Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) has unleashed a new political ad geared toward his upcoming Senate bid. In doing so, he barrels into controversial territory by using the June Congressional baseball field shooting, which landed Steve Scalise and multiple other victims in the hospital. Not only is Brooks invoking the tragedy, but he’s also (according to the Washington Post) using actual audio footage of the attack.
In the ad, gunfire can be heard while a caption points out shooter James T. Hodgkinson’s public identification as a Bernie Sanders supporter. Of course, Sanders immediately condemned the shooting when it happened, but that doesn’t stop Brooks from including the relevant factoid. Brooks — who helped apply a tourniquet to a gunshot victim — also appears in the ad within post-tragedy TV news footage. A reporter asks him whether the incident changed his stance on the Second Amendment, and he replies as follows:
“The right to bear arms is to ensure that we always have a republic. So, no, I’m not changing my position on any of the rights that we enjoy as Americans.”
Scalise has undergone several surgeries and was most recently upgraded to fair condition after being moved into ICU multiple times in serious condition. He faces a long recovery, and according to NBC News’ Alexandra Moe, a Scalise spokesperson offered this response: “I guess some people have their own ideas about what’s appropriate.” Indeed.
(Via Washington Post & NBC News)