Last month, Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks was on deck at the batting practice being held by the congressional Republicans' baseball team when Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise and three others were shot by an Illinois man. The attack left Scalise in critical condition, but now Brooks is out with an ahead of Alabama’s Aug. 15 GOP Senate primary that uses actual audio from the shooting— and two senior members of Scalise’s staff are not happy with their boss’ colleague.
Brooks’ spot begins with the sound of gunfire as on-screen text flashes by saying, “June 14: A Bernie Sanders supporter fires on Republican Congressmen.” As police are heard shouting “Stay down!”, the text reads, “Mo Brooks gives his belt as a tourniquet to help the wounded,” followed by, “What’s the liberal media immediately ask?” A video then plays where a reporter asks Brooks if the attack “change[s] your views on the gun situation in America?” Brooks responds, “The Second Amendment, the right to bear arms, is to help ensure we always have a republic. So, no, I'm not changing my position on any of the rights we enjoy as Americans.”
Scalise has since been upgraded to fair condition but remains in the hospital, and his team is speaking out against the ad. Brett Horton, Scalise’s chief of staff, tweeted that the spot “makes my stomach turn,” while Scalise spokesman Chris Bond told The Washington Post, “I guess some people have their own ideas about what's appropriate, don't they?”