Over the past week, it has come to light that Elizabeth Warren identified herself as a "native American" earlier in her career.
Ms. Warren claims she is 1/32nd Cherokee, but the claim is disputed. When asked why she self-identified as Native American, Ms. Warren claimed she wanted to use the identification to meet other people with similar backgrounds and perhaps get invited to Native American events. This claim has been greeted with extreme derision from the right who point to the advantages afforded by affirmative action.
To Kossacks who dismiss these allegations out of hand an analysis of the backgrounds of Harvard Law faculty show that all of the Professors & Assistant Professors graduated from Top-10 law schools. Ms. Warren graduated from Rutgers-Newark - the 82nd ranked law school. Another broader analysis of Ivy League Law Professors covering 350 faculty members at Ivy League law schools indicated Ms. Warren had the 349th "best" education.
Also, a former spokesman for Harvard law confirmed that while Harvard was under pressure in the 1990's for a lack of minority hiring - it listed only one native American faculty member - Elizabeth Warren. In 1999, another faculty member was included as part-Choctow, but Chmura says he identified as caucasion prior to that point in time.
The press in Massachusetts has had a field day with the controversy - with Howie Carr, a popular writer for the Boston Herald nicknaming Ms. Warren "Fauxchohontas", a nickname that shows signs of sticking.
This does not diminish Ms. Warren's obvious accomplishments - even though I do not agree with many of her positions - she is obviously bright and talented, but her explanations about these events ring hollow (at best).
She now risks being branded as just another lying politician - is this fair?
Will she recover before November?
And are in your opinion are the criticisms fair?