Malcolm Rivera
In 2017, Republican senators formally silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, for impugning a peer, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, by condemning his nomination for attorney general while reading a letter from Coretta Scott King. This incident outraged Democrats and sparked discussions on the selective enforcement of Senate rules and the constitutionality of silencing a senator. The event also brought attention to Warren and King's message, with Warren's subsequent reading of the letter on Facebook Live garnering over 6 million views.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the event | 7th February 2017 |
| Person silenced | Elizabeth Warren |
| Rule used to silence | Rule 19 |
| Reason for silencing | Accused of impugning a peer |
| Person who invoked the rule | Mitch McConnell |
| Party of the person who invoked the rule | Republican |
| Party of the person silenced | Democratic |
| Vote count | 49-43 |
| Outcome | Elizabeth Warren was banned from speaking again in the Senate on Jeff Sessions' nomination |
| Social media response | #LetLizSpeak, #ShePersists, and Silencing Elizabeth Warren were trending on Twitter |
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What You'll Learn
- Rule 19: Senators can't accuse colleagues of unworthy conduct or motives
- Double standards: Republicans accused of selectively enforcing the rule
- Warren's response: She read the letter on Facebook Live, gaining 6 million views
- #LetLizSpeak: Warren's silencing prompted a rallying of support on Twitter
- Warren's defence: She denied breaching Rule 19, stating Coretta Scott King's words were appropriate for debate
Rule 19: Senators can't accuse colleagues of unworthy conduct or motives
On February 7, 2017, Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced by Senate Republicans for impugning a peer, Senator Jeff Sessions, during a debate on the nomination of Sessions as Attorney General. Warren was reading a letter from Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., which criticised Sessions.
Rule 19 states that "no Senator in debate shall, directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator." This rule is sometimes styled as Rule XIX.
The interpretation and enforcement of Rule 19 are subject to discretion. While any senator can invoke it, they are not required to do so, and senators often prefer to let questionable remarks slide to avoid drawing attention to their opponents' charges. The definitions of "unworthy" and "unbecoming" are not provided in the rule, leaving it to the presiding officer to decide the meaning on a case-by-case basis.
In the case of Warren, McConnell, the Republican Majority Leader, invoked Rule 19, arguing that she had impugned the conduct of another senator. This led to a vote, with senators voting along party lines (49-43), to silence Warren for the rest of the debate.
The selective enforcement of Rule 19 has been criticised, with Democrats arguing that it is applied inconsistently. For example, in July 2015, Senator Ted Cruz accused Mitch McConnell of lying without violating the rule. Additionally, the fact that Warren was reading a public document, similar to a precedent set in 1950, has been raised as a defence for her actions.
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Double standards: Republicans accused of selectively enforcing the rule
In 2017, Republican senators voted to silence Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat of Massachusetts, for impugning a peer, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Warren was reading a letter from Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., on the Senate floor, condemning Sessions's nomination for attorney general.
Rule 19, which was invoked in this case, states that senators may not "directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another senator or to other senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a senator".
However, Democrats have accused Republicans of selectively enforcing the measure. They argue that Rule 19 has been applied inconsistently, with several instances of similar or worse behaviour from Republican senators going unpunished. For example, in July 2015, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas accused Mitch McConnell, a member of his own party, of lying on the Senate floor and was not found to have violated Rule 19. In another instance, Republican Senator Tom Cotton described Reid's leadership as "cancerous" in May 2016, and no action was taken against him.
The selective enforcement of Rule 19 has sparked outrage among Democrats and raised questions about the fairness and impartiality of Senate procedures. The incident has also brought attention to the arcane nature of the rule, which is rarely used but was invoked in this case to silence a senator's criticism of a colleague.
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Warren's response: She read the letter on Facebook Live, gaining 6 million views
On the night of Tuesday, February 7, 2017, Republican senators formally silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren for condemning Jeff Sessions's nomination for attorney general while reading a letter from Coretta Scott King. The letter criticized Sessions's record on race and was written three decades ago.
Senator Warren's response to being silenced was to read the letter on Facebook Live. At the time of the last check, the video had been viewed more than six million times. The letter was also widely shared on social media with the hashtag #LetLizSpeak. Warren's perseverance inspired another hashtag, #ShePersisted.
Rule 19, which was invoked to silence Warren, states that senators may not "directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another senator or to other senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a senator." Warren denied breaching the rule, stating that she was surprised that Coretta Scott King's words were not suitable for debate in the Senate.
The decision to silence Warren outraged Democrats, who argued that Republicans were selectively enforcing the rule. They pointed out instances where the rule was not invoked despite senators accusing their colleagues of lying or using offensive language. The censure of Warren by Republicans brought greater attention to her and Coretta Scott King's message.
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#LetLizSpeak: Warren's silencing prompted a rallying of support on Twitter
On February 7, 2017, Republican senators formally silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, for condemning Jeff Sessions's nomination for attorney general while reading a letter from Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor. The letter criticized Sessions's record on race and was written three decades ago when Sessions was an Alabama senator.
Warren was accused of violating Rule 19, which states that senators may not "directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another senator or to other senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a senator." The decision to silence her was controversial, with Democrats arguing that Republicans were selectively enforcing the measure. The incident sparked outrage among Democrats and delight among Warren's detractors.
After being silenced, Warren took to Facebook Live to read the letter, which has been watched more than 6 million times. The incident also prompted a rallying of support on Twitter, with hashtags like #LetLizSpeak and #ShePersists trending. Many people, especially women, related to the experience of being shut down and frustrated when daring to "persist."
The silencing of Warren and the subsequent rallying of support on Twitter highlight the ongoing tensions and debates surrounding free speech, political discourse, and gender dynamics in American politics. The incident also drew attention to the arcane parliamentary procedures meant to prevent senators from insulting or attacking each other, as well as the selective enforcement of such rules.
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Warren's defence: She denied breaching Rule 19, stating Coretta Scott King's words were appropriate for debate
In February 2017, during the debate over the confirmation of Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General of the United States, Senator Elizabeth Warren attempted to read a letter written by Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., in 1986. The letter criticized Sessions' record on civil rights, and Warren sought to raise concerns about his suitability for the role. However, her efforts were halted by her Senate colleagues, who invoked Rule 19, a rarely used Senate rule that prohibits "imputing to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator." This rule effectively prevented Warren from continuing her speech and sharing King's letter with the Senate.
Warren denied that her actions breached Rule 19, arguing that her intention was not to impugn Senator Sessions but to present relevant information for the debate. She defended her actions by stating that Coretta Scott King's words were appropriate and necessary for a full and fair discussion of Sessions' nomination. King's letter highlighted concerns about Sessions' commitment to protecting voting rights and ensuring equal justice under the law, which were central to the role of the Attorney General. By sharing King's letter, Warren sought to bring attention to these critical issues and encourage a thorough examination of Sessions' record.
Warren's defense rests on the principle of legislative freedom of speech, which is protected by the Speech or Debate Clause in Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution. This clause provides immunity to members of Congress for any speech, debate, or actions performed as part of their legislative duties. It is designed to ensure that legislators can perform their functions without fear of repercussions or legal consequences. In this case, Warren argued that her actions fell within the scope of legislative speech and were therefore protected by the Constitution.
Additionally, Warren's defense also highlights the importance of transparency and the public's right to know. By sharing King's letter, she sought to bring relevant information into the public sphere and encourage an informed debate about Sessions' nomination. This defense aligns with the democratic principle of an informed electorate, where citizens are provided with the information necessary to understand and engage in the decisions made by their representatives.
The application of Rule 19 in this context has sparked debates about the balance between maintaining decorum in the Senate and protecting free speech and the role of legislative immunity. While Rule 19 aims to prevent personal attacks and maintain a respectful tone in Senate debates, its use in this case raised questions about whether it was applied appropriately and whether it infringed on Warren's rights as a legislator to raise concerns about a nominee.
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Frequently asked questions
Elizabeth Warren read a letter from Coretta Scott King, criticising Jeff Sessions, who was President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general.
Coretta Scott King's letter criticised Jeff Sessions's record on race.
Rule 19, which was invoked to silence Warren, has rarely been used. Democrats have argued that Republicans are selectively enforcing the measure.
Warren took to Facebook Live to read the letter, which has been watched more than 6 million times.
The incident outraged Democrats and delighted Warren's detractors. The hashtags #LetLizSpeak and #ShePersisted trended on Twitter.
