Conservative activist Charlie Kirk returns to Sacramento this month for American Council event
Turning Point USA president and conservative activist Charlie Kirk is coming back to the Sacramento area this month as the special guest speaker at the American Council’s annual gala.
The American Council is a Rocklin-based 501(c)4 founded by Tanner DiBella, communications director at Destiny Church in Rocklin. The group’s mission is to promote a “biblical worldview” in the public sphere.
“The American Council gala is a private event that celebrates the great work we do in the community,” said DiBella.
“We invite voices from across the nation with diverse political views to speak each year. This year, Mr. Kirk will be sharing about the importance of faith communities engaging with their local communities.” DiBella added. “Giving speakers the opportunity to share different perspectives with us allows us to constantly evaluate how we can strengthen the family and protect religious liberty.”
Kirk, whose speaking fee ranges from $50,000-$100,000, was last in Sacramento in March, when the UC Davis chapter of Turning Point USA invited him to speak.
His arrival sparked a protest, which resulted in two people arrested for spraying graffiti. About 100 protesters clashed with campus police.
Kirk, an early supporter of Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, has become a polarizing figure with comments he’s made about racial justice, LGBTQ rights, gun violence, and education. He has referred to trans women as “an abomination” and supported unfounded claims of mass voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Kirk visited Destiny Church to speak with pastor Greg Fairrington in November 2020, at the peak of COVID-19 shutdowns and mask mandates.
“No one is being forced to be here today,” Kirk said in one service. “You come knowing the risk of this virus, knowing your own health situation. You know that there’s a chance that you might interact with someone that’s a carrier, and you’re willing to take that responsibility. That’s what liberty is all about.”
He came back to Destiny in March 2022 for another conversation with Fairrington.
“I speak at churches all across the country,” he told Fairrington. “But this is one of the healthiest churches that I have a chance to visit... This is a church that stands and fights.”
The gala will take place Oct. 28, in Roseville. Tickets range from $250 to $20,000. Past special guests have included former Trump White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a 2024 presidential candidate.
This story was originally published October 5, 2023 at 6:00 AM.