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DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz Resigns After Emails Leak

HeadlineJul 25, 2016

The Democratic National Convention is opening today in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, amid massive party turmoil. DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz says she is stepping down following the release of nearly 20,000 emails revealing how the Democratic Party favored Hillary Clinton and worked behind the scenes to discredit and defeat Bernie Sanders. The emails were released Friday by WikiLeaks. In one email, DNC Chief Financial Officer Brad Marshall suggested someone ask Sanders about his religion, writing, “For KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. … He has skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. … My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.” Another email shows DNC staffers suggesting planting a news story that Sanders’ campaign was a “mess.” Bernie Sanders reacted to the emails during an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Sunday.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “I told you a long time ago that the DNC was not running a fair operation, that they were supporting Secretary Clinton. So what I suggested to be true six months ago turns out, in fact, to be true. I’m not shocked, but I am disappointed.”

Party Vice Chair Donna Brazile will act as the DNC’s interim head through the election in November. Following the leak, Clinton announced Wasserman Schultz will serve as the honorary chair of the Clinton campaign’s 50-state program. Clinton called Wasserman Schultz a “longtime friend” and said she will support her congressional re-election race in Florida. Sanders has backed Wasserman Schultz’s primary opponent in the race, Tim Canova. We’ll have more on the emails after headlines with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

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