After Senate Republicans on Tuesday night voted to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) as she criticized attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) by quoting a letter written by Coretta Scott King about Sessions, Senate Democrats took to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the hashtag #LetLizSpeak.
Word of the incident grew Tuesday night as Warren revealed she had been “red-carded” from speaking about Sessions and read the rest of Scott’s letter on Facebook Live, a video that has now been 5 million times and counting. Senate Democrats banded together, with many sharing Scott’s letter on Twitter and speaking out against the decision to silence Warren.
In a Senate dominated by men, instructing a woman Senator to “take her seat” is outrageous. #LetLizSpeak
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) February 8, 2017
I’ll be on the Senate floor to stand with @SenateDems @SenWarren to oppose the nomination of Jeff Sessions. Watch at https://t.co/hVvZE8ZTNB
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) February 8, 2017
I read Mrs. King’s letter about Mr. #Sessions’ commitment to justice for all. I leave it to my colleagues to assess that commitment.
— Tom Udall (@SenatorTomUdall) February 8, 2017
In the context of this confirmation hearing, Senator Sessions’ record on civil rights must be included in the debate #LetLizSpeak
— Tom Udall (@SenatorTomUdall) February 8, 2017
Read for yourself Coretta Scott King’s letter about President Trump’s Attorney General nominee, Jeff Sessions. https://t.co/aWgUFUtjQf
— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) February 8, 2017
This is absolutely outrageous. #LetLizSpeak https://t.co/uz43tQdmPv
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) February 8, 2017
Debate involves opposing viewpoints. Are we no longer “the world’s greatest deliberative body”? #letlizspeak pic.twitter.com/9L51OasnhZ
— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) February 8, 2017
McConnell didn’t just silence @SenWarren—he silenced civil rights icon Coretta Scott King. https://t.co/mIkdrjVWh6 pic.twitter.com/Y8PHZ0KqEQ
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBookerOffice) February 8, 2017
This is getting ridiculous. #LetLizSpeak https://t.co/1UH2WJZmcN
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) February 8, 2017
Senate GOP silenced both @SenWarren and Coretta Scott King tonight. Below is the letter they don’t what you to know about: #LetLizSpeak pic.twitter.com/CGQgucgn06
— Senator Cortez Masto (@SenCortezMasto) February 8, 2017
Tonight, I voted to #LetLizSpeak. pic.twitter.com/JmzoUQ9YCs
— Senator Jack Reed (@SenJackReed) February 8, 2017
That’s the key point. Rules against criticizing other Senators cannot apply when you are DEBATING THE NOMINATION OF A SENATOR! https://t.co/mLQqP7z14d
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 8, 2017
It’s disappointing that Senate Republicans can’t listen to the words of Coretta Scott King without crying foul
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) February 8, 2017
This is the Coretta Scott King letter that @SenWarren was reading when McConnell silenced her tonight #StopSessions https://t.co/6GELVtRbTC
— Martin Heinrich (@MartinHeinrich) February 8, 2017
You can read the full letter here: https://t.co/iDWbhEAkBL #LetLizSpeak
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 8, 2017
This is about the people & families we represent. #LetLizSpeak https://t.co/4OkjXX49TT
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) February 8, 2017
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
#letlizspeak https://t.co/YL9DMPUHme
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) February 8, 2017
This letter caused the GOP to silence @SenWarren tonight. Rt if you think they should #LetLizSpeak https://t.co/YSdugxE6Kr
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 8, 2017
.@SenateMajLdr won’t #LetLizSpeak because he can’t deny what Coretta Scott King had to say about Senator Sessions #StopSessions pic.twitter.com/pS1l6CklTJ
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) February 8, 2017
Blocking @SenWarren from reading Coretta Scott King’s letter silenced an important voice. Unacceptable. https://t.co/OCMxpci52N
— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) February 8, 2017
I applaud Senate Democrats, but if all we have left is to protest through Twitter we’re well and truly in the Twilight Zone.
Time for Senator Warren to be taken to a re-education camp.
Yay Warren! Keep talking
Good take on it …
There is an obvious course of action here, it seems to me. Every single Dem senator should try to read the letter on the floor. The Repubs would have to vote to silence every member of the other party.
Why aren’t they doing this? What am I missing?