US Senator Elizabeth Warren, days from formally launching her 2020 presidential campaign, faced criticism on Wednesday for claiming she was Native American in the 1980s and concern from fellow Democrats over her handling of the issue. "They mishandled it from the minute that she was presented with evidence that she isn't Native American," said Scott Ferson, a Democratic strategist in Boston. Warren told reporters in Washington on Wednesday she did not believe her identification as Native American ever helped her get ahead. Senator Kamala Harris, who also is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge President Donald Trump, told the Washington Post the debate was a "distraction." That angered tribal leaders who said being a Native American is not determined by DNA alone but by membership in a tribe.

Source: dna February 07, 2019 04:18 UTC