Pro-Trump lawyer who pointed gun at BLM protesters says he’s running for Senate

Mark McCloskey, the Missouri lawyer who pointed an assault rifle at racial injustice protestors outside his St. Louis mansion, is running for the US Senate.

Mr McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, were indicted for infamously waving their guns at Black Lives Matter protestors who marched by their home.

Now pro-Trump Mr McCloskey has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and launched a campaign website to raise money to compete for the state’s open senate seat in 2022.

He was expected to formally announce his campaign on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show on Tuesday evening and teased his appearance on Twitter earlier in the day.

“Mark is a Conservative outsider who will bring backbone and guts to the US Senate to continue fighting for President Trump’s agenda,” his website states.

Mr McCloskey and his wife, who were invited to speak at the Republican National Convention last year, are due to stand trial in November for the gun incident.

They were indicted in October by a St. Louis grand jury on felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence.

He will join the Republican field competing to replace retiring Senator Roy Blunt for a seat that the GOP cannot afford to lose with the upper chamber tied 50-50.

Democrats currently control the Senate as vice president Kamala Harris breaks any tied vote.

Mr McCloskey, who is a wealthy personal-injury lawyer, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and launched a campaign website to raise money.

Missouri’s former governor Eric Greitens, who resigned in 2018 amid allegations he had an affair with his hairdresser and blackmailed and sexually assaulted her, has also announced he is running for the Republican nomination.

Former state Senator Scott Sifton and lawyer Lucas Kunce are among the Democrats who will contest the seat.