Mo Brooks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mo Brooks
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 5th district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Parker Griffith |
| Succeeded by | Dale Strong |
| Member of the Madison County Commission from the 5th district |
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| In office 1996–2011 |
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| Preceded by | Rob Colson |
| Succeeded by | Phil Riddick |
| Member of the Alabama House of Representatives | |
| In office 1982–1992 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Riddick (18th) Tom Drake (10th) |
| Succeeded by | Charlie Britnell (18th) James Haney (10th) |
| Constituency | 18th district (1982–1984) 10th district (1984–1992) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Morris Jackson Brooks Jr.
April 29, 1954 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Martha Jenkins
(m. 1976) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Duke University (BA) University of Alabama (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Morris Jackson Brooks Jr. (born April 29, 1954), known as Mo Brooks, is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. representative for Alabama from 2011 to 2023. His district covered the northern part of Alabama, including Huntsville. Brooks is a member of the Republican Party. He was also a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers.
In 2022, Brooks decided not to run for the U.S. House again. Instead, he ran for a U.S. Senate seat. He had been a supporter of former President Donald Trump. Trump first supported Brooks, but later changed his mind in March 2022. Brooks came in second in the Republican primary election and lost in the runoff. Since then, Brooks has openly shared his disagreements with Trump.
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Mo Brooks's Early Life and Education
Mo Brooks was born in 1954 in Charleston, South Carolina. His family moved to Huntsville, Alabama, in 1963. His mother, Betty Brooks, taught economics and government for over 20 years. His father, Morris Jackson "Jack" Brooks Sr., was an electrical engineer. He worked at Redstone Arsenal's Meteorology Center before he retired.
Brooks finished Grissom High School in 1972. He then went to Duke University and earned two degrees in three years. He studied political science and economics. In 1978, he earned his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law.
Brooks began his law career working for the district attorney in Tuscaloosa County. In 1980, he moved back to Huntsville. He worked as a law clerk for Judge John David Snodgrass. For most of his career, Brooks worked as a practicing lawyer. In 1993, he joined a business law firm, which later became Leo & Brooks, LLC. He focused on commercial lawsuits.
Mo Brooks's Political Journey
Brooks started his political career in the Alabama House of Representatives. He was first elected in 1982 and served until 1992. During his time there, he was chosen as the Republican house caucus chairman three times.
In 1991, Brooks was appointed district attorney for Madison County. He ran for the office in 1992 but lost. Later, he served as a special assistant attorney general for Alabama's attorney general from 1995 to 2002.
In 1996, Brooks was elected to the Madison County commission. He won reelection three more times, serving until 2011. In 2006, he tried to become lieutenant governor of Alabama but was not successful.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Brooks was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2010. He represented Alabama's 5th district. He was the first Republican freshman to represent this district since the Reconstruction era. He was reelected several times, serving until 2023.
Key Votes and Actions
As a representative, Brooks voted on many important issues. In 2018, he opposed a spending bill, saying it would cost too much money. After missile strikes in Syria, he supported the action but wanted the president to get approval from Congress first. He also supported Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the United States Supreme Court. Brooks believed Kavanaugh would follow the Constitution closely.
In 2019, Brooks and other Republican lawmakers entered a private hearing room. They wanted the hearing to be public. This action caused a delay in the testimony. Brooks also voted against a resolution that criticized President Trump for removing U.S. military forces from Syria.
In 2021, Brooks voted against a bill to increase special visas for Afghan allies. He also had issues with financial transparency. Business Insider reported that he did not properly report a stock sale in 2021. In 2022, he again did not report a bond purchase on time.
Committee and Group Memberships
Brooks was part of several important committees in the House:
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies and Information Systems
- Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
- Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
He was also a member of these groups:
- Freedom Caucus
- Congressional Constitution Caucus
Mo Brooks's Political Views
Brooks is known for his conservative views. In 2012, he was ranked among the most conservative members of the U.S. House.
Economy and Spending
Brooks believes that financial issues are very important in Washington. He supports changes to Social Security. This includes letting people invest some of their money in private accounts. He also supports plans to change Medicare to be managed by private insurance companies.
Brooks signed pledges not to vote for tax increases. He supports the Fair Tax proposal. He also opposed President Obama's jobs bill, saying it would add to the national debt. In 2020, the National Taxpayers Union recognized him as a "Taxpayer's Friend" for his votes on taxes.
Environment
In 2018, Brooks made claims about sea level rise. He said that soil and rock washing into the oceans cause sea levels to rise. Most scientists do not agree with this idea. He also suggested that the Antarctic ice sheet was growing, though recent data shows it is shrinking.
Foreign Policy
Brooks believes the U.S. should not be the "world police." He was disappointed that the military did not leave Afghanistan after Osama bin Laden's death. He also opposed U.S. involvement in NATO actions in Libya.
He voted against a bill to help African countries develop electricity. He felt that American taxpayers should not pay for power plants in Africa when the U.S. has its own debt problems. In 2019, he was one of 60 representatives who voted against condemning Trump's withdrawal from Syria.
Health Care
Brooks strongly opposes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He signed a pledge to repeal it and replace it with reforms that lower health care costs. In 2017, he initially said he would not vote for the American Health Care Act, which aimed to replace Obamacare. However, he later voted for it.
He argued that this act would allow insurance companies to charge more to people with higher health care costs. He said this would help reduce costs for healthy people.
Immigration
Brooks has strong views against illegal immigration. He has been supported by groups that advocate for strict immigration laws. He believes it should be "unprofitable" for employers to hire undocumented immigrants. In 2014, he called for the deportation of many undocumented workers.
He also opposed allowing "Dreamers" (young undocumented people who received temporary legal status) to join the military. He stated that cities that act as "sanctuary cities" should pay for the costs of supporting undocumented immigrants.
On January 6, 2021, Brooks claimed that many undocumented immigrants voted in the 2020 election. He objected to counting Arizona's electoral votes based on this claim.
Juneteenth
In June 2021, Brooks was one of 14 House Republicans who voted against making Juneteenth a federal holiday. He said the date was too specific to Texas and that the freeing of slaves should be celebrated on another day.
Donald Trump and the 2020 Election
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Brooks supported Donald Trump during his presidency. He opposed Trump's first impeachment. In 2019, he read a passage from Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf on the House floor. He compared the Democratic Party and the media to the Nazi Party.
After the 2020 presidential election, Brooks strongly defended Trump. He claimed there was widespread fraud, but these claims were not supported by evidence. He argued that if only legal votes were counted, Trump would have won.
On December 10, 2020, Brooks was one of 126 Republican House members who supported a lawsuit to challenge the 2020 election results. The Supreme Court did not hear the case.
Brooks was the first member of Congress to announce he would object to the January 6, 2021, certification of the Electoral College results. He organized meetings to discuss how to challenge the election. On January 6, he spoke at a rally before some protesters went to the U.S. Capitol. He later objected to Nevada's votes, but his objection did not succeed.
In March 2022, Brooks said that as a congressperson, he could not legally remove President Biden from office. He stated that anyone telling Trump there were ways to replace a president was "misleading" him.
Mo Brooks's Personal Life
Brooks met his wife, Martha Jenkins, at Duke University. They married in 1976. Martha graduated from the University of Alabama with an accounting degree. She later earned a teaching degree and taught math. They have four children and ten grandchildren.
Brooks joined the LDS Church in 1978. He still attends Mormon services with his wife, but he considers himself a non-denominational Christian.
In December 2017, Brooks shared that he has prostate cancer.
Images for kids
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Mo Brooks's official portrait.
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Mo Brooks's signature.
See also
In Spanish: Mo Brooks para niños
- List of United States representatives from Alabama
- Sedition Caucus
