Prairie State Wire

Conflict surfaced between Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on the Senate floor last week during the questioning of President Joe Biden's appointee for Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. 

According to an April 18 report from Next News Network, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) was the first to grow frustrated while questioning Clarke because Durbin interrupted Cotton's question. 

"Would you please stop the pattern of interrupting?" Cotton asked Durbin. "This happened the last time we had a hearing."

Durbin apologized and said he would offer the senator additional time for his questions but also said he would like to see Clarke be given a proper chance to answer completely.

"I've asked her a simple yes or no question multiple times," Cotton said, "and she has refused to answer it. Thank you for your input though."

A similar encounter happened when Cruz began to question Clarke and Durbin interrupted again to tell Cruz to "allow Clarke to complete her answers."

Durbin said he wished members of the committee would be respectful. 

Cruz said he will not allow Clarke the opportunity to filibuster. 

"I show respect to every witness but we also have limited time, as you are aware," Cruz responded, " and you’ve been on this [committee] long enough to know the witnesses avoiding questions will try to filibuster on different topics. So I am going to ask questions and I am going to expect answers to the questions I ask. I understand the chairman wants to jump in and defend the witnesses. But that is your prerogative to try to do so."

Cruz is the junior senator from the Lone Star State and has served since 2013. Before that, he was Solicitor General of Texas from 2003 to 2008. 

In March of 2020, Cotton accused Durbin of working behind closed doors instead of with Senate Republicans. 

The Arkansas senator alleged that Durbin and other Democrats refused to come to the floor to debate the federal stimulus package and instead demanded cash for Illinois and Chicago from a distance.