Sen. Elizabeth Warren was not allowed to finish her debate in opposition to Sen. Jeff Sessions’ nomination for attorney general after the Senate voted that she had violated Senate Rule XIX on Tuesday night.
The rule says, among other things, “no Senator in debate shall, directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute another Senator or other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator.” The rule was enacted after a 1902 fistfight on the Senate floor.
Sessions, a Republican from Alabama, is still a sitting senator.
Warren, D-Mass., was found to be in violation of the rule after reading from a 1986 letter from Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. King submitted the letter to the Senate in opposition to Sessions nomination for a federal judgeship in 1986. He was not confirmed for the position.
Earlier she had been warned by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, who was the the presiding officer Tuesday night, after reading comments from former Sen. Ted Kennedy that called Sessions “a disgrace to the Justice Department.”
About 20 minutes after the first warning, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, stopped Warren saying she had “impugned the motives and conduct of” Sessions.
Here is the part of the letter from King that McConnell objected to: “Mr. Sessions has used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters. For this reprehensible conduct, he should not be rewarded with a federal judgeship.”
Warren replied: “I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate.”
This is what McConnell argues violated rule XIX: @SenWarren quoted what Coretta Scott King said about Sen. Sessions in 1986 pic.twitter.com/783p7A97T4
— Senate D Floor Watch (@DSenFloor) February 8, 2017
“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
The Senate voted 49-43 to uphold the decision and bar Warren from further speaking. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, requested that Warren be allowed to speak again, but that motion was voted down.
She will not be allowed to speak on the Senate floor for the rest of the debate on Sessions.
“I’ve been red carded on Sen. Sessions,” Warren told Rachel Maddow on her MSNBC show Tuesday night.
Tonight on the Senate floor, I tried to speak about why @SenatorSessions is totally unfit to serve as Attorney General.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
On the floor, I read a letter that Coretta Scott King wrote in 1986 opposing @SenatorSessions's judicial nomination: https://t.co/mnACXekh8f
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
I spoke out about @SenatorSessions – until @SenateMajLdr McConnell decided to silence me. https://t.co/qbty7x0iLl
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
I will not be silent about a nominee for AG who has made derogatory & racist comments that have no place in our justice system.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
I will not be silent about a nominee for AG who has made derogatory & racist comments that have no place in our justice system.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
Tonight @SenateMajLdr silenced Mrs King's voice on the Sen floor - & millions who are afraid & appalled by what's happening in our country.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
Other senators reacted on social media Tuesday night.
The suggestion that reciting the words of the great Coretta Scott King by @SenWarren is an attack on a Senator is outrageous. #LetHerSpeak
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 8, 2017
This is unreal. Senate Republicans have ruled that any Democrat that criticizes Sessions' record will be stripped of the right to speak. https://t.co/At5fqUkVWF
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 8, 2017
Comments