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Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has doubled-down on her claims of Native American ancestry ahead of next month’s midterm elections and the 2020 presidential race.
One week after Elizabeth Warren celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day, the Massachusetts Senator renewed her claim of Native American ancestry, citing the supposed results of a private DNA test which is claimed to demonstrate “strong” support that she’s been telling the truth all along.
Shortly thereafter, Warren publicly tweeted at President Trump - who has frequently referred to her as “Pocahontas” - to remind him of a promise that he made to donate the princely sum of $1,000,000 to National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center if the Senator would take a DNA test and prove that she descends from a Native American origin.
However, there are several problems with Warren’s supposed proof. For starters, even if these DNA results are Warren's, they actually seem counterproductive to her claim. According to Michelle Malkin, the 0.09% indication of Native American ancestry reflected in the analysis is labled as the result of South American genes and not North American Cherokee, as had originally been claimed before the test. Moreover, it’s unclear if the federal government had meant to allow colleges and universities to claim benefits for admitting students of Native South American heritage on the paperwork where Harvard listed Warren since they don’t come from federally-recognized tribes like the Cherokee Nation.
More revealing still though, Warren’s supposed 0.09% Native South American background, which is consistent with and possibly reflects a single ancestor 10 generations back out of her 1,024 such great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents would actually be less of a connection to any Native American people than is present in the genetic makeup of the average European-American. Indeed, according to a 2014 article in the normally Warren-friendly New York Times, that’s only half of the 0.18% Native American DNA which is found on average amongst her European-American counterparts (indicative of a single ancestor out of 512 such forebearers not 9 generations back).
Also, since Warren did not publicly provide the DNA sample which was used, there’s actually no way to independently verify that it’s really hers or even that a test was truly conducted in the first place. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Warren had looked to cheat the test only to be duped herself into sending the lab the DNA of someone who had falsely assured her that they were part Cherokee?
Regardless, if Warren wants to now claim any irregularities, such as possible contamination, then in order to pass scientific muster she obviously should publicly provide a verified sample to an independent lab which is funded by a disinterested party. No more closed doors.
Additionally, given Warren’s tweet this morning trying to get President Trump to cut a million dollar check, it's worth mentioning that it would be a federal felony to try to defraud someone of $1,000,000 across state lines and unlike the claims of Warren’s Native American ancestry on Harvard University paperwork decades ago, the clock on the 5-year federal criminal statute of limitations on any attempted fraud possibly revealed by her recent tweet would only have started ticking as of this morning. Moreover, anybody who was arrested on suspicion of committing a federal felony - including conspiracy to defraud someone of $1,000,000 across state lines - is required to provide the feds with a DNA sample anyways as a matter of course.
Further still, such a highly pubic tweet seeking an exact sum of money to be transferred to an exact recipient in concert with a federally overseen DNA sample strongly indicating subterfuge would all but certainly be enough to sustain a criminal conviction in federal court. Indeed, one could imagine a certain fictitious Nigerian prince being put away for quite a significant period of time based on similar evidence and surely there are already those who have donated to Warren because they believe her.
And this issue - not just of Warren’s ancestry - but of her honesty (or lack thereof) is certainly of keen enough public interest ahead of both the midterms next month and the 2020 presidential race to warrant an investigation.
Prior to publication on Monday, Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. released the following statement referring to Warren's claims:
"A DNA test is useless to determine tribal citizenship. Current DNA tests do not even distinguish whether a person’s ancestors were indigenous to North or South America," Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. "Sovereign tribal nations set their own legal requirements for citizenship, and while DNA tests can be used to determine lineage, such as paternity to an individual, it is not evidence for tribal affiliation. Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong. It makes a mockery out of DNA tests and its legitimate uses while also dishonoring legitimate tribal governments and their citizens, whose ancestors are well documented and whose heritage is proven. Senator Warren is undermining tribal interests with her continued claims of tribal heritage."
The refusal of various Native American tribes to recognize DNA testing is not without controversy. For more information see here.
Just imagine if a different special counsel had been appointed early into 2017 and given a mandate to investigate the 2016 DNC primary, Warren’s ancestry claims, and similar related issues.
Maybe the media can call this one “DNA-gate.” And maybe once again there will be chants of “lock her up” in the 2020 presidential race.
The author, Marty Gottesfeld is an Obama-era political prisoner. To learn more about his case or donate to support him, please go to FreeMartyG.com.
