Republicans singled out Sen. Elizabeth Warren for mistreatment, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer charged Wednesday, saying her speech on the Senate floor that garnered a punishment was far less egregious than the GOP’s own violations.
“What they did to Senator Warren was selective enforcement,” Mr. Schumer said, calling it a “shocking double standard.”
He did not accuse the GOP of sexism, though others have raised that explanation in wondering why Republicans went after Ms. Warren, but have let other potential violations go without any notice.
Mr. Schumer said Republicans were being “far too zealous” in the case of Ms. Warren.
The Senate voted 49-43 late Tuesday to punish Ms. Warren, silencing her for the rest of the debate over President Trump’s pick to be the new attorney general. That nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions, has provoked fierce reactions from Democrats who have launched thinly veiled accusations of racism at him.
Tensions boiled over Tuesday after Ms. Warren first quoted the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in attacking Mr. Sessions, was warned for her behavior, then quoted from Coretta Scott King, widow of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.
Republicans said she had violated Senate rules prohibiting the impugning of another senator — in this case Mr. Sessions, the nominee — and they drove the vote to punish her with the silent treatment.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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