Warren rebuked by Senate during Sessions' debate

February 06, 2017 11:00 pm • Last Updated: February 08, 2017 1:13 am

By By ANDREW TAYLOR

In this image from Senate Television, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks on the floor of the U.S. Senate in Washington, Feb. 6, 2017, about the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Education Secretary. The Senate will be in session around the clock this week as Republicans aim to confirm more of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks over Democratic opposition. Warren received a Senate rebuke Tuesday during the debate over Sen. Jeff Sessions, President Trump's choice for attorney general. (Senate TV via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Elizabeth Warren has earned a rare rebuke by the Senate for — believe it or not — quoting Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor.

The Massachusetts Democrat ran afoul of the chamber's arcane rules Tuesday by reading a 30-year-old letter from Dr. Martin Luther King's widow that dated to Sen. Jeff Sessions' failed judicial nomination three decades ago. The chamber is debating the Alabama Republican's nomination for attorney general.

King wrote that when acting as a federal prosecutor, Sessions used his power to "chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens."

Quoting King put Warren in violation of Senate rules for "impugning the motives" of Sessions.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell invoked the rules. After a few parliamentary moves, the GOP-controlled Senate voted to back him up.

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