New Jersey’s Democratic Senator Cory Booker spoke for 25 hours and five minutes to warn against the “grave and urgent” danger that Donald Trump’s presidential administration posed to democracy and the American people, The Guardian reports.
His speech beat the record for the longest speech ever by a lone senator. The record was first established by Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
Booker said near the start of his speech: “I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able. I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our nation is in crisis.”
Booker warned that institutions “that are special in America, that are unique in our country, are being recklessly – and I would say unconstitutionally – affected, attacked and even shattered”.
“In just 71 days, the President of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy and even our aspirations as a people for, from our highest offices, a sense of common decency.”
Focusing attention on Trump and Elon Musk, he said: “The most powerful man in the world and the richest man in the world have taken a battle axe to the Veterans’ Association, a battle axe to the Department of Education, a battle axe to the only agency solely focused on protecting consumers against big banks and other factors that might abuse them.”
He added: “These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such. I can’t allow this body to continue without doing something. The threats to America’s democracy are grave and urgent.”
Image by Jens Junge from Pixabay