“Brooks only gave an Ellipse Speech because the White House asked him to"

“Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass,” Brooks said at the rally. He repeated Trump’s baseless claims that the November presidential election had been stolen and asked if those in the crowd were ready to fight. Brooks argued in his motion Friday that he can’t be sued because he was acting under the scope of his job as a federal employee, during work, and his speech fell under his duties as a member of Congress. “Brooks only gave an Ellipse Speech because the White House asked him to, in his capacity as a United States congressman,” the filing said. “But for the White House request, Brooks would not have appeared at the Ellipse Rally.”