A Montana State University-Northern associate professor was placed on leave and faced death threats after making social media comments following the death of conservative Charlie Kirk, though a state law passed in 2023 has thus far prevented her from being fired.
Screenshots of the comments, first reported by KRTV, show Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Samantha Balemba-Brownlee called Kirk a “misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic asshole.”
“He harmed society. He cut down women at every turn,” she said. “No, I do not mourn the man.”
When it was first announced Kirk had been shot, she said “Not condoning violence, but maybe people are sick of the garbage he spews, perhaps?”
Then followed it with: “Update: He died. Aw shucks. Thoughts and prayers.”
The university has been under pressure from conservatives on social media to fire Balemba-Brownlee, a small part of a national trend in which people who criticized Kirk posthumously or celebrated his death have had their jobs targeted. But Balemba-Brownlee is protected by a 2023 state law that made it illegal for Montana employers to fire staff because of social media comments.
Balemba-Brownlee has faced threats to her life since her post, and the Canadian immigrant has heard people discuss wanting to see her and her husband deported, she said in an interview with Lee Enterprises.
Chancellor Greg Kegel said the university is “deeply saddened” by Kirk’s assassination and distanced the school from Balemba’s comments in a statement last week.
“While MSU-Northern does not take a political position, we strongly condemn violence in all forms and remain committed to fostering a safe, respectful environment where dialogue and learning can thrive,” Kegel said. “Any statements made by our staff or faculty do not reflect the opinions of MSU-Northern.”
State employees can’t use public resources, their time on the clock, for political activity, according to state law created in 2023,. And in March 2024, the Montana commissioner of higher education issued a directive saying state employees may not engage in political activity on the job.
Balemba-Brownlee said she made the post to her personal, private Facebook account on her own time. She said Havre Councilwoman Sarah McKinney screenshotted her comments and posted them to her own page. McKinney did not immediately respond to emailed questions on Tuesday.
Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte posted to social media saying he was “sickened” by online commentary on Kirk’s murder, but also cited the law he signed in 2023 prohibiting employers from firing staff for social media posts.
The law does include a provision that says employees can be fired if they violate their employer’s written policy or terms and conditions of their employment contract.
“It’s disgusting to see people using their freedom of speech to celebrate Charlie Kirk’s murder on social media and further divide our country,” Gianforte said. “While I am sickened by what I’ve seen on social media, I must and will uphold my oath to the Constitution and the laws of our state. I ask every American to join me in seeking greater unity in our nation, not division.”
The Board of Regents declined to comment on campus personnel matters, a spokesperson said.
The threats against Balemba-Brownlee started with comments like “watch your back,” or “you’re going to get yours,” she said.
But things escalated during a Charlie Kirk memorial event in town.
“People at the memorial were saying that they should all gang up and come over and grab me from my house and take me to town square and execute me,” she said. “It’s scary to hear a mob talking about me like that.”
Professors across the country are getting fired for expressing their views on Kirk’s death, the New York Times reported. Vice President JD Vance encouraged report others celebrating Kirk’s death to those people’s employers when he hosted a guest episode of Kirk’s podcast.
Balemba-Brownlee said she wasn’t happy Kirk was killed.
“Just because I didn’t like somebody doesn’t mean I was glad that he was killed,” she said. “I was not glad that he was killed. I did not want him to die. I was not happy that he died. None of that is true.”
She’s added additional cameras at her home for extra security and has been in touch with police in Havre and at the MSU campus in Bozeman.
But she’s still afraid to go out and make trips to Walmart; she made her first trip Monday nearly two weeks after being put on leave.
Both Balemba-Brownlee and her husband are active members of the community. She said the reaction to her comments hurt.
“It feels like they’ve turned on us, even though I know it’s not all the community, it’s just a small subset of very loud voices,” she said.
McKinney’s post mentioned Balemba-Brownlee was Canadian, she said, and there have been calls for her to be deported.
Both Balemba-Brownlee and her husband have been in the U.S. for 12 years — 10 of them in Havre — and are still waiting for permanent residency. Brownlee said he was starting to feel American.
“But then when this happens, they remind me that it’s almost like, because of where I was born, I’m never allowed to be a part of this country,” Brownlee said.
“To be told that they just want to throw us away like garbage because we have a difference of opinion is extremely hurtful and very frustrating,” he said. “Especially when you live in a country that says you have the freedom to speak your mind as long as you’re not hurting others with it. And that wasn’t hurting anybody.”
Balemba-Brownlee said she’d like to keep her current position, but doesn’t know if that’s possible yet.
A spokesperson for the university did not respond to an emailed list of questions in time for publication.
Nicole Girten is the education reporter for the Ravalli Republic and the Missoulian.
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Nicole Girten
Education reporter for the Ravalli Republic & Missoulian
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