In a now deleted graphic, Elizabeth Warren’s campaign has allegedly classified billionaires of Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian descent as white, claimed Lee Fang, an investigative journalist for The Independent. The reporter posted a screen of a graphic from the senator’s website on his Twitter account, which showed the top 400 richest Americans by race. The graphic was divided into three categories – black, white and Latino (Warren’s campaign uses the term Latinx) – but it said only six of the wealthiest US citizens were non-white.
I'm not sure how this list was compiled, but since there are several Asian Americans on the 400 wealthiest list in the US, it seems Elizabeth Warren's campaign lists them as "white" https://t.co/rJm2OATEE7
— Lee Fang (@lhfang) December 21, 2019
However Warren’s website based its graphic on Forbes’ list of wealthiest Americans and hence it identified at least 14 billionaires of Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern descent as white - for example Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay and son of Iranian immigrants, who is ranked 36th on the list of Forbes or Indian-American billionaire Kavitark Ram Shriram, who is ranked 370th.
The Daily Caller has contacted Warren’s campaign over the issue, but it has not responded. Instead, the campaign has deleted the graphic from the website.
Meanwhile, netizens blasted the Democrat for misleading statistics.
This is deeply disturbing. Once again, for about the 800th time during her campaign, she bends the facts to her liking.
— Alex - #Yang2020 🧢 (@Yangolution) December 21, 2019
Diversify the ruling class!
— Every Billionaire Is A Policy Failure (@DanRiffle) December 21, 2019
Some even alleged that the Democrats are playing the race card.
Using the race card again? This is the only thing they think helps them & don’t understand that the race card doesn’t work anymore The American people understand that it is the left that are the only racist bigots & haters we have left in our society
— Cherry (@Cherry24742707) December 23, 2019
Others blamed the campaign for using the term Latinx to describe Latinos, which is allegedly not appreciated in the community.
She also lists Latinos as Latinx. I've heard that many Latinos don't appreciate that, in part, because it's anglicizing the Spanish language.
— Tzendrix of Leng (@Tzendrix) December 22, 2019
Any list that uses the term "latinx," shouldn't be taken seriously anyway.
— Laurence Watkins (@thelarrywatkins) December 22, 2019
Other social media users poked fun at Warren’s highly disputed claim that she was a Cherokee.
And she is Cherokee, so it all makes sense!
— Paul Daniels (@PaulDan48864751) December 23, 2019
