Washington Post: Elizabeth Warren called herself ‘American Indian’ on ID card

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Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren listed her race as “American Indian” on a State Bar of Texas registration card in 1986, the Washington Post has reported.

The Post’s disclosure represents a previously unknown example of Sen. Warren claiming her race as Native American. It is also the first document that definitively shows the 2020 presidential hopeful making the claim in her own handwriting.

According to the Post, Warren has previously refused to answer whether she or an assistant filled out official forms where her race was listed as Native American.

The ID card evidence is the latest twist in the controversy surrounding Warren and her claims to Native American ancestry. She is raising money and hiring campaign staff ahead of an expected formal launch to her 2020 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The yellow registration card, which is dated April 1986, was filled out in blue ink and signed by Warren, the Post reported.

A photograph of the card posted online by the newspaper shows that Warren listed the university and law school she attended. On a line listed for race Warren wrote in her own hand: “American Indian.”

The Post also reported that Warren apologized during an interview for identifying herself as a Native American. The paper said her office did not dispute the card’s authenticity.

Warren angered tribal leaders and some of her fellow Democrats when she announced she had taken a DNA test to put to rest criticism from Republicans, and especially President Donald Trump, of her ancestry claims.

The results found Warren had at least one Native American ancestor many generations ago. However, Native American leaders criticized Warren for using a DNA test to claim to a distant connection to a tribal nation, saying culture and sovereignty were just as important as blood and the tests did not confer the rights of tribal citizenship.

Democrats have been afraid that Warren was playing into the hands of Trump and other Republicans by engaging them on the issue, which could be a vulnerability in a presidential run.

The Cherokee Nation said last week Warren had formally apologized to them for taking the test and admitted she was not a citizen of any tribal nation.

Warren has created an exploratory committee to begin raising money and hiring staff for a run at the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. She is expected to formally launch her campaign on Saturday.

This new report may harm Warren’s credibility in that she never has admitted that she filled out forms claiming to be an American Indian. It also gives strength to her critics — including Donald Trump — who have mocked her for claiming to be Native American. It remains to be seen what impact, if any, this will have on her chances to win the presidency next year, but it certainly won’t help her compete in a very crowded field.

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Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.