New Jersey senator makes 17-hour speech — without a bathroom break
Credit: C-Span
A prominent Democratic senator has been giving a marathon speech to protest the policies of president Donald Trump, speaking for 17 hours and counting without a bathroom break.
Cory Booker of New Jersey stood up at 7pm local time (12am UK) on Monday in the Senate and vowed to keep going as long as he was 'physically able'.
Mr Booker, 55, has been using his protracted address to take aim at the US president, saying the threats to American democracy were 'grave and urgent'.
In a bizarre development, it emerged while he was speaking that one of his staffers was arrested for carrying an unauthorised pistol on the grounds of the US Capitol.
Kevin Batts, a special assistant to Mr Booker, was arrested for not having a firearm licence.
In a statement, the US Capitol said that Mr Batts was 'led' around security at the US Capitol by a member of Congress. They did not identify who.
A spokesperson for Mr Booker told Fox News: 'Senator Booker's office employs a retired Newark police detective as a New Jersey-based driver who often accompanies him to events. We are working to better understand the circumstances around this.'
Mr Booker's speech is not considered to be filibuster as he is not preventing a vote on a bill.
Watch the speech continue live on the stream below:
As he began his speech, Mr Booker said: 'These are not normal times in our nation.
'And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them'.
Mr Booker appeared tired but determined to continue after speaking through the night. His Democrat colleagues have been taking the floor at intervals to give him a break from speaking.
Mr Booker said: 'Thirteen hours? I got more in the tank'.
At around 8am, the Senator told the chamber: 'I'm rip roaring and ready. I'm wide awake. I'm going to stand here for as many hours as I can'.
Mr Booker has not left the floor for a break, to sit down or even use the lavatory. This would have allowed the presiding Senate officer to move on to other business.
However, Mr Booker still has some way to go to break the record for the longest speech in the Senate.
The current record is held by the late South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in protest of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
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