Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., slams his own party members as "complicit" to President Donald Trump after they rejected amendments he argued would prevent Trump from picking winners and losers as it pertains to federal funding support. (Fox News)
"That is complicity with an authoritarian leader who is trashing our country," Booker argued to his fellow Democrats. "It is time for Democrats to have a backbone, it's time for us to fight, it's time for us to draw a line, and when it comes to the safety of my state being denied these grants that's why I'm standing here."
Booker's objection stemmed from a call from Democrats to pass a package of law enforcement-related bills aimed at boosting resources for police, including resources to help shore up death benefits for police officers lost in the line of duty, resources for greater mental health support for officers, resources to address child exploitation, and more. The bills, eventually passed Tuesday, were discussed and approved in committee before reaching the Senate floor.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) speaks at a rally in support of USAid on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on February 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) )
Booker's criticism of his fellow Democratic Party members lays bare Democrats' intra-party fighting between the more radical wing of the party and the more moderate wing.
The New Jersey senator's criticism also comes as the party is seeking to find the best strategy forward following big GOP gains during the 2024 election.
Former President Barack Obama spoke to the matter at a party fundraiser earlier this month, reportedly telling leaders of the party and major donors to "stop looking for a quick fix" and start supporting candidates who can really win and produce results. As an example, the former president pointed particularly at the upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia.
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Later this year, Virginia will face a major gubernatorial battle between incumbent GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former long-time Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. In New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was reportedly in attendance at the fundraiser Obama spoke at, is running for her state's open gubernatorial seat against GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli.
"The most important thing you can do right now is to help the team, our candidate to win," Obama told attendees at the fundraiser.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cory-booker-slams-dem-colleagues-complicity-trump-angry-wake-up-call-floor-speech