Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said a wave of his fellow Republicans are retiring because they may fear being assassinated.
Brooks made the remark while speaking on “The Dale Jackson Show” about the first Republican congressional baseball team practice since House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., was shot and injured last year, according to Roll Call.
“One of the things that’s concerning me is the assassination risk may become a factor,” he said of Republican lawmakers retiring.
Brooks pointed to the number of members on the Republican baseball team who are not running for re-election. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Reps. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., Pat Meehan, R-Pa., Dennis Ross, R-Fla., and Tom Rooney, R-Fla., have announced their retirements.
“You have to wonder with that kind of disproportionate retirement number whether what happened in June played a factor,” Brooks said.
The Republican lawmaker pointed blame at the “socialist Bernie Sanders wing of society” for threats against lawmakers.
“There are a growing number of leftists who believe the way to resolve this is not at the ballot box but through threats and sometimes through violence and assassinations,” he said.
