Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) may be attempting some kind of attention-seeking filibuster (or whatever you want to call it) aimed at opposing Donald Trump at the moment — at least he was when I began writing this article just after 2 p.m. — but, as it turns out, all eyes are now on him for a much more serious reason.
On Monday night, one of Booker's staff members was arrested by Capitol Police because he had a gun in his possession on Capitol grounds.
Cory Booker staffer arrested for carrying gun on Capitol grounds as senator holds floor for more than 17 hours https://t.co/QUN71a1QtC pic.twitter.com/exWhEND5fT
— New York Post (@nypost) April 1, 2025
Capitol Police put out the following statement on the matter on Tuesday:
Yesterday afternoon, a Member of Congress led an ID'ed staff member around security screening at the Hart Senate Office Building. Later that evening, outside the Senate Galleries, the IDed staff member — who is a retired law enforcement officer — told our officers he was armed. The staff member, 59-year-old Kevin A. Batts of New Jersey, was arrested for Carrying a Pistol Without a License. All weapons are prohibited from Capitol Grounds, even if you are a retired law enforcement officer, or have a permit to carry in another state or the District of Columbia.
Fox News reports that "Batts is listed as a 'Special Assistant' to Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., on Legistorm, a research entity that routinely updates salaries and information about lawmakers and their staff." According to the New York Post, Booker said that Batts was one of his "best friends" in a 2022 Facebook post and that the "former Newark police officer has been a fixture of Booker’s political life since at least 2014, per social media posts."
Booker's office is currently not speaking out on the matter, and it's not clear who or why a member of Congress "led" Batts "around security screening."
The incident happened on Monday night just before Booker took to the Senate floor in what appears to be his next attempt at an "I am Spartacus" moment. Booker began speaking around 7 p.m. It's 2:30 now, and he's still going.
"I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able," he said, adding, "I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis."
Yawn. First of all, your candidate losing is not a country "in crisis." I'm so over hearing that tired line. Second of all, I'm going to be totally honest here: minus a quick break to go out and feed my farm animals, I've been reading and handling news stuff all day (and was doing so from about 8 p.m. until midnight or so last night), and I didn't even know Booker was speaking until news of his "best friend" getting arrested broke.
I care more about why this guy had a gun. What were his intentions, or was all of this coordinated to get Booker even more attention? Is he feeling left out because no one is mentioning him as a potential leader for the currently Defunct Democrat Party? Let's talk about that, senator. Otherwise, no one is listening.
Cory Booker may be loud, but our voices are louder (and less obnoxious, I'd like to think). Support conservative media by becoming a PJ Media VIP member. Not only does it help us out, but you gain lots of fun perks. And right now, it's an amazing deal: You can become a VIP member for just $1.63 a month or less than $20 a year. But hurry — I have no idea how long this discount will last. Sign up here.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member