University of Utah drops case against College Republicans

The University of Utah has dismissed a misconduct case against College Republican members Rylie Barnes and Riley Beesley. The investigation was launched following a viral incident involving a student, Sara Larsen, who posed with a cake inscribed with “Happy Kirkiversary” to mark the anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

The University’s Office of the Dean of Students had initially accused the Republican students of engaging in “threatening or endangering behavior” and potentially doxxing Larsen after Barnes posted photos of the incident on X. In response, College Democrats organized protests on campus and called for the expulsion of the Republican students, alleging a “campaign of hate.”

The controversy drew national attention, with support for the Republican students coming from the widow of Charlie Kirk and the national College GOP chair, who threatened legal action. The university had scheduled an expulsion hearing for Wednesday but cancelled it at the last minute, ultimately dropping the case.