According to a report by the Daily Caller, Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks was on the hit list of the man who attacked members of Congress and their staff at the baseball field in Alexandria, VA early Wednesday morning. It’s now apparent that his actions were a well-planned political assassination attempt aimed at murdering three very conservative Republican Congressmen, including Alabama’s Mo Brooks. The list found in the shooter’s pocket included Brooks, South Carolina Rep. Jeff Duncan, and Arizona Rep. Trent Franks.
According to his Facebook page, Congressman Duncan was approached by the shooter, James T. Hodgkinson, in the parking lot and asked if those on the field were Democrat or Republican. Apparently, Hodgkinson failed to recognize Rep. Duncan or lost the nerve to confront him, but thankfully the Clinton, SC Congressman left the parking lots minutes before the shooting started.
Even more amazing, Rep. Brooks was standing not far from the 3rd base line awaiting his turn at bat as the shooter started his attack only a few yards away, in the 3rd base dugout. Perhaps he also failed to recognize Congressman Brooks, but as Rep. Palmer said on Yellowhammer Radio yesterday, it’s evident that God spared their lives.
All three Congressmen on the shooter’s hit list belong to the House Freedom Caucus, which is comprised of the House of Representative’s most conservative members. Hodgkinson, who died in return fire from police, was a 66-year-old activist who volunteered with Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.. Hodgkinson’s Facebook page is filled with vitriolic rants against the Republican Party and he belonged to a Facebook group entitled “Terminate The Republican Party.” According to the report by the Daily Caller, that group’s members celebrated Hodgkinson’s mass assassination attempt.
As we reported yesterday, Democrats in Congress have graciously reached out to Republicans, starting with praying for them Wednesday morning and joining them in prayer at the Congressional baseball game yesterday.
In the wake of this tragedy, all we can do is pray for the continued healing of Louisiana Congressmen Steve Scalise and give thanks that the lives of Congressmen Brooks and Palmer and so many others were spared Wednesday morning.
