Oct 15, 2018 - Politics & Policy

"Strong evidence": Elizabeth Warren releases DNA test

Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a DNA test to the Boston Globe that suggests there is "strong evidence" she had a Native American ancestor 6–10 generations back in her family tree.

The big picture: The test, while "inherently imprecise," indicates Warren is between 1/32 and 1/1,024 Native American, supporting the senator's claims that her Cherokee ancestry was a recurring theme in the family stories she was told growing up in Oklahoma. The controversy over Warren's heritage had become a favorite target for mockery by President Trump, who nicknamed her "Pocahontas" and claimed she had used a false minority status to get hired at Harvard Law School.

An earlier Boston Globe analysis found that her ancestry was never a consideration during the hiring process at Harvard or throughout her rise in the legal profession.
The transparency of providing the DNA test, which drew comparison from Globe writer Annie Linskey to President Obama's release of his birth certificate during the birther controversy, will fuel further speculation that Warren is serious about a 2020 presidential bid.

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Axios

7 mins ago - Politics & Policy

McConnell: Senate has "more than sufficient time" to process Supreme Court nomination

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a floor speech Monday that the chamber has "more than sufficient time" to confirm a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the election, and accused Democrats of preparing "an even more appalling sequel" to the fight over Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Why it matters: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said "nothing is off the table next year" if Republicans push ahead with the confirmation vote before November, vowing alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to use "every procedural tool available to us to ensure that we buy ourselves the time necessary."

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Axios

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 1:30 p.m. ET: 31,120,980 — Total deaths: 961,656— Total recoveries: 21,287,328 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 1:30 p.m. ET: 6,819,651 — Total deaths: 199,606 — Total recoveries: 2,590,671 — Total tests: 95,108,559 — Map.
Health: CDC says it mistakenly published guidance about COVID-19 spreading through air.
Politics: House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11.
Business: Unemployment concerns are growing.
World: "The Wake-Up Call" warns the West about the consequences of mishandling a pandemic.

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Alayna Treene

2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Democrats on Monday released their proposal for short-term legislation to fund the government through December 11.

Why it matters: This is Congress' chief legislative focus before the election. They must pass a continuing resolution (CR) before midnight on Oct. 1 to avoid a government shutdown — something both Hill leaders and the White House have claimed is off the table.