Cashing In On Kirk
Newsmax labored to profit from the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk by not only hyping a new book for which Kirk wrote the foreword but also an insta-book on Kirk cranked out by Dick Morris.
Josh Hammer wrote in his Sept. 20 column, published at WorldNetDaily:
Is it really too much to ask that a murdered young man be given the dignity of a proper burial before bad-faith opportunists attempt to posthumously rewrite his legacy to better serve their own nefarious ends? Is it really too much to ask that a murdered young man’s family and friends – to say nothing of the countless individuals whose lives the young man touched and inspired – be allowed to mourn in peace, without having to fend off charlatans seeking to hijack his memory to advance their pet crusades?
Apparently, the answer is: Yes, it is.
The body of my friend Charlie Kirk, who was tragically assassinated last week during a campus event in Utah by a leftist transgender-adjacent “furry” fetishist, had barely returned home to Arizona before some grifters on the ostensible “right” started trying to capitalize on his memory.
Hammer’s column is also published at Newsmax, but interestingly, this column did not appear there. Why? Perhaps because it was already in grift mode trying to profit off Kirk’s death.
Just a few days after Kirk was shot, a text banner appeared at the top of Newsmax’s front page with wording like “Charlie’s Final Work.” click on it, and you’ll find an ad for a book with hyperbolic copy:
America is under attack as never before.
Our culture, our Judeo-Christian values, our traditions, our freedoms — and our very country — are all under attack.
We saw this attack in the most vicious and bloody way with the public assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Charlie Kirk was a conservative leader.
But he was more. He was a believing Christian.
In his own way he was an evangelist.
Charlie Kirk’s last published words — his final words — are the Foreword for the new book, Pagan Threat: Confronting America’s Godless Uprising.
Pagan Threat was written by Charlie’s close friend Pastor Lucas Miles.
Pastor Miles, the author of several bestselling books, served as a leader in Charlie’s Turning Point Faith.
Charlie told Pastor Miles he wanted to write this Foreword because “America was in grave danger.”
Charlie is right.
[…]
These words are chilling, considering what happened in Utah.
Now, in his boldest book yet — Pagan Threat: Confronting America’s Godless Uprising — Pastor Lucas Miles rips off the mask and reveals the shocking spiritual war happening right before our eyes.
The very same war in which Charlie was a soldier — he was also a victim.
This is more than a book — it’s a wake-up call for all Americans and for faithful Christians who want to take a stand against the spiritual deception sweeping across America.
Pagan Threat serves as an insightful guide, a warning, and a call to action, urging readers to understand, confront, and ultimately defeat this enemy.
Pagan Threat shows the connection between woke ideology and Paganism is not merely a coincidence but a natural progression.
Undisclosed by Newsmax: “Pagan Threat” is published by Newsmax’s book division, Humanix.
This being Newsmax, this promotion is actually a loss-leader deal for Newsmax magazine, in which you get this book, a second Humanix-published book and a not-yet-existent “special report” on “the real Charlie Kirk” in exchange for handing over your credit to get a six-month subscription to Newsmax magazine (which Newsmax hopes you’ll forget to cancel so it can automatically bill you for a renewal). Indeed, it’s stated right there in the fine print:
Your subscription comes with a convenient automatic renewal. At the end of your subscription, we will notify you. If you want to keep the publication, do nothing and we will renew your subscription using your credit/debit card on file and charge you $42.95 for one year (12 issues) of Newsmax Magazine. And then every year thereafter at the lowest renewal rate then in effect. There is no risk, you can cancel within the first six months for a full refund of the unused portion of your subscription.
Newsmax has a history of these kinds of promotions, so it’s not a surprise — though it’s more than a little crass — that it would do so here. Unsurprisingly, this was furthered in a Sept. 14 TV appearance by Miles:
Pastor Lucas Miles, one of Charlie Kirk’s closest friends, declared him a “martyr” and said he knew of the real dangers he faced as a conservative leader, Miles told Newsmax’s “Sunday Report.”
Miles’ new bestseller “Pagan Threat: Confronting America’s Godless Uprising” includes Charlie Kirk’s foreword – his last published words before his tragic death.
In his foreword, Kirk predicted “terrifying dangers” ahead for Christians who speak out on the issues facing our society.
[…]
Miles said Kirk’s foreword to “Pagan Threat” is a powerful gift that now carries eternal significance.
“He wrote just a really powerful foreword for this book, which is, you know, now for me, just eternally just left a mark of gratitude in my life for just that endorsement,” Miles said. “He was the best among us.”
It was not disclosed that Newsmax published Miles’ book.
Newsmax continued to hype Miles and his connection to Kirk (and, of course, Kirk’s purported martyrdom) in more Newsmax TV appearances in the days after Kirk’s death:
Lucas Miles to Newsmax: Erika Kirk ‘Best Person’ to Helm TPUSA
Pastor Miles to Newsmax: Kirk Must Be Excited About the ‘Momentum’
Pastor Miles to Newsmax: Kirk Understood the Threats Facing America
Pastor Lucas Miles to Newsmax: Kirk’s Message Resonates ‘More Than Ever’
Pastor Miles to Newsmax: Kirk Remembered as a Christian Martyr
Pastor Miles to Newsmax: Kirk Faced Threats but Refused to Back Down
Pastor Miles to Newsmax: Church Leaders Must Bolster Security
A Sept. 24 TV appearance was used to link Kirk more closely to Miles’ book:
Pastor Lucas Miles, senior director of Turning Point USA Faith and author of “Pagan Threat,” told Newsmax Wednesday that slain conservative leader Charlie Kirk was a “no-brainer” to write the foreword for his book because he understood the threats facing America “better than anybody.”
[…]
“Charlie was a no-brainer to ask to do this foreword,” he said. “He understood the pagan threat and, really, the threats of this nation better than anybody. It’s really those threats that took his life. Charlie knew that there was a risk every single day that he went out, but yet, his determination to reach this generation — not only with conservative principles but most importantly the Gospel — it drove him beyond any sort of fear of personal peril.”
With his Amazon No.1 bestselling book “Pagan Threat,” Miles said he set out to “really demonstrate that wokeism has evolved” into “a religion.”
One article included the following promotion for Miles’ book:
“Pagan Threat” is available on Amazon, but can also be obtained for free through a special promotion on the Newsmax website. Kirk’s foreword was a call to action in which he urged Americans not only to read the book, but to internalize it and share it.
All of these articles were published before Sept. 28, a little over two weeks after Kirk’s death. Miles then took a short break from Newsmax TV hits, returning for an Oct. 13 appearance in which he declared that Kirk is “more than deserving of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
All that grifting paid off, however, as described in an Oct. 23 article:
The new book “Pagan Threat,” written by evangelical pastor and Turning Point USA Faith leader Lucas Miles, has taken the publishing world by storm — debuting this week at No. 4 on The New York Times bestsellers list in the “How-To and Advice” category for the week of Nov. 2.
The book’s success comes just weeks after the sudden death of conservative leader Charlie Kirk.
Kirk penned the book’s foreword before his passing, his last published words before his death.
Published by Humanix Books, “Pagan Threat” already has topped Amazon’s charts in multiple categories.
The book’s blend of theology, cultural criticism, and political warning has struck a deep chord with Christian and conservative audiences nationwide.
[…]
Keith Pfeffer, publisher of Humanix Books, praised the title’s runaway success but expressed frustration over what he described as the Times’ “effort to downplay” conservative authors.
“This book has been a runaway bestseller,” Pfeffer said in a statement. “The numbers are clear, and the response has been incredible. But it’s disappointing that The New York Times continues to relegate conservative titles to secondary lists. ‘Pagan Threat’ deserves recognition alongside the leading nonfiction books in America.”
Pfeffer added that Humanix has seen record demand for the title, with multiple reprints already ordered to meet holiday demand.
The anonymously written article failed to disclose that Humanix is owned by Newsmax. Miles returned to hype the claimed achievement in an Oct. 24 appearance:
Evangelical Pastor Lucas Miles told Newsmax on Friday he’s “grateful” for the response to his new book, “Pagan Threat,” which has climbed to No. 4 on The New York Times bestseller list.
The book’s success comes just weeks after the sudden death of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, who penned the book’s foreword before his passing, his last published words before his death.
Appearing Friday on “Greg Kelly Reports,” Miles said he’s been humbled by the overwhelming support.
“I’m blown away, honestly, by the support,” Miles told host Greg Kelly. “I’m just so grateful for the readers out there and people such as yourself that understand the importance of this book and the danger that’s out there.
“It’s been a very exciting week, and I’m just trying to hang on and enjoy the ride.”
Again, it was not disclosed that Newsmax published Miles’ book.
Dick Morris insta-book
And the grifting hasn’t stopped — Dick Morris has cranked out an insta-book on Kirk, fawningly described in an Oct. 16 article:
Acclaimed presidential strategist and bestselling author Dick Morris announces the release of his powerful new book, The Real Charlie Kirk on Charlie Kirk Remembrance Day.
The Real Charlie Kirk is a sweeping and intimate account of the late conservative icon’s life, vision, and profound impact on America’s political transformation.
Morris argues that Kirk’s work culminated in Donald Trump’s historic 2024 comeback victory, a victory that would not have happened if he had not lived.
The Real Charlie Kirk (Humanix Books) is the first major book to be released since Kirk’s death, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at his extraordinary journey from a young conservative activist to one of the most influential political organizers of his generation.
Morris, who worked closely with Kirk during the 2024 Trump campaign, draws on personal experiences, exclusive conversations, and insider campaign details to reveal how Kirk’s ideas, determination, and leadership helped shape one of the most decisive victories in modern American history.
Morris, who played a key role in the 2024 race, also reveals President Donald Trump’s thoughts about the young leader.
“Charlie Kirk wasn’t just a movement leader — he was a movement maker,” said Morris.
[…]
“Dick Morris has once again captured history in the making,” said Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax Inc. “The Real Charlie Kirk is not just a tribute — it’s a window into how visionaries like Charlie Kirk helped restore America’s political spirit.”
Of course, there was no disclosure that Humanix is Newsmax’s book division. And needless to say, there was no discussion about how a book cranked out in a month could possibly be of decent quality.
Of course, Newsmax has a special offer to push the book, which includes a copy Newsmax’s other Kirk grift, Lucas Miles’ “Pagan Threat” and a six-month subscription to Newsmax magazine, which will renew automatically for a one-year subscription at $42.95 unless you cancel beforehand.
Unsurprisingly, Morris was on Newsmax hawking his insta-book, cheering his transphobia in an Oct. 14 appearance:
Political adviser Dick Morris on Tuesday praised Charlie Kirk on Newsmax for managing to stay true to his Christian values while accomplishing his political goals.
Morris, who has written “The Real Charlie Kirk” about the slain conservative leader, said Kirk was someone who honestly followed Christ in his teachings and approach.
[…]
“He believed in the concept of American debate,” Morris said on “The Chris Salcedo Show” on what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. “Debate is the alternative to violence; Charlie Kirk embodied that.”
Morris noted that Trump increased his share of the vote among people under 30 from 2020 to 2024 and said it was because he embodied Kirk’s embrace of the Bible and his core values.
“Opposition to letting men participate in women’s sports, opposition to transgender ideology,” Morris said. “I think those are fundamental American values that helped Trump win and were fundamental to Charlie Kirk’s message.”
It apparently was not explained how hating transgender people as Kirk did equated to being a good Christian.
Morris dutifully hyped Kirk again the next day:
Political analyst Dick Morris told Newsmax on Wednesday that the political left feared Charlie Kirk because he shattered their stereotypes about conservatives.
Kirk became a rare figure who could unite faith, youth, and patriotism into one movement.
“He challenged all of the stereotypes that they had invented,” Morris told “Finnerty.” “They had dismissed the evangelical movement as an electoral gimmick.
“They had berated the mainstream MAGA movement for saying it was fascist or anti-gay. And Charlie Kirk was someone who reached out past those characterizations and spoke directly to the young people of America.
“And, you know, it’s not often said about Charlie that in addition to being a brilliant theologian and a moral leader, he was also a hell of a politician.”
Morris also snuck in a promotion of his book during a Nov. 1 TV appearance that was otherwise about the New York City mayor’s race, in which “Morris praised the late conservative leader as a visionary who helped inspire young voters and reshape modern politics.”
Between Newsmax’s shameless shilling for Miles’ book and Morris’ insta-book, maybe we should change Newsmax’s name to Griftmax.