Mark McCloskey, the white St. Louis lawyer who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters outside his home last summer, is now running for Senate in Missouri. McCloskey announced he would be running as a Republican candidate on Fox News during an interview with host Tucker Carlson last night (May 18). During the TV appearance, he said his armed confrontation with protesters last year “really did wake [him] up.”
“I’ve always been a Republican, but I’ve never been a politician,” McCloskey told Carlson. “But, you know, God came knocking on my door last summer disguised as an angry mob and it really did wake me up.”
McCloskey also referenced the incident in his first campaign ad.
“When the angry mob came to destroy my house and kill my family, I took a stand against them,” he said. “Now I’m asking for the privilege to take a stand for all of us. I will never back down.”
“Our nation is under attack. Big tech, big business, the swamp in D.C. are all working together to destroy our God-given freedom, our culture and our heritage,” he continued. “… I can promise you one thing: that when the mob comes to destroy our homes, our state and our country, I will defend them.”
Images of Mark and his wife Patricia armed with a handgun and semi-automatic rifle went viral last year. The couple claimed to police that they were “threatened with [their] lives” as Black Lives Matter protesters marched through their gated community. However, video footage showed that the McCloskeys had already armed themselves before protesters were outside their home.
The couple was praised by conservatives and spoke about their right to bear arms at the Republican National Convention. Both Mark and Patricia are charged with two counts each of exhibiting a weapon and tampering with evidence. As reported by REVOLT, they pleaded not guilty to the crimes last October. The case is set to go to trial this November and, if convicted, they both face up to four years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
McCloskey is now reportedly the first man to run for Senate in Missouri while facing two felony charges. See his campaign video on Twitter below.