Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) apologized again over her claims of being of Native American heritage, saying she is not a “tribal citizen” and should have been “more mindful of the distinction.”
Warren was responding to a Washington Post report noting she had identified herself as American Indian on her registration card with the State Bar of Texas decades ago.
She also told the Post she was sorry that she had identified herself as a Native American in the past.
“Look, this is who I grew up believing with my brothers,” Warren told reporters on Capitol Hill on Wednesday when asked about her Texas’ state bar registration, according to Politico.
“This is our family’s story, and it’s all consistent from that point in time. But as I said, it’s important to note I’m not a tribal citizen and I should have been more mindful of the distinction.”
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Warren’s past claims of having a Native American heritage has continued to dog her as she explores a presidential bid in 2020.
The senator sought to get out in front of criticism of those claims by releasing the results of a DNA test in October that showed “strong evidence” she had Native American ancestry.
The DNA results showed that Warren likely has a Native American ancestor from between six and 10 generations ago.
But she faced strong criticism from Native Americans for taking the test, and recently apologized recently to the Cherokee Nation.
“I really want to underline tribes and only tribes determine tribal citizenship. It’s an issue of tribal sovereignty,” she also said on Wednesday, according to ABC.
“There really is an important distinction of tribal citizenship. I’m not a member of a tribe. I have apologized for not being more sensitive to that. It’s an important thing.”
Warren also denied her self-identification as a Native American had helped her get a job.
“Nothing about my background ever had anything to do with any job I got in any place,” she explained, according to ABC. “It’s been fully documented.”
The Post, in its story on Tuesday, reported that there’s no indication Warren had anything to gain by listing herself as “American Indian” on the card, as the data was used for statistical purposes only.
Warren has formed an exploratory committee and will likely announce her 2020 candidacy soon.
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