Overview of WE WERE RIGHT! UVU Releases Their Independent Review. | Ep 394
Candace Owens reacts to Utah Valley University’s independent review of the Charlie Kirk assassination event, arguing that the report vindicates her long-running claims about Turning Point USA’s role in planning, venue selection, ticketing, and security coordination. She says the review shows UVU was not acting in bad faith, but that TPUSA headquarters controlled key decisions, withheld information, and later helped fuel a misleading public narrative. She also folds the report into a broader personal timeline around Charlie Kirk’s final weeks, suggesting there were warning signs and internal tensions before his death.
What the UVU Review Says
Core conclusion
- The review states that UVU staff did not act in bad faith or with willful disregard for safety.
- It does, however, identify missed opportunities, planning gaps, and institutional weaknesses that should be fixed for future events.
TPUSA’s role in planning
According to Owens’ reading of the report:
- Turning Point USA requested the outdoor Fountain Courtyard venue, even after UVU raised concerns.
- TPUSA also preferred to use its own ticketing/registration system, limiting UVU’s ability to know expected attendance in real time.
- The event was not handled through standard university-controlled access procedures.
- Owens emphasizes that TPUSA headquarters, not the local student club, drove the event logistics.
Security coordination issues
Owens highlights that:
- TPUSA security did not meaningfully participate in the major planning meeting.
- UVU repeatedly asked for a security point of contact and got delayed or incomplete responses.
- Dan Flood and other TPUSA staff were slow to provide useful operational details, including ticket counts and staffing clarity.
- UVU ultimately had to increase security once the crowd became apparent.
The Most Important Findings Owens Emphasizes
1. The event was pushed by TPUSA headquarters
- Owens says July 10 was the key turning point: TPUSA field staff allegedly asked the UVU chapter president to request Charlie Kirk for the courtyard, while giving him vague details.
- She argues this is proof the event was not a normal campus chapter request, but a headquarters-driven setup.
2. UVU raised concerns early
- The university allegedly warned about:
- the outdoor courtyard location
- crowd control
- protest risk
- access management
- UVU suggested alternative indoor or more controllable venues, but TPUSA reportedly insisted on the courtyard.
3. TPUSA did not cooperate with the review
Owens points out that several key TPUSA figures did not respond to the independent investigators:
- Brian Harpole
- Dan Flood
- Macy Crofts
- the local TPUSA chapter president
She frames this as inconsistent with TPUSA’s public claims that it wanted transparency and truth.
Candace’s Criticism of Brian Harpole and the Public Narrative
Owens argues that the report directly contradicts claims made by Brian Harpole on the Sean Ryan podcast. She says the review shows Harpole:
- misrepresented who controlled the event
- overstated UVU’s role
- gave inaccurate explanations about drones and roof access
- described the wrong security priorities in public
Her larger point is that TPUSA and its allies spent months blaming UVU police, while the report instead suggests TPUSA controlled the key choices that created the risk.
Charlie Kirk Timeline Owens Connects to the Report
Owens spends a large portion of the episode tying the report into a broader timeline of Kirk’s final months. She argues:
- July was a turning point in Kirk’s life and politics.
- Kirk was under pressure over Epstein-related commentary and donor backlash.
- There were internal tensions around Israel, donors, and the direction of Turning Point USA.
- The UVU event appears, in her view, to have been rushed and oddly arranged, which she sees as suspicious.
She also suggests:
- Charlie may have been increasingly aware of internal problems.
- His death triggered a broader awakening among his supporters.
Other Points She Raises
The Hall of Flags walkway
- Owens says the report confirms the TPUSA security team was especially focused on the pedestrian walkway above the event area.
- She treats that as proof that the rooftop/elevated-area concern was real, and that later public accounts were misleading.
The anonymous EMP threat
- She notes a report mention of an anonymous tip about a possible electromagnetic pulse device.
- She does not claim it was proven, but says it should be investigated further because it seems unusually specific.
Question marks around wristbands and VIP access
- Owens says the report raises new questions about:
- how VIPs were handled
- who distributed wristbands
- how people were positioned near Charlie
- She argues the lack of formal credentialing deserves more scrutiny.
Final Takeaways
- Owens believes the UVU report supports her claim that TPUSA—not UVU—drove the critical event decisions.
- She says the report undermines the public narrative that UVU police were solely responsible.
- She portrays Turning Point USA leadership, especially Erica Kirk and others around her, as having spent the last year gaslighting critics and deflecting blame.
- The episode ends with Owens urging listeners to read the report themselves and promising more analysis in future episodes.
Bottom Line
This episode is a forceful, highly charged reaction to UVU’s independent review. Owens uses it to argue that the Charlie Kirk event was shaped by TPUSA headquarters, that UVU warnings were ignored, and that public blame was misdirected toward campus police. She presents the report as a major vindication of her earlier suspicions and as evidence that the official story around the event needs to be reexamined.