Turning Point USA

A Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter event featuring Kyle Rittenhouse has been fraught with turmoil as the staff at the University of Memphis categorically applied “arbitrary deadlines” and “impossible standards” that could not reasonably be met by students with the remarkably short notice given.

The event, set to take place on Wednesday, March 20, was scheduled by the TPUSA chapter at the University of Memphis in mid-February. School administrators initially approved students to organize the event and facilitate a ticketing process. However, in the days leading up to the event, the same administrators told chapter members that their ticketing methods were “not fair and equitable,” which TPUSA’s Regional Manager for the Memphis area said was the school’s “top priority.”

In an email sent by Melanie Murry, who provides legal counsel to the University of Memphis, the chapter was told that the faculty had “significant concerns” regarding the students’ “ticketing and ticketing vetting system.” Murry informed students that “the event may proceed only by re-ticketing the event through the University’s ticketing system.”

According to TPUSA’s Regional Manager overseeing the event, a private conversation took place between the TPUSA chapter president at the university, two Turning Point USA staff members, Murry, and Melinda Carlson, the University of Memphis’ Vice President for Student Affairs on March 19, the night before the event was set to take place. During this conversation, the group agreed to post the re-ticketing link at 9:00 AM. Thirty minutes before this link went live, an email was scheduled to be sent to previous registrants to inform them that their tickets were now invalid. The email instructed them to reserve new tickets through the university if they still wished to attend

“Somehow this conversation was seemingly leaked to the protest groups, as a member of the protest group shared that a new link was being sent out between 8:00-8:30 AM,” TPUSA’s Regional Manager concluded.

The university faculty also reduced the number of seats available to attendees during the event from more than 50 to just eight.

Furthermore, the chapter was given an estimated security cost of $875, despite being told that security officers would not interfere with any non-violent disruptions, heckling, yelling, or protesting. The school reportedly told students it would be their “responsibility to de-escalate.” Security officers would only intervene if there was “obvious violence” taking place, according to TPUSA’s Regional Manager.

The University of Memphis has taken unprecedented actions to undermine our event. Seizing control of seating arrangements and the ticketing system —on the day of the event— has never happened in our many years of campus organizing. Despite being promised control over 50 seats, we’re now restricted to just a single row of 8 seats. This abrupt change will result in hundreds of disappointed students whose tickets will no longer grant them entrance into the venue.

Most shockingly, we have gathered credible information that school administrators have leaked the new ticketing information to protester groups so they can reserve large numbers of newly issued tickets and sabotage the event. We know this because some of our students are in the protester group chats. There is no way these groups could have known the new ticketing timing and protocol without school administrators leaking that information. This has never happened before at a TPUSA campus event.

We call on the administration to immediately correct course, in coordination with our field staff and chapter, to ensure the well-being and safety of all students and to uphold the fundamental principles of free speech. Despite these extraordinary obstacles, we remain committed to fostering an environment where tonight’s event can move forward responsibly, and all viewpoints are heard and respected.”

TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet

The TPUSA chapter president, who asked to remain anonymous due to recent events, was doxxed by fellow students at the University of Memphis. His full name, phone number, and even his exact address were posted online with the comment, “Let him know how you feel about this decision to provoke black students by inviting a racist murderer on campus.”

When this was brought to the university’s attention, faculty allegedly responded, “It happens” while speaking to the TPUSA chapter president and TPUSA staff. In a recording obtained by TPUSA, the chapter leader can be heard telling faculty, “That’s my address.”

“That’s public information,” one of the members of the university police responded. “They can easily get that.”

Lauren Shelley, the Director of Conferences and Event Services at the university, chimed in and laughed after suggesting that the student “probably shouldn’t stay there tonight.”

“Is this as big of a deal as I’m making it out to be? Is this not as big a deal as I think it is?” the student asked, to which faculty responded, “It’s scary.”

“The chapter president’s doxxing on social media is deeply troubling, made more so by the apparent lack of response from the school administration to ensure safety,” TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said.

TPUSA has contacted the University of Memphis seeking clarification on numerous, apparently calculated, actions by staff members, but has not yet received a response.