Rand Paul “Making Jimmy Stewart Smile” in 13 Hour Filibuster

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) started a filibuster at noon yesterday which concluded after midnight in opposition to CIA nominee John Brennan, who led a drone program which could be used against Americans on American soil.  Senator Paul declared, “I will speak until I can no longer speak. I will speak as long as it takes, until the alarm is sounded from coast to coast that our Constitution is important, that your rights to trial by jury are precious, that no American should be killed by a drone on American soil without first being charged with a crime, without first being found to be guilty by a court.”

The junior Senator from Kentucky was joined by the senior counterpart from the state, Mitch McConnell, as well as by Senators Ted Cruz (R- Tex.) and Mike Lee (R- Utah), John Barasso (R- Wyo.), Saxby Chambliss (R- Ga.), John Cornyn (R- Tex.), Jerry Moran (R- Kan.), Marco Rubio (R- Fla.), John Thune (R- S.D.), and Patrick J. Toomey (R- Pa.).

Paul said, “When I asked the president, ‘Can you kill an American on American soil?’ it should have been an easy answer. It’s an easy question. It should have been a resounding, an unequivocal, ‘No.’  The president’s response? He hasn’t killed anyone yet. We’re supposed to be comforted by that.”

Senator Cruz commended Paul on the resemblance to a filibuster from a favorite movie, saying, “You’re standing here like a modern-day ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.’ You must surely be making Jimmy Stewart smile.”