U.S. Senate meltdown causes chaos in Washington, D.C.
The D.C. Capitol has been losing credibility by the day. Congress is an outright mess.
And now the U.S. Senate has had a meltdown that’s causing chaos throughout the Capitol.
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Controversial Nominations Amid Democratic Walkout
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance the nominations of Emil Bove, a former attorney for Donald Trump, to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and Jeanine Pirro to the U.S. attorney’s office for Washington, D.C., prompting a dramatic walkout by Democratic members.
Bove, currently serving as the U.S. principal associate deputy attorney general, secured committee approval for the judicial nomination despite strong opposition from 900 current and former Department of Justice lawyers, who called on lawmakers to block his appointment, according to The Hill.
Critics raised alarms over a DOJ whistleblower claim that Bove encouraged agency attorneys to ignore a court order tied to the Trump administration’s March decision to deport El Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Historically, a favorable committee vote signals likely confirmation in a full Senate vote for nominees. The walkout occurred after Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley halted further debate on Bove’s nomination and prevented some Democrats from speaking. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., joined his Democratic colleagues in leaving the session.
“You are a good man,” Booker said to Grassley. “You are a decent man, why are you doing this? What is Donald Trump saying to you that are making you do something which is violating the decorum of this committee, the rules of this committee, the decency and the respect that we have each other to at least hear each other out?”
“This is unjust. This is wrong. It is the further deterioration of this committee’s integrity with a person like this. What are you afraid of?”
Jeanine Pirro, a former county judge and Fox News personality, was also approved by the committee as the nominee for U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.
🚨 BREAKING: Utter and complete CHAOS in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats get up and WALK OUT as Cory Booker yells at Chuck Grassley
The Republicans on the committee were quickly approving Trump's judicial nominee Emil Bove
They're furiouspic.twitter.com/bzNXY2t7Kl
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 17, 2025
Democrats’ Political Theater in Congress
Recent events in Congress highlight a pattern of Democratic lawmakers engaging in dramatic displays that critics argue prioritize political theater over substantive governance. The walkout during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote on Emil Bove and Jeanine Pirro’s nominations is a prime example. By exiting the session, Democrats aimed to protest what they saw as a violation of committee norms, but some observers view such actions as performative, designed to garner attention rather than address policy concerns directly.
This incident is not isolated. In 2023, House Democrats staged a sit-in on the House floor to demand gun control legislation, a move that disrupted proceedings and drew widespread media coverage. While the sit-in was framed as a moral stand, critics argued it was a calculated spectacle that achieved little in terms of legislative progress, as no votes were held during the protest.
Similarly, during the 2018 confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Democratic senators repeatedly interrupted proceedings with objections and questions about process, often speaking over one another. These disruptions, while rooted in concerns over Kavanaugh’s record, were seen by some as attempts to delay the inevitable confirmation while rallying their base through public displays of resistance.
#Kavanaugh hearing starting with chaos. Every few seconds, another protester stands up, shouts, is escorted out. pic.twitter.com/fsizQ1Df09
— Blayne Alexander (@ReporterBlayne) September 4, 2018
The trend continued in 2024, when several Democratic representatives boycotted committee hearings on immigration policy, citing partisan bias in the proceedings. Instead of engaging in debate, they issued press statements condemning the process, a move that opponents labeled as grandstanding. This tactic, while effective in drawing attention to their cause, sidestepped opportunities for dialogue or compromise.
Democrats like to use high-profile gestures to highlight their opposition to Republican-led initiatives. For instance, in early 2025, a group of Democratic senators staged a filibuster against a defense spending bill, not to negotiate specific provisions but to protest GOP priorities. The filibuster, which included marathon speeches and social media campaigns, was criticized as a stunt that delayed critical funding without altering the bill’s outcome.
Critics argue that these displays undermine the legislative process by prioritizing optics over outcomes. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that 62% of Americans believe congressional gridlock is exacerbated by lawmakers’ focus on public confrontations rather than bipartisan negotiation. The walkout during the Bove and Pirro nominations fits this pattern, as Democrats’ departure halted debate without changing the committee’s decision.
The reliance on such tactics risks alienating voters who prioritize results over rhetoric. A Gallup poll from January 2025 showed that 58% of independents view congressional protests, like walkouts or filibusters, as unproductive.
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