3:06 PM EST: Sen. Mike Lee (R- Utah) asks Sen. Paul if he would yield for a question, to which Sen. Paul replied he would yield for questions, but would not yield the floor.
3:08 PM EST: Sen. Ted Cruz (R- Texas) asks Sen. Paul if he would yield for a question, to which Sen. Paul replied he would yield for a question, but would not yield the floor. Sen. Cruz stated that Jimmy Stewart would be proud of Sen. Rand Paul today, referencing the Jimmy Stewart movie, “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington“.
3:24 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul addresses Sen. Mike Lee (R- Utah) for questions and comments on the topic of lethal force against U.S. citizens on U.S. soil without due process. Once again, Sen. Rand Paul specifies that he is not yielding the floor.
3:28 PM EST: Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) joins the discussion with Sen. Rand Paul on the “the consequences of a drone strike” on a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil without due process.
3:35 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Jerry Moran agree and discuss that, “the real issue is not the confirmation of John Brennan, the real issue is that the issue of the execution of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil without due process”, and needs to be resolved.
3:36 PM EST: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) again joins Sen. Rand Paul in the filibuster. Sen. Cruz discusses the battle at The Alamo- stating he speaks for 26 million Texans in saying that the state of Texas is proud of Sen. Rand Paul for standing up for freedom.
3:45 PM EST: Sen. Paul thanked Sen. Cruz for the compliment, and said if the filibuster goes on long enough, he wants a recitation of the last words spoken at the battle at The Alamo.
3:51 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul responds in the affirmative, stating that this debate is not about the person of John Brennan, it is not about the person of Barack Obama. It is whether or not we will hold The Constitution dear to us and to do everything we can to uphold that.
4:10 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul thanks Dem. Sen. Wyden for his comments in the filibuster discussion.
4:18 PM EST: Sen. Marco Rubio (R- Florida) joins the filibuster, making a joke to Sen. Rand Paul with some “advise” to “keep some water handy” during his filibuster.
4:27 PM EST: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) states, (slightly paraphrased): “The day will come when something you care about… maybe under a different Administration…. at some point in the future all of us will have questions we want answered that refuses to give us answers… straight answer. When that moment comes you will want…. your questions answered.”
4:28 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul addresses Sen. Marco Rubio’s comments and questions to the Senate, stating that if these issues are not addressed, the obvious question is, “under what standards” are you going to do this in America? “Why can’t the President answer these questions?”, Sen. Paul asks.
4: 37 PM EST: Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R- Georgia) joins the filibuster.
4:39 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul thanks Sen. Chambliss for his input and help in trying to get answers to the questions regarding the drone program.
4:44 PM EST: Sen. Harry Reid (D- Nevada) seeks cloture motion to end the filibuster.
4:46 PM EST: Sen. Saxy Chambliss (R- Georgia) seeks clarification from Sen. Harry Reid’s motion.
4:47 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul addresses Sen. Harry Reid’s motion, with the right to object, stating that he will end the filibuster only if Obama or Holder clarify their position on killing Americans in the U.S. Ultimately, Sen. Rand Paul brushes off Harry Reid’s attempt to end filibuster.
So the filibuster goes on. Sen. Rand Paul reaches 5 hours in his filibuster…. and counting.
4:54 PM EST: Sen. Pat Toomey (R- Pennsylvania) joins the filibuster, stating that Sen. Paul is performing a necessary service, and thanks him for what he is doing in the filibuster.
4:59 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul returns to the “Alice In Wonderland” story, stating, “Only in Alice’s wonderland would you sentence someone to death before you try them.”
5:13 PM EST: Sen. John Cornyn (R- Texas) joins the filibuster.
5:17 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul responds to Sen. John Cornyn’s questions, stating that yes, it does appear to be a double standard from the Obama Administration.
5:18 PM EST: Sen. John Cornyn (R- Texas) continues discussion with Sen. Rand Paul, stating that Attorney General Eric Holder was very ambiguous in his answers to Sen. Rand Paul’s straightforward questions.
Sen. Rand Paul reaches the 7 hour mark in his filibuster…. and counting.
7:26 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul yields the floor to Sen. Ted Cruz (R- Texas), where Sen. Cruz shares with Sen. Rand Paul that the Twittersphere is standing with him! #StandWithRand
7:34 PM EST: Sen. Rand Paul thanks Sen. Ted Cruz for his encouragement from the American people.