Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren became the first Democratic presidential candidate on Friday to hit former Vice President Joe Biden, a little over 24 hours after Biden officially entered the race.
Warren slammed Biden at a campaign event for his past positions on economic issues, accusing him of being “on the side of the credit card companies.”
“Our disagreement is a matter of public record,” Warren said. “At a time when the biggest financial institutions in this country were trying to put the squeeze on millions of hardworking families… I got in that fight because they just didn’t have anyone and Joe Biden is on the side of the credit card companies.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren: “At a time when the biggest financial institutions in this country were trying to put the squeeze on millions of hardworking families… I got in that fight because they just didn’t have anyone and Joe Biden is on the side of the credit card companies.” pic.twitter.com/5bbgxWQdKC
— The Hill (@thehill) April 26, 2019
Warren was specifically referring to Biden’s vote on the “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005,” when he was still in the Senate. (RELATED: Justice Democrats Promises To Oppose Joe Biden’s Presidential Bid)
The bill passed 74-25, despite staunch progressive opposition. Since entering the race, Biden has already been forced to reckon with past policy positions that drew the ire of the Left, including his handling of Justice Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court confirmation, and his support for the Iraq War. (RELATED: Anita Hill Says She’s Not ‘Satisfied’ After Conversation With Biden)
Warren, on the other hand, formed her political identity around opposition to big business and big banks. She helped President Barack Obama form the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2011, and has proposed a massive “wealth tax” to redistribute wealth currently held by the richest Americans.