“Going forward, the best way for me to accomplish those goals is to step down as party chair at the end of this convention”, she said in a statement.
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PHILADELPHIA-Embattled Democratic Party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz will be stepping down as chair by the end of the week, she announced Sunday as calls for her head reached a crescendo in the wake of an email leak revealing the party’s bias against Bernie Sanders.
DNC vice-chair Donna Brazile, a political analyst, will take over as the party’s chief in the interim, a DNC spokesman said on Twitter.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, discusses why she believes Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for the presidency, while being interviewed by Julie Mason, on “The Press Pool” at Quicken Loans Arena on July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
I have been privileged to serve as the DNC Chair for five and a half years helping to re-elect President Obama and Vice President Biden, strengthening our State Party Partnership in all 50 states, leading a vigorous primary election this past year while preparing for the general election and representing millions of Democrats across the country.
Sanders was critical of the Florida congresswoman throughout the primary, accusing the party of rigging the process in favor of Clinton.
“What’s disturbing to us is that experts are telling us that Russian state actors broke into the DNC, stole these emails and other experts are now saying that Russians are releasing these emails for the goal of helping Donald Trump”, Clinton campaign chairman Robby Mook said on CNN’s “State of the Union”.
Several Democratic sources told CNN that the leaked emails are a big source of contention and may inflame tensions between the Clinton and Sanders camps.
Clinton issued a statement to thank Wasserman Schultz and to state her friend “will continue to serve as a surrogate for my campaign nationally, in Florida, and in other key states”. “I don’t think she is qualified to be the chair of the DNC – not only for these terrible e-mails, which revealed the prejudice of the DNC, but also because we need a party that reaches out to working people and young people and I don’t think her leadership style is doing that”.
Party officials decided Saturday that Wasserman Schultz would not have a major speaking role or preside over daily convention proceedings this week. Branding himself a democratic socialist, Sanders galvanized young and liberal voters with his calls to rein in Wall Street and eradicate income inequality. Kaine, who could appeal to independents and moderates, has never been aligned with party liberals. This afternoon, I called her to let her know that I am grateful.
“She’s worked her heart out for the Democratic Party, and she spoke well for President Obama and Secretary Clinton”, said retiree Ora McQueen, an Iowa delegate from Des Moines.
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“It definitely helps, but she needs to resign completely, give up her seat”, said Daniel Clark, 25, a Sanders delegate from Mount Pleasant, Iowa. “There’s no question to my mind, and I think no question to any objective observer’s mind, that the DNC was supporting Hillary Clinton and was at opposition to our campaign”.
