Major Controversies Surrounding Elizabeth Warren: A Detailed Timeline
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Elizabeth Warren.
Elizabeth Warren is a prominent American politician and the senior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts since 2013. A Democrat known for her progressive views, she champions consumer protection, economic equality, and strengthening the social safety net. Warren ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primaries, finishing third. Prior to her political career, she was a distinguished law professor specializing in bankruptcy and commercial law. Warren is seen as a leading voice for economic reform and social justice within the Democratic Party.
1976: Voted for Gerald Ford
In 1976, Elizabeth Warren voted for Gerald Ford, the Republican nominee.
1984: Identified as Cherokee in cookbook
In 1984, Warren contributed recipes to a Native American cookbook, identifying herself as Cherokee.
1986: Identified race as "American Indian" on State Bar of Texas form
In 1986, Warren identified her race as "American Indian" on a State Bar of Texas form.
1991: Registered as a Republican
From 1991 to 1996, Elizabeth Warren was registered as a Republican.
1995: Listed as Native American by Harvard Law School
From 1995 to 2004, Harvard Law School listed Warren as Native American in its federal affirmative action forms.
1995: Began voting Democratic
In 1995, Elizabeth Warren began voting Democratic, believing that the Republican Party no longer supported markets.
1996: Registered as a Republican
From 1991 to 1996, Elizabeth Warren was registered as a Republican.
2004: Listed as Native American by Harvard Law School
From 1995 to 2004, Harvard Law School listed Warren as Native American in its federal affirmative action forms.
2005: Bankruptcy Act Passed
In 2005, Congress passed the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, despite Warren's opposition.
2005: Publication of Study on Bankruptcy and Medical Bills
In 2005, Elizabeth Warren and David Himmelstein published a study indicating that half of all families declaring bankruptcy did so following a significant medical issue. The study reported that 75% of these families had medical insurance.
January 2012: Cordray Appointed to CFPB
In January 2012, Richard Cordray was appointed to the CFPB director position after Warren was deemed unlikely to win Senate confirmation.
2012: Scott Brown questioned Native American ancestry
During Warren's first Senate race in 2012, her opponent, Scott Brown, questioned her Native American ancestry and ran attack ads regarding the issue.
2012: Claimed Native American heritage
In 2012, Warren stated that "being Native American has been part of my story, I guess, since the day I was born".
February 2013: First Banking Committee Hearing
In February 2013, at her first Banking Committee hearing, Elizabeth Warren questioned banking regulators about holding Wall Street banks accountable, expressing concerns that 'too big to fail' had become 'too big for trial'.
September 20, 2016: Calls for Wells Fargo CEO to Resign
On September 20, 2016, Elizabeth Warren called on Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf to resign and be criminally investigated during a hearing, due to the bank's opening of two million unauthorized accounts.
2016: Russian Interference in US election
The Mueller report stated that a hostile foreign government attacked the 2016 election to help Donald Trump.
February 2017: "Nevertheless, She Persisted"
In February 2017, during the debate on Jeff Sessions's nomination, Elizabeth Warren was silenced for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King. Mitch McConnell's phrase 'Nevertheless, she persisted' became a slogan.
October 3, 2017: Calls for Wells Fargo CEO Sloan to Resign
On October 3, 2017, Elizabeth Warren called on Wells Fargo CEO Timothy J. Sloan to resign during his appearance before the Senate Banking Committee, citing incompetence or complicity.
July 2018: Trump's Montana Rally
At a July 2018 Montana rally, Donald Trump mocked Warren for her Native American ancestry, promising to donate $1 million to her charity if a DNA test showed she was an Indian.
October 2018: Released DNA test results
In October 2018, Warren released an analysis of a DNA test that suggested she had a Native American ancestor, likely 6 to 10 generations ago.
2018: Boston Globe investigation into Native American claims
A 2018 Boston Globe investigation found that Warren's reported ethnicity played no role in her rise in the academic legal profession.
2018: Called for abolishing ICE
In 2018, Warren called for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
January 2019: Responded to DNA testing questions in Iowa
During a January 2019 public appearance in Sioux City, Iowa, Warren addressed questions about her DNA testing and clarified the difference between ancestry and tribal citizenship. She also contacted Cherokee Nation to apologize for any confusion caused.
February 2019: Warren apologized for identifying as Native American
In February 2019, Warren apologized for having identified as Native American.
April 2019: Called for impeachment proceedings against Trump
In April 2019, after reading the Mueller report, Warren called on the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, citing obstruction of the investigation into Russian interference.
August 2019: Apologized at Native American Forum
In August 2019, Warren apologized again before a Native American Forum in Iowa for any harm caused by her ancestry claims.
2019: Political Shift Highlighted
In 2019, Politico highlighted Elizabeth Warren's shift from being a "diehard conservative" in high school to her later political views.
