Barbara Boxer talks Elizabeth Warren, Trump, and her new book

Former United States Senator and full-time Coachella Valley resident Barbara Boxer is speaking out about President Donald Trump and the current political climate in Washington.

On Wednesday night Boxer attended a charity event raising money for the Palm Springs Library Foundation.

“It is a real community facility. There are meetings there, even the city council uses it from time to time. There are town halls there. It’s a gathering place for children so of course I support it,” Boxer said.

News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2’s Joe Galli sat down with Boxer for an exclusive one-on-one interview.

Boxer signed multiple copies of her fourth memoir “The Art of Tough.”

“I want it to be kind of an empowerment book, where I let people know that there are always going to be other people that will try to shut you down,” Boxer said.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) had a tough time on the Senate floor Wednesday after being shut down during the debate over attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions. Warren was reading from a letter written by Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow, Coretta Scott King, which was opposing Sessions’ nomination for a federal judgeship in the 1980s.

A similar occurrence happened to Boxer in 1993 when she was supporting the appointment of Roberta Achtenberg, who is a lesbian, for assistant secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“When I watched this it was deja vu all over again, going after her. I think it proves she is tough. She just said this is wrong and I think it hurt the Republicans, because they had the votes anyway. Be gracious and let people speak,” Boxer said.

Boxer believes the only way to stop the political division in Washington is if the directive of inclusiveness comes from the top.

“I served with five presidents. Three were Republicans and two were Democrats and all of them were trying to bring us together. This one doesn’t seem to bring us together. So if he (Trump) decides he wants to work with everybody I think that will change the tone,” Boxer said.

Boxer also thinks the current administration is making the wrong call when it comes to taking in refugees.

“They have been tortured…These are the people we should open our arms to. Little children and their moms and dads. All they want to do is find peace and safety. Should they be vetted? Of course,” said Boxer.