Ed Markey: “I rise today in defense of one of the most sacred pillars of our democracy: the freedom of speech. Last Saturday…”

“I rise today in defense of one of the most sacred pillars of our democracy: the freedom of speech. Last Saturday, President Donald Trump declared on social media that comedian Seth Meyers' jokes about him were "100% ANTI TRUMP, WHICH IS PROBABLY ILLEGAL!!!" That is right--"illegal." The President thinks it is probably illegal to make jokes about him on television, that what Seth Meyers was doing is illegal. No more jokes about the President. Let me be clear. In America, criticizing the President is not a crime. It is a constitutional right. It is a democratic duty. It is essential for a free society. The Founders enshrined this principle in the very first words of the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment guarantees that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or the press. That protection is not conditional. It is not conditional upon whether or not Donald Trump likes that constitutional protection or not. It is not limited to Americans who praise those in power. It also extends to those who are critical of those who are in power, including the President and including all of the Members of the U.S. Senate--because we have to accept that as part of our job, that people can criticize us. This right belongs equally to everyone, from your family arguing about politics at Thanksgiving dinner to protesters and late night comics making fun of the President. Donald Trump seems to have somehow missed this part of the Constitution.”