WASHINGTON DC is defined by its iconic monuments and buildings including the Capitol, White House, and Supreme Court.
The Senate Swamp, although less known than some of the city’s other landmarks, also has a rich history in politics and media that is worth exploring.
Where is the Senate Swamp?
The Senate Swamp is located on the grass across the drive from the Senate steps where a blue pin appears in the image below.
It is mere feet away from the Capitol, which is home to the United States Congress.
What is the Senate Swamp?
Some Senate officials park their cars at the Swamp – which is actually, unlike a swamp, paved. It also commonly hosts press conferences.
Many reporters use the area as a place to film pieces to camera or live shots as they can face one direction and talk about Congress with the Capitol behind them.
Or, if they turn around, they can talk about legal matters with the Supreme Court as their backdrop.
Why is it called the Senate Swamp?
The Senate Swamp became known as such in 1964 when well-known broadcast journalist Roger Mudd was famously moved by Capitol Police officers from the Senate steps, where he was reporting on the Civil Rights Act filibuster, across the plaza to an area on the grass.
It rained on one of the days Mudd was there and, given his name and the conditions, the site was dubbed the Senate Swamp.
What famous events have occurred in the Senate Swamp?
On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, US President Joe Biden‘s son Hunter Biden pulled off a surprise appearance at the Senate Swamp.
Democratic lawmaker Eric Swalwell told Politico that he reserved the site for Hunter to make a number of dramatic remarks in defiance of a House subpoena asking for a private questioning over his past business deals.
Hunter was expected at the Rayburn House Office Building – more than an eighth of a mile from the Senate Swamp – for the closed-door deposition at 9.30am.
He appeared instead at the Senate Swamp to reiterate he would only testify in public in a move which was described by Fox News as “both political stagecraft and legal scheme bundled into one”.
Senior congressional correspondent for Fox Chad Pergram wrote at the time: “Hunter Biden showed up on Capitol Hill at the assigned time. But he wasn’t going anywhere close to the room where [Representative James] Comer planned a multi-hour deposition.
“Materializing at the Senate swamp site with the Capitol dome glimmering behind him was an effort by Hunter Biden to demonstrate he was willing to appear — just on his terms.”
President Joe Biden and Hunter have been under scrutiny by Republicans like Comer, who issued a subpoena against them last month.
Republicans have been investigating the Bidens’ business dealings for the past year, focusing on their relations with international partners.
The GOP filed an impeachment inquiry vote after a closed-door hearing on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
Outside the Capitol building, Hunter said: “Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say.
“What are they afraid of? I’m here.”
The entire House Republican conference voted to move forward with the impeachment process despite fears over a lack of evidence.
Republicans claim the Biden family has engaged in a pattern of “influence peddling” that spans back to Barack Obama‘s presidency.
The House Oversight Committee “uncovered a mountain of evidence” that shows President Biden abused his power and lied about Hunter’s private business dealings, Comer claimed.
Hunter stands accused of spending millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his taxbills.