Attorney General Pam Bondi Announces DOJ Is Investigating Retailer
The controversy surrounding Office Depot’s refusal to print a memorial poster for Charlie Kirk has escalated to the federal level. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Fox News’ “Hannity” that the Department of Justice is looking into the company’s actions, stating that businesses “cannot discriminate” against customers based on political beliefs.
The investigation stems from an incident in Portage, Michigan, where an Office Depot employee refused to fulfill an order for a poster honoring the recently assassinated Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk.
The employee, who has since been fired, told customers the poster was “political propaganda.” Republican activist Matthew DePerno, who placed the order, posted about the incident on X, garnering widespread attention.
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“We can prosecute you for that,” Bondi said on the show. “I have Harmeet Dhillon right now in our civil rights unit looking at that immediately, that Office Depot had done that. We’re looking at that.”
The incident has become a focal point in a larger national conversation about free speech and political polarization following Kirk’s death. According to Bondi, many leftists, including educators, have been fired for publicly celebrating the assassination.
She called such reactions “horrific” but emphasized that while such speech may be protected under the First Amendment, employers have an “obligation to get rid of people” who say “horrible things.”
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Office Depot has already issued a public apology and confirmed the employee’s termination, stating their behavior was “completely unacceptable and insensitive” and violated company policies. However, the DOJ’s involvement elevates the dispute beyond a private company’s internal matter and into the realm of potential civil rights violations.
Bondi praised Kirk’s legacy, noting that his death has galvanized his supporters. She told Sean Hannity, “They thought they could silence Charlie… What they’ve done is they have created an army of people.” She added that thousands of young people are now “coming out of the woodwork” to support Turning Point USA, with the group reportedly receiving over 32,000 inquiries to start new chapters in the 48 hours following Kirk’s death.
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