Massachussets Sen. Elizabeth Warren is no stranger to controversy — but now she’s resorted to outright lies.
In a political stunt meant to pander to her liberal base, Warren released a video last Friday of her taking the “No NRA Money” pledge. In it, Warren promised to put voters ahead of special interest groups by rejecting every single penny offered to her by the National Rifle Association this year.
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There’s only one problem: The NRA never offered Warren any money.
“I’m running for re-election to the U.S. Senate here in Massachusetts, and I pledge not to take a single penny from the National Rifle Association,” Warren said in a video posted by liberal news organization NowThis. “The people of Massachusetts deserve to be represented by someone who will put their interests ahead of the NRA’s demands.”
'It's time we strip the NRA of its stranglehold over our children's lives.' — Elizabeth Warren is the first U.S. senator to pledge never to take money from the NRA pic.twitter.com/yzKWedNQNb
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 18, 2018
The ill-conceived publicity stunt was met with bemusement on social media. Warren was called a hack politician and a liar by users.
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“This is a textbook example of virtue signalling. The @NRA would never offer her donor money in the first place. Try again, #Fauxcahontas,” user Jason Daniel replied.
“The NRA has never offered her any money any more than they’ve offered her a teepee,” GR wrote in response to the video. “This is just political showmanship and gamemanship.”
Warren isn’t shy about accepting money from just about anyone that offers, critics point out.
Between her reelection campaign and her Super PACs, Warren has collected a staggering amount recently from rich lobbyists, Wall Street bankers, and special interest groups. In fact, her reelection war chest has bulged to $30,672,237 received in the past four years — which dwarfs the amount normally collected by the average senator.
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Only when the offer is “zero” does it seem Warren will take a principled stand about where her money comes from.