CBS News to host prime-time 'town hall' with Erika Kirk, widow of activist Charlie Kirk

NEW YORK — Turning Point USA leader Erika Kirk will speak about the aftermath of her husband Charlie’s killing in a prime-time “town hall” event televised by CBS News on Dec. 13, the network said Thursday.

The event will be moderated by Bari Weiss, the network’s new editor-in-chief and founder of the Free Press website.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated by gunshot while speaking to college students in at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Kirk will take questions from evangelicals and religious and political leaders at the event, which will be pretaped at a New York studio. It will be shown at 8 p.m. Eastern, preempting the Family Film and TV Awards, which will be delayed a week.

“Like so many people around the world, I will never forget the moment that Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer,” Weiss said. “I am eager to speak to her — and thrilled to be doing so in front of a group of Americans who I know will elevate the conversation.”

Weiss was hired by CBS News’ new corporate owners, Skydance Media, in what has been seen as an effort to bring more political balance to a news division long criticized by conservatives for having a liberal bent.