Senator Warren's chief of staff, a man named David Kingsley, called Coleman's office directly.
"Robert, what the hell are you doing?" Kingsley's voice was filled with rage over the phone. "I asked you to handle one little thing, and you've created a national media firestorm!"
"Every media outlet is now reporting on how that Democrat, Murphy, is championing the working class of Pittsburgh! You've put Senator Warren in a very difficult position! Do you have any idea he's up for reelection? You're helping our enemies!"
Deputy Secretary Coleman was miserable but couldn't find the words to defend himself.
He had intended to block the application to curry favor with Senator Warren and pave the way for his own political future.
Instead, it had backfired spectacularly, turning him into a laughingstock and a target for the Democrats' coordinated attacks.
