Senator Merkley Stages Record-Breaking 17-Hour Senate Protest Against Trump's Policies
Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon delivered a 17-hour Senate speech, protesting President Trump's authoritarian actions, deportation efforts, and federal law enforcement tactics, warning against tyranny.
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Overview
- Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon staged a marathon speech on the Senate floor, lasting over 17 hours, to protest President Donald Trump's administration and its policies.
- Merkley's protest specifically targeted Trump's authoritarian actions, deportation efforts, canceled federal programs, and the alleged weaponization of the Justice Department, warning against tyranny.
- The record-breaking speech occurred during a government shutdown, breaking Merkley's own record and forcing Senate staff and support workers to work overtime.
- Senator Merkley also strongly criticized federal law enforcement tactics, accusing the government of attempting to incite a riot outside an immigration detention facility in Portland.
- This extensive protest coincided with a federal appeals court approving the deployment of Oregon National Guard members to Portland, despite objections from local leaders.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of Senator Merkley's marathon speech and its context. They avoid loaded language, presenting the event as a procedural tactic within the ongoing government shutdown. The coverage attributes responsibility for the shutdown to both Democratic demands and GOP refusal to negotiate, demonstrating balanced reporting.
"Merkley said Portlanders aren't "taking the bait." Instead, he said, "they are demonstrating with joy and whimsy.""
CBS News"Merkley used several hours of his speech to describe what he said were Trump’s authoritarian moves, including attacks on the press and policies that Democrats say are enriching billionaires at the expense of regular people."
Associated Press"Merkley argued that "tyranny comes in two forms," including "the attack on freedom," and he said the disappearance of "the fundamental separation of powers.""
NBC News"Merkley said his filibuster, as the procedural tactic is known, was an effort to sound the alarm on both the government shutdown and President Donald Trump, in his view, dragging the country "further into authoritarianism.""
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FAQ
Senator Merkley protested President Trump's authoritarian actions, deportation efforts, the cancellation of federal programs, and what he described as the weaponization of the Justice Department.
He accused the federal government of attempting to incite a riot outside an immigration detention facility in Portland, highlighting aggressive law enforcement tactics.
Merkley's record-breaking speech took place during a government shutdown, which caused Senate staff and support workers to work overtime to accommodate the marathon session.
A federal appeals court approved the deployment of Oregon National Guard members to Portland despite objections from local leaders, coinciding with Merkley’s protest.
Senator Merkley warned against tyranny due to what he viewed as authoritarian moves by the Trump administration that undermine democratic institutions and civil liberties.
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