Thread by @adamelmahrek

BREAKING: More than 200 Cherokees and other Native Americans have signed a letter urging Sen. Elizabeth Warren to fully address past claims to being Native.

They want her to help dispel widespread beliefs by whites that they have Native heritage

latimes.com/politics/story…

The letter says Warren's past represents a larger problem, and cites a glaring example: an LA Times investigation that uncovered more than $800 million in minority set-aside contracts that went to business owners who made dubious claims to being Native

latimes.com/california/sto…

Specifically, they want Warren to recant her family story of American Indian ancestry, to state publicly that using DNA tests to assert Native identity is wrong and that only Natives determine who is Native

Here’s the full letter authored by Cherokee citizens @rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh

medium.com/@ewarrenisnotc…

@rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh Warren has responded with her own very detailed 12-page letter repeating her past apologies, apologizing again and describing a policy agenda she said is good for Indian Country.

@rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh She also distanced herself from the “injustice” of white contractors winning minority contracts by claiming to be Native, but said unlike them, she never benefitted from her claims.

Here's Warren's full letter:

documentcloud.org/documents/6786…

@rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh One last point. This phenomenon of white people claiming Native also harms other minorities.

Black owned businesses in particular have a difficult time competing in affirmative action against "Natives"

@rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh After receiving Warren’s response, three of the authors — Justice, Pierce and Nagle — said Warren “made an effort” to address their points about DNA tests and who gets to determine who is Native, but pointed out that Warren hasn’t recanted her family story

@rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh Don't follow me for scoops. But DO follow me for my investigative, accountability of the powerful focused reporting!

@rebeccanagle @pollysgdaughter @PepePierce @justicedanielh And please please subscribe to @latimes so we can continue holding the powerful accountable. You know it's important. Do it!

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More than any other tribe, there are countless Americans with family legends of being Cherokee, a tale that comes with catastrophic results

Here's the first chapter of our investigative series:

latimes.com/local/lanow/la…