Ex-GOP Rep. says Trump asked him to break the law and Jack Smith hasn't called him: report
Former Republican Rep. Mo Brooks (AL) went so far as to promote his actions at Donald Trump's Jan. 6 rally with a campaign ad. Now he can't understand why special counsel Jack Smith hasn't reached out to him.
NBC News reported Wednesday Brooks said, “Yeah, if they asked me to, I’d explain what I know about it. Whether it’s relevant or material, I’m not sure. I was shocked [Trump] was so blatant about illegal conduct.”
The former lawmaker had a very public breakup with Donald Trump during the Republican Primary in 2022, and went on to lose the primary and his seat in Congress. He hasn't been heard of by the political news machine ever since.
Now he's reaching out to reporters to lament that the Justice Department hasn't asked him about the conversations he had in which Trump asked for help to "rescind" the election and "violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law."
Brooks spoke at the political rally, later revealing that he was wearing body armor under his jacket during his speech.
"Our ancestors sacrifice their blood, their sweat, their tears, their fortunes, and sometimes their lives to give us—their descendants—an America that is the greatest nation in world history," Brooks told the crowd at the Ellipse that day. "So I have a question for you. Are you willing to do the same?"
"Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass!" he later told the rally.
Two years later, Brooks' tune has changed.
“Donald Trump wanted me to do four things: Advocate rescinding the election, advocate physically removing Joe Biden from the White House, advocate reinstating Donald Trump as president of the United States and advocate a new special election for president of the United States — all of which violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law,” Brooks told NBC. “And after I got done explaining that to him, he withdrew his endorsement and endorsed my opponent. So I’m mildly surprised none of these people have made inquiries about the details of this, but it is what it is.”
In early 2022, Brooks tried to claim that his Jan. 6 speech was given in his capacity as a U.S. Congressman and that the Justice Department should protect him.
Brooks then asked the White House for a pardon for anything he may have done on or around Jan. 6. It was never clear what exactly Brooks' role was beyond the speech at the Ellipse, but it was significant enough that now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy singled Brooks out to his colleagues.
"In the phone call with other Republican leaders on Jan. 10, Mr. McCarthy referred chiefly to two representatives, Matt Gaetz of Florida and Mo Brooks of Alabama, as endangering the security of other lawmakers and the Capitol complex," two New York Times reporters wrote in their bookThis Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America’s Future. "But he and his allies discussed several other representatives who made comments they saw as offensive or dangerous, including Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Barry Moore of Alabama. Mr. Brooks and Mr. Gaetz were the prime offenders in the eyes of GOP leaders."
Brooks later said that Trump's people sent him instructions on how to file for a pardon.
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