A radical-endorsed Democrat running to flip a Pennsylvania congressional seat found himself boarding the apology train after posts surfaced supporting the police and the Second Amendment.
As part of President Donald Trump’s 2024 swing state sweep, the Keystone State’s 7th congressional district was won by now-Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R), unseating then-three-term Rep. Susan Wild (D). With less than a month remaining before the May primary, the Democrat infighting found retired firefighter Bob Brooks apologizing for “stupid things” he’s shared, like the fact that guns aren’t responsible for killing people and Colin Kaepernick is a “douchebag.”
Referencing recent reporting on the posts by the Lehigh Valley Ramblings blog, the Washington Post covered the past social media activity of the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association (PPFFA), backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (D), and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D).
“I’ve shared a few stupid things over the years, and for that I am sorry. I believe who I’ve fought for and my values have always been clear,” said Brooks, who hopes to win the seat that encompasses the counties of Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton with cities like Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, as well as parts of Monroe County.
He further argued, “A bunch of DC insiders who don’t want more working people in office are selectively digging up years-old Facebook posts.”
Following a 2019 tragedy where 23 people were killed, and 22 more were injured at an El Paso Walmart, to which Patrick Crusius pled guilty to federal hate crime charges, a narrative about disparate justice circulated. Amid that, Brooks posted a meme featuring Clint Eastwood from the film “Gran Torino” that read, “The problem is not guns. It’s hearts without God, homes without discipline, schools without prayer, and courtrooms without justice.”
Embedded imagery associated with an anti-government militia group led a spokesperson for the candidate to convey that Brooks “wishes he never made” the post and had “zero awareness” of the included logo for the Three Percenters.
Amid Black Lives Matter riots that swept the country in 2020’s “Summer of Love,” Brooks expressed defense for police, referencing the first responders of Sept. 11, 2001, and those on duty during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, as he said, “I guess we have forgotten the good ones.”
“Wanting change within the police departments to weed out the bad cops is fine. But please remember the good ones,” he argued.
Meanwhile, as Colin Kaepernick raised a stink in the NFL with protests of the National Anthem and the inclusion of the Betsy Ross flag on Nike shoes, Brooks said, “Colin Kaepernick doesn’t like this flag, so I’m gonna share it.”
“The first thing in a long time both democrats and republicans are doing together! Thanks douchebag for helping bring the country together again on something,” he added.
Responding to the article, Nick Mattes, the campaign manager for Ryan Crosswell, one of Brooks’ primary opponents, likened the candidate to Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D) and said, “Pennsylvania voters aren’t gonna be fooled again.” In addition to the firefighter and former prosecutor, the other candidates in the Democratic primary are former Northampton County executive Lamont McClure and former senior advisor to then-Sen. Bob Casey (D) Carol Obando-Derstine.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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