Senate floor erupts as Booker accuses Dems of being "complicit" with Trump
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Sen. Cory Booker. Photo: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Democrats engaged in a rare intra-party fight on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon, laying bare their divisions on how and when to challenge President Trump.
Why it matters: Technically the Senate was debating bipartisan legislation on police grants. But Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) used it as an opportunity to accuse his party of not doing more to counter Trump.
- "This to me is the problem with Democrats in America right now," Booker said. "We are being complicit to Donald Trump."
Driving the news: The Senate was considering a package of "police week" legislation that was expected to be easily passed, when Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) asked for unanimous consent.
- But Booker objected and offered an amendment to the underlying package that would allow his state more access to certain police grants.
That surprise move provoked outrage from Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Cortez Masto.
- "This is an attempt to kill all of these bills. I don't know why," said Cortez Masto, doing little to hide her annoyance.
- "These bills passed unanimously out of committee weeks ago," said Cortez Masto. "This is the first time we are ever hearing about it."
But Booker came prepared to fight and turned the debate into a critique of his party's response to Trump. He also claimed that the legislation under consideration discriminated against certain states.
- Booker asked: "Why would we do something today that is playing in the president's politics?"
- "When we will stand and fight this president," Booker said. "When are we going to stand up for our body?"
Zoom in: "I like to show up at the markup and make my case," Klobuchar said, needling Booker for missing a committee hearing.
- "I was just called out by name and I'd like to respond," Booker then said.
- "Don't question my integrity, don't question my motives," Booker said. "If we don't stand up as Democrats, we deserve to lose."
- "It's time for us to fight," Booker said. "I am standing for Jersey," he said.
The bottom line: Booker withdrew his objection and the legislation ultimately passed, but he made his point.
- "I don't need the lectures about the urgency on this," he said. "The Democratic Party needs a wake-up call."
