WASHINGTON – On the floor of the U.S. Senate on June 2, Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin (both D-Ill.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and fellow Senate Democrats attempted to pass a new resolution that affirms the constitutional rights of Americans to peaceably assemble, exercise freedom of speech, and petition the government for redress of grievances.
The resolution also condemns President Trump for ordering federal officers to use gas and rubber bullets against the Americans who were peaceably protesting in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., on the night of June 1.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) objected to a unanimous consent request from Schumer to pass the resolution.
“Last night, Donald Trump trampled the First Amendment rights of Americans to peaceably assemble for a redress of grievances,” said Duckworth. “Even before any curfew went into effect, Trump ordered federal law enforcement to violently assault Americans who stood in his way of a disgusting, crass photo op.
“I’m proud to join Sen. Durbin and our fellow Democratic senators to introduce this resolution that makes it clear that Trump’s actions are unacceptable and we won’t sit idly by while he stomps on the rights of our citizens.”
“Last night, we witnessed something so extraordinary — so heinous — here in Washington, D.C.,” Durbin said. “President Trump’s actions violate the sanctity of our First Amendment freedoms and they represent an abuse of his authority as commander-in-chief. Sen. Duckworth and I, along with our fellow Senate Democrats, introduced a resolution to condemn these actions, but Leader McConnell objected to its passage today.
“We cannot let anyone stand in the way of our basic constitutional norms and rights that we are afforded as Americans.”