White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer isn’t the only prominent Republican who likes to hide in the bushes. AL-05 Congressman Mo Brooks kicked off his statewide press conference blitz in Huntsville, AL yesterday. That makes sense: it’s the heart of his district and the base of his support. It’s full of the people who have watched his political career for decades. We’re the people who know Mo best.
Which, no doubt, explains why he held a closed press conference, on private property, with security guards directing uninvited riff-raff (aka constituents) off the property, lest they face trespassing charges.
Had we been able to attend this Very. Special. Gathering, we’d have asked just one question:
Congressman Brooks, how do you expect to win Alabama voters’ confidence and learn about their concerns if you’re afraid to appear in public?
Brooks has quite the recent history of avoiding constituents:
- He abruptly canceled a February “public town hall” in February.
- After cancellation was announced, he showed up anyway and took questions from the Huntsville Tea Party.
- After receiving an invitation to a public town hall meeting to be held in April, his district director, Tiffany Noel, sent an insulting, partisan letter to organizers – using her official US government email account.
- In April, he spoke at yet another Tea Party meeting at the public library. The meeting was complete with a “code of conduct,” ban on media, and video recording. There is, however, a partial audio recording an attendee shared with us.
But still, this stunt shocked even seasoned Mo Brooks observers. We’re used to his total lack of charm and general offensiveness, but wow…. It should surprise nobody that Brooks’ second stop was in Shelby County – yes, that Shelby County; the one that helped gut the Voting Rights Act. And while there, Brooks started beating his “War on Whites” drum yet again.
Alabama’s 5th District Indivisible Group was happy to take the credit for Brook’s super secret Senate announcement:
Mo Brooks announced his candidacy for the US Senate in Huntsville on Monday morning. Instead of a flashy public showing, surrounded by his supporters, he announced at a private event, behind closed doors.
Friend, this is thanks to YOU. Mo is too afraid to show his face in his hometown, because he knows we'll be watching, we'll be present, and we will not be silent!
We will not give Mo Brooks one single calm day during his campaign. Keep the pressure on him, and help us remind everyone in the 5th district that he's a do nothing Congressman, and his days are numbered.
Brooks’ run is a long shot. His one attempt at statewide office ended in disaster when Luther Strange trounced him in the primary. The field is crowded already, so Brooks has quite the task ahead. Here’s hoping he spends every penny in his million dollar campaign account to take on these guys:
- Roy Moore has a lot of time on his hands now that he’s no longer on the state Supreme Court.
- “Big Luther” Strange is running as an incumbent and raking in the campaign cash from “swamp critters” – to Brooks’ dismay.
- State Rep. Ed Henry is looking to move up and share his anti-choice crusade with a national audience.
- Alabama Christian Coalition President Randy Brinson is laying out his plans to “shape the moral direction of our country.“
- Alabama Senate President & private school advocate Del Marsh has just 1 more day to decide whether to jump in.
None of these people have any business passing local legislation, let alone deciding policy for the entire country, but every one of them can prove themselves to be a better public servant than Mo Brooks simply by holding a public meeting and taking unscripted questions. It’s really dumb politics to hand your opponents a stick to beat you with.
Bless his dark little heart.
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A version of this article originally appeared at Left in Alabama.