During a second night of Senate Democrats holding the floor — this time protesting the confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) as attorney general — Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) invoked a little-used rule to prevent Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) from continuing testimony after she read a 1986 letter from Coretta Scott King.
"Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens," King wrote, opposing the appointment of Sessions to a federal court. McConnell said the quote, "impugned the motives and the conduct of our colleague from Alabama."
Rule 19 states, "No Senator in debate shall, directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator." By a 49-43 party-line vote, the Senate blocked Warren from continuing.
But, thanks to the internet, Warren got her message out far and wide. She left the chambers to read the full text of King's letter streaming on Facebook live. At time of publication, the video had been viewed nearly 4 million times.
In the 1986 letter, King wrote:
"I do not believe Jefferson Sessions possesses the requisite judgment, competence, and sensitivity to the rights guaranteed by the federal civil rights laws to qualify for appointment to the federal district court. Based on his record, I believe his confirmation would have a devastating effect on not only the judicial system in Alabama, but also on the progress we have made everywhere toward fulfilling my husband's dream that he envisioned over twenty years ago."
Read the full text of Coretta Scott King's letter to Strom Thurmond here.
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