Well, that didnβt take long at all.
Days after all but announcing her bid for president, nearly four months after releasing DNA testing results that pointed to a Native American ancestor, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has issued an apology to the Cherokee Nation, according to a spokesperson for largest federally recognized tribe.
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Neither Warrenβs office nor her campaign have commented on the matter.
βSenator Warren has reached out to us and has apologized to the tribe,β Hubbard said in a statement. βWe are encouraged by this dialogue and understanding that being a Cherokee Nation tribal citizen is rooted in centuries of culture and laws not through DNA tests.β
βWe are encouraged by her action,β the statement continued, βand hope that the slurs and mockery of tribal citizens and Indian history and heritage will now come to an end.β
Warren, who has spent years defending her decision to list herself as minority in a directory for Harvard Law School. Former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown accused Warren of using her heritage to gain an edge in the professional world in 2012.
βProfessor Warren claimed that she was a Native American, a person of color,β Walker said during a debate. βAnd as you can see, sheβs not.
Last October, Warren responded to an open challenge issued by Trump at a rally months earlier, calling on her to prove her claims to Native ancestry.
βI will give you a million dollars to your favorite charity paid for by Trump if you take the test and it shows youβre an Indian,β Trump said to a cheering crowd.
Warrenβs response came with a short, campaign-style video with family testimonial alongside video clips of barbs from Trump.
In response to Warrenβs rollout, the Cherokee Nation described DNA testing as βuseless,β citing legal requirements for tribal membership.
βUsing a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong,β said Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. βIt makes a mockery out of DNA tests and its legitimate uses while also dishonoring legitimate tribal governments and their citizens, whose ancestors are well documented and whose heritage is proven.β
Warren, who was asked about her ancestry when she announced her exploratory committee for president, likely felt it best to try to put the issue to bed ahead of a long Democratic primary season in a field filled with capable, diverse candidates.
Given the GOPβs long tradition of measured responses to public apologies, weβll see how it works out for her campaign in the comings months.
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