Last week, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) took to the Senate floor so that he could complain about President Trump and Elon Musk. He went on for over 24 hours. One can speculate as to why he felt it necessary to waste the time of lawmakers when everyone with even a passing familiarity with today’s political climate is painfully aware that virtually every Democrat in Congress is committed to opposing Trump and his policies.
Yes, there is the occasional elected Democrat who will side with the President on certain issues, but the general public seems to perceive Democrats as being wholly united in opposition to Trump. Considering he won the White House by a veritable electoral landslide, won the popular vote, and recent polls asking Americans if they feel the country is headed in the right direction have reached higher levels than they have in many decades, it’s no wonder support for Democrats, in general, has reached historic lows.
But what does any of this have to do with the Second Amendment, and why do we think Booker should identify as a hypocrite? Well, the two are related.
It seems that, prior to seizing control of the Senate floor, one of Booker’s staffers was arrested for carrying a firearm on the Capitol grounds. Booker is a well-known anti-gun extremist, and has supported virtually every proposal that has sought to undermine the Second Amendment. So it would seem a bit hypocritical to employ someone who seems to actually believe in the right to bear arms.
The staffer, who we are not going to name, is apparently a former law-enforcement officer. He also, apparently, possesses a carry permit. Unfortunately, that permit does not allow for him to carry on the Capitol grounds. Of course, NRA supports expanding the areas where law-abiding citizens may carry firearms for personal protection—including those who have gone through the process of obtaining a carry permit.
There are not many details regarding this incident, but one report notes that the Capitol Police stated, “[A] Member of Congress led an IDed staff member around security screening at the Hart Senate Office Building.”
Now, it’s at least reasonable to speculate, if not assume, that the “Member of Congress” who led this staff member around the screening was Cory Booker. They were, after all, going into the Hart Senate Office Building, which is where Booker’s office is located.
It would also seem plausible, if not probable, that Booker led his allegedly armed staffer around screening because he knew he was armed. Whether the staffer was armed (if the accusations are true) strictly on his own behalf, or on behalf of another, is unclear.
Whatever the case, perhaps Booker should address what seems to be a hypocritical position of opposing the Second Amendment while employing someone who seems to exercise it (perhaps to his own benefit), and circumventing security meant to restrict the Second Amendment.
Ultimately, Cory Booker cares about Cory Booker, and his penchant for self-promotion is well-established. Back when he made his “I am Spartacus” comment during the debate over the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, he tried to present the image of a brave man risking expulsion from the Senate for releasing what he claimed were classified documents relating to Kavanaugh.
What he eventually produced, however, were files that had already been cleared for public release.
His recent publicity stunt on the Senate floor is really no different. One could speculate that it was merely intended to give him more public exposure, and his ultimate goal is not to stop Trump policies, but to lay the groundwork for another run at becoming President. Booker, you may recall, was one of the Democrat candidates for president who dropped out early in the 2020 race to challenge President Donald Trump.
For what it’s worth, Booker certainly differentiated himself from the last two Democrat presidential candidates. Joe Biden likely couldn’t stay awake for 12 hours, let alone speak for 24, and Kamala Harris…well, the term word salad is a bit overused when referring to her, but the thought of 24 hours of her speaking might evoke the image of a truckload of lettuce spilling its haul on an open highway.
Hypocrite or not, at least Booker is able to speak, and for a considerable length of time. Perhaps that is the new standard for anti-gun Democrat presidential candidates.