Columbia Standard

On April 1, 2025, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois took to the Senate floor to support Senator Cory Booker as he opposed the Trump Administration's actions, which he believes undermine the rule of law. Booker has committed to speaking on the Senate floor until physically exhausted, emphasizing the voices of Americans affected by the administration's actions and asserting the administration's disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution, and public needs.

Durbin acknowledged Booker's efforts, "I first want to acknowledge this extraordinary moment in the history of the Senate. I believe you [Senator Booker] have been holding the Floor now for more than ten hours and perhaps will go on even longer… I didn’t want to miss this moment in history, not just for the historic nature of it, but for the substance of it as well."

Durbin brought attention to a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where nominees for the Justice Department did not clearly commit to adhering to federal court orders. The nominees in question are Harmeet Dhillon, Aaron Reitz, and D. John Sauer, with the former two facing imminent Senate votes. Reitz's nomination was confirmed last week along party lines.

He posed a critical question about the constitutional checks on the presidency, asking, “The question that was asked of the witnesses who were seeking positions in the Department of Justice, can a public official defy a court order? It seems so fundamental and basic. The answer is no, of course. But these three witnesses all equivocated in their own ways."

Durbin further criticized President Trump's executive actions, "He [President Trump] has issued [more than 100] executive orders… executive orders questioning something as basic as birthright citizenship." He questioned whether the President would adhere to court rulings that oppose his policies, asking, "Where is the accountability? Where is the check and balance? Where is the constitutional framework which is supposed to be at the foundation of this democracy?"

Durbin concluded by supporting Booker's initiative while inviting Republican allies to take a stand, "I just commend you for raising this point because I believe it’s timely. It’s as timely as the questions that we asked of these Department of Justice nominees about the enforceability of court orders… I’m counting on some of our Republican friends to speak up."

In the past month, Durbin unsuccessfully sought unanimous consent to pass a resolution affirming the constitutional authority of federal courts and the requirement for the executive branch to abide by federal court rulings. The requests were blocked by Senate Republicans.

Video, audio, and footage of Durbin’s remarks are available for public viewing.