Washington, D.C. – South Carolina Congresswoman Representative Nancy Mace took aim at Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today, criticizing his record-breaking 25-hour Senate speech as a “bizarre” and “nonsensical” stunt that she claims was intended to defend “illegal aliens, gang members, rapists, and terrorists.”
The marathon address, which began Monday evening and concluded Tuesday night, has sparked a firestorm of debate, with Republicans decrying it as a wasteful disruption and Democrats hailing it as a bold stand against the Trump administration’s policies.
Booker, 55, seized the Senate floor at approximately 7 p.m. ET on March 31, vowing to speak “for as long as I am physically able” in what he described as an effort to “disrupt the normal business of the United States Senate.”
The New Jersey senator’s speech, which clocked in at 25 hours and 5 minutes, surpassed the previous record set by segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond in 1957, who filibustered the Civil Rights Act for 24 hours and 18 minutes. However, unlike Thurmond’s effort to block specific legislation, Booker’s address was not a traditional filibuster aimed at stalling a vote, but rather a broad critique of President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Mace, in a post on today, lambasted Booker’s performance, calling it a “record-holding filibuster” and accusing him of using the platform to advocate for controversial figures.
Democrats, however, framed Booker’s marathon as a necessary act of resistance and hailed the blabbering senator as a hero of the people.
With no specific legislation or nomination on the table to block, Booker’s speech instead served as a sprawling indictment of Trump’s policies, touching on issues from healthcare cuts to immigration enforcement.
At times, he read letters from constituents purportedly harmed by the administration’s actions, while weaving in references to civil rights icons like John Lewis to underscore his moral stance.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer briefly interrupted to salute Booker’s historic feat, declaring, “You’ve just made history, and I’m proud to witness it.”
