ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Mark McCloskey is saying more about his possible run for the U.S. Senate.
The 63-year old personal injury lawyer who made headlines last summer when he and his wife Patricia stood on their lawn with guns to protect themselves from protestors marching past their home says he doesn't like the direction of the country.
"I think in the past year so many of the basic freedoms of this country have been taken away and eroded," McCloskey said, "The Constitution has been trampled on. Under the pretext of Covid-19, dictatorial-type edicts have been arisen all over the country and in the local area, unsupported by fact or law, and persist beyond any reasonable time."
McCloskey also takes exception to the direction of the Biden administration.
"I think that the current government, the current administration, with the swipe of a pen has done more damage to our freedoms in 100 days than the last 200 years," McCloskey said. "The average human being, the average citizen of this country, is watching their rights and freedoms being taken away on a daily basis. Every day it's something new, whether it's packing the court, or gun control, or nationalizing election laws, or attempts to nationalize police– all of these things are invasions into basic and individual freedoms."
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While he hasn't formally declared he's running, McCloskey says he has been testing the waters. He was asked about the strength of his name recognition beyond the St. Louis area.
"I don't know because we haven't done any polling, but I can tell you this: We've been doing presentations and events at the State Capitol building and the various Republican events – Lincoln and Reagan Days – and we've got a great reception. People like our message. People feel that the country's going away and we need to save it," McCloskey said.
McCloskey says there's no timetable for when he'll make a decision.
He would face Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, who have both declared their candidacy for the senate seat of retiring Senator Roy Blunt.
McCloskey was asked about the possibility that his entrance into the race could split conservative voters between him and Greitens, and leave Schmitt with a majority of moderate voters.
"I am going to what I can to make sure that the Republicans take control of the Senate, and I'm not going to do anything to interfere with the likelihood of a Republican getting elected for the state of Missouri in the Senate. But by the same token, I think it ought to be the right Republican," he says.
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Meanwhile, gun charges filed against the McCloskeys by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner are still unresolved. They were charged with unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering in connection with the front lawn incident.
The case is now in the hands of a court-appointed Special Prosecutor, after Gardner was barred from the case because of a conflict of interest.
Former U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan will serve as the Special Prosecutor. The McCloskey's lawyer has filed a motion asking that a new grand jury be seated to reconsider whether the charges Gardner filed are supported by the evidence.
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