Tribal Members Call For Stronger Apology From Warren On Eve Of Primary

Hundreds of members of Tribal nations are calling on Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) for a stronger apology for claiming Native heritage before her presidential campaign.

The call for Warren to issue another stronger apology for claiming to be Native American during her career as a professor and US Senator came in a letter issued last week. 200 members of the Cherokee and other tribal nations called Warren's claims "a dangerous misunderstanding of tribal sovereignty."

"You need to clearly state that Native people are the sole authority on who is - and who is not – Native,” the authors wrote.

Warren, an Oklahoma native had long repeated a family story of native heritage. Her decision to take a DNA test before her run for the White House to prove her heritage came back as inconclusive and was seen as offensive to tribal members and those with legitimate native heritage.

Warren, who has apologized publicly in the past, responded in a letter of her own, apologizing again.  She wrote, "I was wrong to have identified as a Native American, and, without qualification or excuse, I apologize for the harm I caused."

For some tribal members who signed the letter, Warren's apologies fall short and they want real action from the Senator to dispel harmful myths and racist stereo types about Native Americans.

This issue has also plagued Warren on the campaign trail since before she started her run for the White House.

Currently, she’s in 5th place in the most recent News9 poll here in her home state.