Brian Harpole, former security chief for Charlie Kirk, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens. The suit, lodged in a Tennessee federal court on Thursday, alleges Owens made false statements that damaged Harpole's career.
At the heart of the legal challenge are Owens' public accusations that Harpole was involved in a plot to assassinate Charlie Kirk. Harpole’s complaint states Owens propagated these theories on her podcast and social media, including claims of his presence at a military base meeting prior to Kirk’s death. Harpole asserts these allegations are demonstrably false and have severely harmed his professional reputation.
The lawsuit details a specific accusation made by Owens on December 12, stating, "Brian Harpole has already been caught lying about what transpired on that day." It also points to Owens' claims that Harpole attended a conspiracy meeting at Fort Huachuca on the day before Kirk's assassination and colluded with the government. Harpole's filing contends these statements were made with reckless disregard for the truth, causing him to lose clients and contracts.
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Owens, who succeeded Kirk as CEO of Turning Point USA, has publicly responded to the lawsuit. She indicated awareness of the legal action, stating she is "pretty accustomed to how lawsuits work." Owens also questioned why Harpole had not contacted her directly about the claims or issued a retraction demand, suggesting his silence was noteworthy. She further commented on X, implying Harpole’s career struggles might stem from the circumstances of his departure from his last job rather than her statements.
The dispute appears to stem from events surrounding Kirk's death at a Utah college campus in September. Harpole, who was present during the incident, claims Owens initially accused him of security protocol failures before escalating to allegations of direct involvement in Kirk's killing. This conflict has also drawn in Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, who now leads Turning Point USA.
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This is not the first time Owens has faced legal scrutiny for her public statements. The lawsuit cites a previous instance where Owens made unfounded claims about French First Lady Brigitte Macron, a falsehood that also led to a defamation suit against her. The current legal battle underscores the tension between public discourse, especially within politically charged spheres, and the potential for damaging falsehoods to cross into actionable defamation.
