Mo Brooks says he didn't help plan Jan 6 rally but his staff may have

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) disputed the Rolling Stone report citing him as one of the key members of Congress who spoke on planning calls for the Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C., tweeted CNN Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona.

According to two organizers and one planner involved in the event, Brooks joined a slate of other Republican officials who participated in the planning calls with activists. Their accusations join along with a since-deleted video from far-right activist Ali Alexander, who also named Brooks as someone who helped come up with the idea about the Jan. 6 riot that left five dead and many injured.

"I was the person who came up with the Jan. 6 idea with Congressman Gosar, Congressman Mo Brooks, and Congressman Andy Biggs," Alexander said in the video. "We four schemed up on putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting so that — who we couldn't lobby — we could change the hearts and the minds of Republicans who were in that body hearing our loud roar from outside."

But Brooks disputed all four of the claims he was involved, instead, throwing his staff under the bus.

Speaking to reporters on Monday evening, Brooks said he didn't do planning for the event, but "I don't know if my staff did.. but if they did I'd be proud of them for helping to put together a rally lawful under the First Amendment at the ellipse to protest voter fraud and election theft."

Brooks previously confessed that he knew that things could get violent on Jan. 6, so he donned body armor under his jacket before he spoke to the crowd at the Ellipse.

See the quote from Brooks below: