After Republicans Rebuke Elizabeth Warren Four Other Senators Read Same Letter Uninterrupted
‘She Was Warned. She Was Given an Explanation. Nevertheless, She Persisted.’
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren attempted to read a letter written by civil rights icon Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor Tuesday evening, and received an official rebuke, led by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The Senate Majority Leader claimed by reading the letter, which none other than Sen. Ted Kennedy did on the Senate floor decades ago, she violated an arcane and rarely-invoked rule against “impugning” a fellow senator.
Warren received an official rebuke and was banned from discussing the matter at hand going forward: the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to become Donald Trump’s attorney general.
Senator McConnell uttered this now infamous phrase: “She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” It’s now become a rallying cry.
McConnell on silencing Warren: “She was warned.She was given an explanation.Nevertheless she persisted.” That’s every abuser’s justification
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) February 8, 2017
So many are angered and wondering why Senate Republicans allowed four other senators to read the exact same letter on the floor after Warren was rebuked.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), all read the same King letter on the senate floor and received no rebuke:
Defying GOP, @SenJeffMerkley reads a letter by Coretta Scott King on the U.S. Senate floor. @coreypein reports. https://t.co/Jkgeqr5YjI pic.twitter.com/XqzBEZHYrw
— Aaron Mesh (@AaronMesh) February 8, 2017
On the floor, Sen. Tom Udall just recited the Coretta Scott King letter that Elizabeth Warren tried to read https://t.co/zmdxJqN4V1
— Amanda Wills (@AmandaWills) February 8, 2017
Sherrod Brown is reading Coretta Scott King’s letter on Sessions in its entirety. No one is objecting.
— Michael McAuliff (@mmcauliff) February 8, 2017
Sen Bernie Sanders I-VT has just read the same Coretta Scott King quote that drew a Rule XIX rebuke to Warren
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) February 8, 2017
So, why?
On Twitter many are accusing Republicans and McConnell of sexism:
How can you not explain this as anything but blatant sexism toward @SenWarren ? Good on @TomUdallPress but fucking shameful from McConnell. https://t.co/BdQcW8pcMR
— Luke Sironski-White (@LukeSirWhite) February 8, 2017
Sexism on top of racism is obvious, but also shows McConnell/GOP are terrified of Warren. https://t.co/YNOhR5TRPJ
— Gary Rosche (@guyindurham) February 8, 2017
Think sexism doesn’t exist? Or that Sen McConnell isn’t a problem for Democracy? Hold senators accountable! #speakTruth #Complicit #resist https://t.co/kAD37ab5Td
— R Ahnen-Cacciatore (@EpiphaniesToo) February 8, 2017
Great of Merkley to finish what Warren started but fact that he was not silenced underscores brutal sexism of Mitch McConnell
— mary mcnamara (@marymacTV) February 8, 2017
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