The leak comes after Russian hackers gained access into the DNC computer system last month, and the Clinton campaign believes the country provided the emails to WikiLeaks to sabotage the campaign against Donald Trump.
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Her departure, long sought by Sanders, is aimed at drawing a line under the scandal as establishment Democrats seek desperately to unite the party behind the campaign of former secretary of state Clinton, who goes up against Republican Donald Trump in the November presidential election.
“As soon as I got off the plane in Philadelphia that was the first thing I saw on the news; that she resigned”, Sanchez said. On Sunday those efforts received a major boost when Michael Bloomberg, the former Republican and independent mayor of NY, said he would endorse her.
He’s among those who called for Wasserman Schultz to resign.
Mrs Clinton’s campaign manager, Robby Mook, tried to put the blame for the email leak on to “Russian state actors” who, he said, may have breached party computers “for the objective of helping Donald Trump”.
US President Barack Obama also praised Wasserman Schultz, saying that during her tenure she “has had my back”.
Earlier this year, after Sanders and his campaign accused the DNC of not treating them fairly, Schultz insisted that the committee was “neutral” based on its rules and that she was working to “neutrally manage the primary”. She faces a stiff challenge from a liberal Democrat who’s aligned with Mr. Sanders, and who is getting impressive backing from progressive groups.
Clinton thanked Wasserman Schultz for her work in helping Clinton on her road to securing the nomination following the announcement. Trump however was quick to pile on.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz speaks before the start of the Democratic U.S. presidential candidates’ debate in Flint, March 6, 2016.
Vermont senator Sanders had said Ms Wasserman Schultz “should not be chair” of the Democratic National Committee. Like with the RNC, CBSN is partnering with Twitter to stream the convention live on the social network.
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Bernie Sanders has issued a response to news that Debbie Wasserman Schultz will be resigning as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee following the leak of almost 20,000 DNC emails.
