Previous Feedback Come Again to Chunk Hakeem Jeffries After Document-Setting 'Filibuster'

[ad_1] I’m personally completely satisfied that the filibuster has by no means been launched within the Home of Representatives. Not due to the truth that I’m a legislative traditionalist, thoughts you. It’s simply that I don’t wish to see Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries need to eat his phrases on a weekly foundation.

These of you tuning into C-SPAN Thursday in all probability noticed a variety of Jeffries, a New York consultant who started main the Democratic caucus in 2023. In truth, his practically 9 hours of talking in opposition to the One Huge Lovely Invoice reconciliation bundle that handed the Senate earlier this week was the longest speech in Home historical past.

Not that it helped any, with the vote lastly totaling 218 to 214. In the long run, solely two Republicans voted in opposition to the bundle — Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Massie as a result of it spent an excessive amount of and Fitzpatrick as a result of it spent too little.

Nevertheless, whereas the Jeffries’ speech was not a filibuster in reality — that may be a speech throughout which cloture can't be invoked — it basically was in spirit. That’s as a result of there have been a variety of Republicans on the fence and the Democrats have been doubtless making an attempt to woo them. Thus, stalling for time grew to become crucial.

“I really feel the duty Mr. Speaker to face on this Home ground and take my candy time,” Jeffries stated, “to inform the tales of the American folks.”

“And that’s precisely what I intend to do: take my candy time,” he stated to applause from Home Democrats.

Hakeem Jeffries: “I really feel the duty Mr. Speaker to face on this Home ground and take my candy time.”

He’s actively delaying remaining vote on the funds invoice, giving Individuals extra time to name their representatives. pic.twitter.com/XU7eOMCMbH

— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) July 3, 2025

And nobody was below the misapprehension that this was something substantive. From belligerent leftist popinjay Brian Krassenstein: “Hakeem Jeffries has been talking on the Home ground for the final 4 hours straight making an attempt to stop the ‘Huge Lovely Invoice’ from being handed.” The clip he included was the “take my candy time” one, indicating everybody additionally knew he didn’t have an entire lot to say however a variety of time to say it and the potential to sway GOP votes behind the scenes.

BREAKING: Hakeem Jeffries has been talking on the Home ground for the final 4 hours straight making an attempt to stop the “Huge Lovely Invoice” from being handed:

“I really feel the duty Mr. Speaker to face on this Home ground and take my candy time.” pic.twitter.com/N3QiUjruV4

— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) July 3, 2025

Even the wire companies concurred. From The Related Press:

There’s no filibuster within the Home, however Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries basically performed one anyway.

Jeffries held the Home ground for greater than eight hours Thursday, taking his “candy time” with a marathon ground speech that delayed passage of Republicans’ huge tax and spending cuts laws and gave his minority get together a prolonged highlight to excoriate what he referred to as an “immoral” invoice.

As Democratic chief, Jeffries can communicate for so long as he needs throughout debate on laws — therefore its nickname on Capitol Hill, the “magic minute,” that lasts so long as leaders are talking.

In different phrases, whereas there’s no large filibuster within the Home, due to his place as get together chief, Jeffries is ready to communicate so long as he needs to.

That is all fairly humorous when you think about each the end result of the ultimate vote and what Jeffries has stated about filibuster ways when used within the Senate: particularly, that they’re a vestige of the Jim Crow period and must be abolished.

Hakeem Jefrries in 2022: The filibuster is dripping in racist historical past and protection of slavery and Jim Crow

He’s been talking now for practically 9 hours pic.twitter.com/Y7aS0bjjHP

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 3, 2025

Jeffries, talking as regards to Democratic-led voting guidelines laws tied up by the filibuster course of within the Senate, promised to get it handed “by any means mandatory.”

That included “reforming a filibuster rule that's dripping in racist historical past in protection of slavery and Jim Crow.”

“I assume it’s not racist anymore,” one commentator famous.

Does anybody else keep in mind Hakeem Jeffries referring to the filibuster rule as, “Dripping in racist historical past, in protection of slavery and Jim Crow”?

I assume it’s not racist anymore. pic.twitter.com/BES8CduzXe

— DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) July 3, 2025

Naturally, it wasn’t racist then, and Jeffries wasn’t the one member of Democrat management utilizing the sort of language to try to militate in opposition to Republicans and extra reasonable Democrats supporting the upkeep of the filibuster rule, which requires 60 senators to shut debate on most subjects.

As an example, if former President Joe Biden actually remains to be as sharp as a tack, he’ll keep in mind saying this: “So, I ask each elected official in America: How do you wish to be remembered? At consequential moments in historical past, they current a alternative. Do you wish to be on the aspect of Dr. King or George Wallace? Do you wish to be on the aspect of John Lewis or Bull Connor? Do you wish to be on the aspect of Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis?”

My guess is that he in all probability doesn’t. However then, like Jeffries, he was additionally a supporter of the legislative tactic when it suited his functions. In contrast to Jeffries, Biden was a senator, and in contrast to Jeffries, Biden by no means had one other likelihood to place his phrases to the check. Not solely did Jeffries successfully assist the filibuster along with his speech Thursday, he expanded it by setting a precedent that get together leaders may successfully have interaction in the identical type of ways straight out of “racist historical past” in the event that they thought it helped their probabilities on essential votes.

Stunts like these are why the Democrats are falling so drastically far behind Republicans: The left says one thing Republicans are doing is evil, then as quickly as they get the ability to try this factor, they themselves do it. Then they’ll decry it once more when the tables are turned.

Strong work, Mr. Minority Chief: Not solely did you not get your method, you now opened Pandora’s field to filibustering within the decrease chamber, as properly. You have been — to make use of your individual phrases — appearing “in protection of slavery and Jim Crow.” I’m certain you’ll personal that, no?