Senator Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon, concluded a marathon speech on the Senate floor Wednesday evening after 22 hours and 37 minutes, saying he was “ringing the alarm bells” on the arrival of authoritarianism under President Trump.
“We are in the most perilous moment, the biggest threat to our republic since the Civil War,” Mr. Merkley said as he wrapped up his remarks. “President Trump is shredding our Constitution.”
“We are fully in the authoritarian moment right now,” Mr. Merkley added, pointing to Republican compliance in Congress and a Supreme Court dominated by conservatives who have established presidential immunity. “The president believes he is the king of this country and he can control everything regardless of what the law says.”
Mr. Merkley was not trying to halt a specific piece of legislation, but extended floor speeches are a way for senators to gain attention for their issues as they seek methods for countering Mr. Trump. Senator Cory Booker, Democrat of New Jersey, spoke for more than 25 hours against Trump policies earlier this spring, setting a new record.
Republicans blasted Mr. Merkley after his speech, saying that he made Capitol Police and Senate staff work overnight even though they would not immediately be paid because of the government shutdown.
“It was 22 hours of what I can only describe as rubbish,” said Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Senate Republican. “What did Democrats actually accomplish. The government is still closed. Capitol Police officers and Senate support are still not getting paid.”
The Senate is expected to consider legislation on Thursday that would clear payment for some government workers.
Mr. Merkley said he realized that his speech posed an imposition on Capitol staff but said he wanted to build on the momentum from the anti-Trump rallies last weekend. He said that he hoped his effort could help speed a resolution of the shutdown. He also said he aimed for the midweek to minimize the disruption.
The senator acknowledged that he felt lightheaded at times from not drinking water and that among his goals was topping the previous longest speech by an Oregon senator, Republican Wayne Morse. In 1953, he held the floor for 22 hours and 26 minutes to protest a bill on offshore oil rights. It was the longest speech from a single person at the time.
Mr. Merkley said his view was that he needed to make the case against the authoritarian tack of the Trump administration sooner rather than later.
“The longer you are in an authoritarian state,” he said, “it becomes more and more entrenched.”
Carl Hulse is the chief Washington correspondent for The Times, primarily writing about Congress and national political races and issues. He has nearly four decades of experience reporting in the nation’s capital.
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