Former GOP congressman Mo Brooks (Ala.) is urging Republicans to drop Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee in 2024 following the former president’s conviction in his criminal hush money trial.
“[Donald Trump] GUILTY 34 felonies per jury of 12 random citizens (none sought job). GOP faces choice. USA future at stake. Keep Trump as nominee & gamble USA’s future. OR Replace Trump with a good character nominee & BEAT THE STEW OUT OF BIDEN!” Brooks wrote in a post on X.
Trump became the first former US president to be convicted of a felony on Thursday after he was found guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying hush money to an adult film star to remain silent about his extramarital affair.
Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where GOP leaders are expected to formally make Trump their nominee.
Brooks was a former close ally of the former president while serving in Congress and even spoke at the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally that preceded the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He also said Trump asked him to overturn the results of the election in Congress.
Their relationship soured in 2022 after Brooks retired from the House to run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retired Sen. Richard Shelby.
He was initially endorsed by Trump in the Senate contest, but the former president rescinded his endorsement of Brooks’ candidacy in March 2022 for going “woke.”
Brooks ultimately lost the primary to Katie Britt who went on to win the general election for the seat.
