes to create a “Prohibition on use of a deceased crime victim’s name, image, or likeness in political advertising.”
The amendment lays out its definitions as follows:
“Deceased crime victim. — An individual whose proximate cause of death was an alleged crime.”
“Immediate family member. — A spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, or grandchild of the deceased victim. This term includes stepparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, and adoptive relationships.”
“Name, image, or likeness. — Any written, visual, or auditory attribute of a deceased crime victim that serves to identify that victim to an ordinary, reasonable reader, viewer, or listener, regardless of the medium that captures the attribute.”
“Political advertising. — An advertisement made by any of the following: a. Any person or entity regulated by or required to file reports to the State Board of Elections or the Federal Elections Commission. b. Any organization exempt from taxation under sections 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.”
The proposal was posted to social media platform X.
Democrat Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed of Mecklenburg County is pushing to ban the use of Iryna Zarutska’s name or image in any political context. It’s a blatant attempt by Democrats to cover up the real consequences of their failed policies. Absolutely shameful. #ncpol #ncga pic.twitter.com/tDN9VhiYRE
— Nick Craig (@nicholasmcraig) September 22, 2025
The intent here is obvious. Mohammed is trying to censor all use of Iryna Zarutska — a Ukrainian woman murdered in a brutal stabbing aboard a Charlotte bus on Aug. 22 whose alleged killer was a deranged criminal who should have been in prison — and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk — who was publicly assassinated on Sept. 10.
Mohammed does not want lax crime policies hurting Democrats in the midterms. Using Zarutska’s likeness would do just that.
He also doesn’t want the left’s radical rhetoric exposed as an evil, murderous ideology that inspired Kirk’s alleged assassin.
Mohammed even thought of Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, when wording his proposal.
Now taking the lead at Turning Point USA to replace her slain husband, Erika Kirk stood strong, making a number of public addresses as a heartbroken wife and mother who has lost the love of her life.
On Sunday, she spoke a message of forgiveness to a massive audience at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Rest assured, Mohammed and other Democrats do not want her on a TV screen either.
Note the hypocrisy in all of this. After late night host Jimmy Kimmel was pulled from the air last week after falsely claiming Kirk’s alleged shooter was part of MAGA, the left suddenly cared about freedom of speech, claiming Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr was directly responsible for the decision when it was an internal matter among network executives and advertisers.
Now Democrats want actual censorship through the law, a true violation of freedom of speech. Mohammed feels the need to protect his party, especially after a senseless killing that happened in his state made national news.
But this proposal won’t stop negative coverage of Democrats.
They can try to silence their opponents, but the internet will not be silenced. Images of Kirk and Zarutska will continue to spread like wildfire. Voters will not forget where the left’s rhetoric is taking this country.
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