Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was stopped from s
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Posted On: 02/08/2017 7:23:31 AM
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was stopped from speaking Tuesday night for breaking Senate rules by quoting Coretta Scott King in fiery speech opposing the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) as U.S. attorney general.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) interrupted Warren’s speech and said she was violating a rarely used rule that forbids impugning fellow senators.
The Senate quickly voted, 49-43 on party lines, to rebuke Warren, effectively forbidding her from speaking for the remainder of the debate over Sessions’ nomination, which is expected to wrap up Wednesday night.
Warren had been quoting a letter that the late widow of Martin Luther King Jr. had written in 1986 in opposition to Sessions’ nomination for a federal judgeship — a nomination that was rejected by the Senate.
“I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate,” Warren said.
Democrats were outraged. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) called it “demeaning” and made a motion to allow Warren to continue speaking, which did not pass.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called Warren’s censure “unreal,” and in a series of tweets questioned how it was even possible to debate the nomination of a sitting senator.
In a series of tweets Tuesday night, Warren said she “will not be silent about a nominee for AG who has made derogatory & racist comments that have no place in our justice system.”
She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,” McConnell said.
Some noted that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was not sanctioned when he called McConnell “a liar” on the Senate floor in 2015.
Earlier Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump blasted Democrats for delaying the confirmations of much of his Cabinet. After three weeks in office, just five of Trump’s 15 nominees have been confirmed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) interrupted Warren’s speech and said she was violating a rarely used rule that forbids impugning fellow senators.
The Senate quickly voted, 49-43 on party lines, to rebuke Warren, effectively forbidding her from speaking for the remainder of the debate over Sessions’ nomination, which is expected to wrap up Wednesday night.
Warren had been quoting a letter that the late widow of Martin Luther King Jr. had written in 1986 in opposition to Sessions’ nomination for a federal judgeship — a nomination that was rejected by the Senate.
“I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate,” Warren said.
Democrats were outraged. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) called it “demeaning” and made a motion to allow Warren to continue speaking, which did not pass.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called Warren’s censure “unreal,” and in a series of tweets questioned how it was even possible to debate the nomination of a sitting senator.
In a series of tweets Tuesday night, Warren said she “will not be silent about a nominee for AG who has made derogatory & racist comments that have no place in our justice system.”
She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,” McConnell said.
Some noted that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was not sanctioned when he called McConnell “a liar” on the Senate floor in 2015.
Earlier Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump blasted Democrats for delaying the confirmations of much of his Cabinet. After three weeks in office, just five of Trump’s 15 nominees have been confirmed.
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