During the debate over the nomination of neo- Confederate devoted Stormtrumper Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III to be Attorney General, this happened:
The Senate has silenced Elizabeth Warren.
And by doing so, majority Republicans just handed the liberal firebrand a megaphone -- further elevating President Donald Trump's fiercest and most prominent critic in the Senate and turning her into a Democratic hero [Ed.: she already was a Democratic hero, numbnut].
The rebuke of Warren came after the Massachusetts Democrat read a letter written 30 years ago by Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., opposing the nomination of Jeff Sessions for a federal judgeship.
Warren cited the letter during a debate on the nomination of Sessions -- now an Alabama senator -- as Donald Trump's attorney general. Reading from King's letter to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1986, Warren said: "Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge." [snip]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell defended evoking Rule 19, a rarely evoked chamber regulation that prohibits senators from impugning each other.
"She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted," the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor, delivering an instantly classic line -- the kind liberals imagine being replayed ad nauseum in TV ads in a future presidential campaign. [Ed.: get used to it, snowflake!]You can read Mrs. King's letter at the link above (pdf).
As Sen. Warren said when told to take her seat and be silent, “I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate.” Indeed.
However, reading some of the passages concerning Beauregard's past as a U.S. Attorney in Alabama will give you a good idea why Republican leader and human/ turtle hybrid Sen. Mitch "Missy" McConnell (Coward- KY) would want to shut Sen. Warren up quickly. Here are a few examples of Mrs. King's thoughts on Beauregard from 1986:
"The actions taken by Mr. Sessions in regard to the 1984 voting fraud prosecutions represent just one more technique used to intimidate Black voters and thus deny them this most precious franchise." [snip]
"I urge you to consider carefully Mr. Sessions' conduct in these matters. Such a review, I believe, raises serious questions about his commitment to the protection of the voting rights of all American citizens and consequently his fair and unbiased judgment regarding this fundamental right."Republicans are counting on the elfin- eared Beauregard, who was an early and avid supporter of neo- fascist fabulist and white nationalist Donald "Rump" Trump, to work hand in glove with Rump's voter suppression agenda, starting with that snipe hunt for millions of illegal voters. He certainly has experience in that field, as the late Mrs. King's letter demonstrates. And that's what Republicans don't want you to hear.
BONUS: Here's more from Sen. Warren --
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 while the Republicans rubber stamp an AG who will never stand up to the @POTUS when he breaks the law.— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 8, 2017
BONUS II: Here's the Congressional Black Caucus statement on the silencing --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
ALERT @OfficialCBC response to @SenWarren being silenced for reading #CorettaScottKing ltr is HOT @payneNBC @NickTShow @CornellWBrooks pic.twitter.com/NnbcMtnT9i— Lauren Victoria (@LVBurke) February 8, 2017
UPDATE: Charles Pierce has some background on the long, racist history of the Rule 19 that Missy used to shut down Sen. Warren.
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