Remembering
James Robison

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The Brew: 25-Hour Talk-a-Thon, Wisconsin’s Voter ID Twist, Hat Meet Ring, and “You’re Fired.”

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) speaks to reporters after delivering a record setting floor speech for the U.S. Senate at the U.S. Capitol on April 01, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

By Gayle McQueary Published on April 3, 2025

What a caffeinated week in American politics! From Senator Cory Booker’s record-smashing Senate speech to a head-scratching election in Wisconsin, a deportation drama involving a former gang member from El Salvador, and some juicy speculation about California’s political future, there’s plenty to unpack.

Oh, and let’s not forget the Politico piece that’s got everyone buzzing about President Donald Trump possibly giving Elon Musk the boot — and Tesla stock prices somehow rising along with it.

Pour yourself a cup, and let’s stir things up!

25 Hours of Trump-Trashing

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) stepped up to the Senate podium at 7 p.m. on Monday, armed with binders, water bottles, and a mission to talk until his legs literally gave out. By 8:05 p.m. Tuesday, he’d clocked a jaw-dropping 25 hours and five minutes of filibustering, smashing the previous record set by Strom Thurmond nearly 70 years ago (24 hours and 18 minutes, for those keeping score).

The topic? A fiery protest against the Trump administration, which Booker claims has, in just 71 days, turned America into a chaotic mess of slashed safety nets and billionaire handouts.

Booker didn’t hold back, pointing fingers at Trump and congressional Republicans alike for allegedly plotting to gut Medicaid and Medicare to fund tax cuts for the ultra-rich — including, naturally, Elon Musk. Booker read heartfelt letters from constituents worried about losing their Social Security benefits, painting a picture of a nation on the brink.

Trump, for his part, has insisted he’s not touching those benefits — he’s just sniffing out fraud like a budget-conscious bloodhound. Still, Booker’s stamina was impressive — fasting for days beforehand, sipping water, and battling muscle cramps like a political Rocky Balboa. His pals, like Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), took turns tossing him softball questions to keep him upright, a favor Murphy says he’s owed Booker since 2016 for a filibuster on gun violence.

The chamber erupted in applause when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed Booker had broken the record at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday. Even Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined the standing ovation (though we’re guessing she was just happy to stretch her legs).

Booker, hoarse but hopeful, told reporters afterward, “A lot of people are asking Democrats to do more and take risks. This seemed like the right thing to do.” His staff reported huge viewership — think Super Bowl numbers, minus the halftime show. Pollster Frank Luntz seems to think it might’ve struck a chord.

But let’s be real: Railing against Trump’s “reckless” policies for 25 hours? That’s less of a speech than it is a one-day podcast season. Will it “change political history,” as Luntz said, or just be another loud noise in the D.C. echo chamber? Time will tell if it moves the needle or if it’s just Booker yelling into the void like a homeless person on the street.

Wisconsin’s Voter ID Puzzle: Yes to IDs, No to the Judge Who Hates Them

Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, voters pulled off a political plot twist that’s got everyone scratching their heads. On one hand, they passed Question 1, cementing a Voter ID requirement into the state constitution — a win for fans of election security.

On the other, they elected Judge Susan Crawford to the state Supreme Court, keeping the court’s 4-3 liberal majority intact.

Here’s the kicker: Crawford even snagged counties that went Trump-red last November — and unlike her opponent, Brad Schimel, isn’t exactly a cheerleader for voter ID. So how did that happen? (Some people are saying it’s a repeat of 2020 Dominion election machine fraud; more on this on The Stream later this week.)

And the numbers are wild: Republicans spent $53 million total, making this the priciest judicial race in U.S. history. Liberal media are having a field day, saying Musk lost this election after personally contributing over $20 million to Schimel — but they’re silent on the millions of dollars George Soros, Reid Hoffman, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker contributed to Crawford’s campaign.

So, Wisconsinites said “yes” to showing an ID at the polls but “no” to the guy who’d enforce that law? That’s like ordering a cheeseburger and then voting for a vegan chef.

The Pupusa Plot Thickens

Now, let’s jet down to the border for a tale that’s equal parts soap opera and legal headache. Kilmer Armado Abrego-Garcia, an El Salvadoran national who slipped into the U.S. illegally in 2012, has been bouncing around the immigration system like a pinball and is making headlines after the Trump administration deported him to El Salvador in mid-March.

He was first detained in 2019, when an immigration judge ordered his deportation because of his affiliation with the MS-13 gang and a rap sheet of traffic violations that screamed “flight risk.” The Board of Immigration Appeals nodded in agreement.

Abrego-Garcia then pivoted to Plan B: He’s not an illegal immigrant and member of a violent gang; he’s an asylum seeker. His story? The 18th Street Gang back home was after him because they were angry about his family’s pupusa business — yes, those delicious Salvadoran stuffed tortillas.

There are no police reports on this, by the way — no paper trail, just his word and some affidavits from family members about the business that had already been shuttered years earlier. A new judge bought that story (sort of), granting Abrego-Garcia “withholding of removal” back to El Salvador in 2019. That’s not a green card; it just means he can’t be sent there unless the threat disappears.

Here’s where it gets messy: The U.S. deported him to El Salvador last month anyway, but then claimed it was done in error. The Atlantic was quick to come to Abrego-Garcia’s rescue, painting him as a victim of a heartless system and questioning his MS-13 ties — though courts confirmed them.

Fast-forward to 2025: El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has crushed the 18th Street Gang, making them less of a threat to Abrego-Garcia’s safety. Legally, that means he’s deportable — and with El Salvador safer, the case for him staying in the U.S. looks thin.

Will Chamberlain, senior counsel at the Article 3 Project and Internet Accountability Project, breaks all of this down in a great thread that’s well worth your time to read:

Becerra’s California Dream

Over in the Golden State, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra threw his hat into the governor’s race yesterday, joining a competitive field of Democrats vying to replace newly minted podcaster Gavin Newsom in Sacramento.

The race could shift again if former Vice President Kamala Harris enters. However, we think if Becerra could make it through the Biden administration, he can stick it out in this race. He’s not wrong about California needing practical leadership, but is the guy who boasts about overseeing 700 million COVID vaccinations really the right choice to become the next governor?

Trump to Musk: “You’re Fired”?

Finally, let’s talk about the Politico piece that’s got tongues wagging and Tesla stock spiking. Allegedly, Trump has told his inner circle he’s ready to sideline Elon Musk from his starring role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by late May or early June — just in time for Musk’s 130-day “special employee” gig to expire.

Apparently, some Trump allies are tired of the way the billionaire tends to steal the spotlight, especially after his $20 million bet on Wisconsin’s Brad Schimel flopped this week. Politico’s piece reads like a juicy tell-all, but here’s the catch: It’s all whispers and shadows — no named witnesses, just a long list of anonymous “sources say.”

As of yesterday, Trump hadn’t respond to the article via his Truth Social account; neither had Musk, who instead was sharing photos of his time as “a spook” on X.

So, is this a real rift, or just a hit piece dressed up as insider gossip? Whatever it is, Tesla stock jumped up the day the story dropped. Apparently, investors love a good breakup rumor.

Either way, we’re enjoying Trump and Musk, the buddy-cop duo we didn’t know we needed until they arrived in Washington.

Along The Stream…

Coming up at 8 a.m., Stream Senior editor John Zmirak asks former prosecutor, author, and election-integrity hero Sidney Powell about the corrupt lawfare prosecutors who epitomize what’s broken in America.

In case you missed it yesterday, new contributor Peter Demos talked to Greg Koukl, founder of Stand to Reason, on how to logically — and simply — defend your faith in Part 1 of a two-part series, Defending Your Christianity Without Overcomplicating It. Check it out — and then check back in later for Part 2.

 

Gayle McQueary is The Stream’s social media coordinator. She has a background in production and is a scary judge of spreading unfounded gossip just for clicks.