Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren wanted to use the words of Coretta Scott King to highlight Sen. Jefferson Sessions’ racism ahead of his confirmation vote for the position of attorney general, but she was silenced by Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stopped Warren mid-speech Tuesday, saying that she had “impugned the motives and conduct of our colleague from Alabama” by reading statements issued by Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.

That didn’t prevent Warren from recording a reading of the letter and broadcasting it on Facebook Live, however.

In Scott King’s letter, written in 1986, the civil rights activist explained why confirming Sessions’ nomination to become a federal judge would “have a devastating effect not only on the judicial system in Alabama, but also on the progress we have made everywhere towards fulfilling [her] husband’s dream.”

Watch Warren read the letter outside Senate chambers below.

Senate Democrats pulled a second all-nighter Tuesday on Capitol Hill to demonstrate their opposition to Sessions’ nomination. They also stayed up all of Monday night to protest Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos’ appointment as secretary of education.

— Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata

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#congress#democrats#elizabeth warren#gop#jeff sessions#martin luther king jr#mlk#politics#racism#republicans#video