Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), who apologized last week for identifying as a Native American for years, made a surprise appearance at a luncheon for a Native American conference Tuesday.
Warren officially announced over the weekend that she was running for president. She appeared at the luncheon, which was hosted by the National Conference of American Indians, according to the Huffington Post. In recent days, Warren has faced a new wave criticism for how she has handled the controversy around her own claim to Native American ancestry and its relation to tribal identity.
CNN reported that she did not address her Native American heritage controversies. She did introduce Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, chairwoman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah, however, and used it as an opportunity to celebrate "do[ing] what's right for Native communities."
"Whether it's building coalitions among allies or reaching across the aisle to bridge divides, Cheryl is masterful at persuading public policy makers to do what's right for Native communities. I've been grateful for her counsel as we've worked together to tackle issues of importance to Indian Country," Warren said. "Congress needs that kind of counsel now more than ever. We need action."
In addition to privately apologizing to the Cherokee Nation for publicizing her DNA test, she told the Washington Post that she was "sorry for furthering confusion on tribal sovereignty and tribal citizenship and harm that resulted."
Her apology comes amid an ongoing controversy that has lasted over a year and has been haunting her 2020 candidacy as she prepares to formally announce a presidential bid.
In addition to releasing her DNA results last October, stirring backlash with Native Americans and progressives, she released employment documents last summer. She also gave a speech last year discussing her reasons for why she called herself a Native American, but she didn't apologize. Warren, who announced she was forming a presidential exploratory committee in December, could see additional documents surface to keep the issue alive, according to the Post.
The Post, for example, used an open records request during a general inquiry to obtain Warren’s 1986 registration card for the State Bar of Texas, which showed she identified as an "American Indian."
Warren filled out the card in April 1986 using blue ink, making it the first document to show her make the claim using her own handwriting. Warren's office did not challenge the authenticity of the registration card. In addition to her apology to the Post, it was previously reported that Warren called Bill John Baker, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, to apologize for the release of her DNA test.