AP
- Brooks tweeted about the Capitol bomb threat on August 19, writing that he understood “citizenry anger directed at dictatorial socialism.”
- He was slammed by lawmakers for making a statement that appeared sympathetic to the suspect.
- Rep. Adam Kinzinger retweeted Brooks’ comments, calling them “evil.”
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks said he “understood” the man who threatened to blow up part of the Capitol area on Thursday.
Brooks released a statement on Twitter on Thursday after Floyd Ray Roseberry, 49, was arrested on Thursday afternoon in front of the Capitol building after a five-hour standoff with the authorities.
In a press release, the US Capitol Police said they were working with the DC District Attorney’s Office to determine charges.
Roseberry claimed on Thursday morning he had explosives with him in his pick-up truck parked near the Library of Congress, which prompted the Capitol police to evacuate the area. At one point, Roseberry even live-streamed himself sitting in the car, saying he was a “patriot” who was “ready to die for the cause.”
Immediately following Roseberry’s arrest, Brooks released a statement via Twitter.
“Although this terrorist’s motivation is not yet publicly known, and generally speaking, I understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial Socialism and its threat to liberty, freedom, and the very fabric of American society,” he said.
“The way to stop Socialism’s march is for patriotic Americans to fight back in the 2022 and 2024 elections,” Brooks added.
Several lawmakers responded to Brooks’ comments, saying he appeared sympathetic to the bomb threat suspect.
GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger called Brooks’ comments “evil.” The Illinois lawmaker also tweeted separately that the GOP leadership must make a decision on whether it will be the party that “keeps stoking sympathy for domestic terrorists and pushes out truth.”
“It is astonishing that this needs to be said, but no one who serves in Congress should be expressing public sympathy with the views of a terrorist who threatened to blow up the US Capitol. I would have thought we could all at least agree on that,” wrote Virginia Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat.
Brooks’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
Brooks has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and led an aborted GOP charge to overturn the election of President Joe Biden. Brooks also appeared at Donald Trump’s January 6 “Save America” rally that preceded the Capitol riot, where he encouraged rally attendees and “American patriots” to “start taking down names and kicking ass.”
Brooks further stoked the ire of his fellow members of Congress after he revealed in an interview with Slate that he had worn body armor on January 6 and had been tipped off to possible “risks” earlier in the week.
Brooks was sued this June by Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who accused him of inciting the January 6 riot. Brooks, on August 4, asked for immunity from the civil lawsuit, saying he was simply speaking to the crowd about his duties as a congressman to certify the results of the 2020 election.
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