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Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley (Ore.), a prominent Senate progressive, held the Senate floor overnight and into Wednesday afternoon, speaking for more than 21 consecutive hours — and counting — to protest President Trump and his first nine months back in the Oval Office.
Merkley began speaking speaking at 6:21 p.m. EDT Tuesday, and he was still speaking as of 3:22 p.m. Wednesday.
The lawmaker, who turns 69 on Friday, criticized Trump’s record for hours, illustrating his arguments with visuals, such as a large green placard accusing the president of “weaponizing the Justice Department.”
Shortly before 8 a.m., Merkley talked about the DOJ’s recent indictments of Trump’s political adversaries, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, who was indicted earlier this month on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution related to a mortgage.
He also cited the resignation of Erik Siebert as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia amid reports the nominee did not think there was enough evidence to bring charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey.
The Oregon Democrat railed against Trump’s push to deploy National Guard troops to Portland.
And he accused Trump of “tyranny” and urged Democrats and Republicans to join together to “save the Republic.”
A number of Merkley’s Democratic colleagues also appeared on the floor, asking long-winded questions to give him a break from speaking.
Democratic Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.) set the record for a Senate floor speech earlier this year when he spoke for 25 hours and 5 minutes from March 31 to April 1 — also in protest of the Trump administration.
Merkley’s speech is paralyzing business on the Senate floor until he sits down or leaves his desk. It also comes as the ongoing federal shutdown hit Day 22, making it the second-longest lapse of government funding in U.S. history.
