In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's horrifying assassination on Sept. 10, I hoped that at least something good might come from it. I did see a renewed energy among conservatives, revival among young people and a message of forgiveness, the heart of Christianity, on the national stage for all to see.

But in the months since he died, something else has risen up, too: Candace Owens, a former colleague of Charlie Kirk, and her ever-spiraling grift. At first, I was saddened by the grip she seemed to have on everyday conservatives, caught up in her bombastic storytelling and bizarre tendency toward conspiracy theories.

Now with her latest venture − a multipart "exposé" on Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk − Owens has gone well beyond grifter, opportunist and conspiracy theorist. She is purposefully harming a widow whose husband was brutally assassinated, for fame and money.

It is wrong, evil and I am no longer sad. I am angry. I am appalled that thousands, if not millions, of conservatives seem to be happily drinking the sludge Owens is offering, smearing and slandering Charlie Kirk's memory, his widow and, in effect, conservatism at large.

Candace Owens is so desperate for attention, she's turned evil

Apparently, Owens believes that Erika Kirk is not who she portrays herself to be, and she's unveiled "Bride of Charlie: An Investigative Series" to expose what she deems to be lies, discrepancies or inconsistencies. On Feb. 23, Owens posted a teaser trailer on social media for the series, a mishmash of video and clips, insinuating that the widow is a fraud.

“I will tell you my personal opinion and my experience with her,” Owens said in the Feb. 25 episode of her documentary series. “What alarms me about Erika isn't so much the fact that she lies, which we will prove to you over and over again, but it's also the fact that I don't know that she's aware that she's lying.”

In that episode, Owens claims Kirk lied about being raised by a single mom and says her birthdate is listed inaccurately in her parents' divorce papers.

USA TODAY reported about the backlash Owens immediately received online for publishing such a disgraceful series, including from conservative commentator and former "The View" co-host Meghan McCain. 

What's perhaps more mind-boggling is the fact that the video series is being watched.

Owens posted the first episode, "Bride of Charlie: A Wrinkle in Time," on YouTube the afternoon of Feb. 25. It garnered 1 million views within hours. As of this writing, it hasn't been posted for even 24 hours and has 2.7 million views. This is nauseating. Her popularity is a huge warning to conservatives.

Conservatives must condemn Owens

It was bad enough to see Owens blather on about how or why Charlie Kirk died in the weeks following his assassination. It's quite another for Owens to focus her harassing grip on his widow, insinuating that she's a fraud and a liar. That is the definition of a bottom-dwelling fiend.

It looks like Owens is using her massive platform to attack the way Kirk is grieving, because she hasn't seen the widow balled up in a corner, wracked with anguish. Everyone grieves differently and should be allowed to with grace and compassion without being attacked.

But I actually think it's far worse than this. I don't think Owens actually questions Kirk's grief, marriage or life story: I think she knows there is a conservative influencer spot to fill so she can earn followers, clicks, likes and money. She's good at one thing – manipulating people − and she's doing this very well right now, to people who presumably call themselves conservatives.

I hate even writing about Owens because I don't want to give her any more attention and exposure. But she has gone too far and is taking hundreds, perhaps millions, of naive or opportunistic fans with her on this vengeful journey. She has nearly 6 million subscribers on YouTube, 7.6 million followers on X and 6.4 million followers on Instagram.

I wrote before that I thought Charlie Kirk's death would unify conservatives under a growing tent and ecumenical purpose, but instead, it has exposed a weakness I didn't even know we had. The popularity of Owens and Owens-adjacent commentators filling a void for conspiracy-laden scandal isn't just concerning anymore; it's dangerous, immoral and unethical.

Conservative principles are noble and worthy of attention. Owens is neither. Conservatives must condemn this and reject her outright.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.

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