SHARE

Democratic National Committee Chair Resigns Amid Email Scandal

Embroiled in a controversy over the weekend release of a trove of embarrassing emails by the website WikiLeaks, Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced Sunday she will resign from her post at the conclusion of this week's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Photo Credit: Democratic National Committee

Donna Brazile, a CNN commentator who served as Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000, will serve as interim chair through the end of the November election. 

“As Party Chair, this week I will open and close the Convention and I will address our delegates about the stakes involved in this election not only for Democrats, but for all Americans,” Wasserman Schultz, who also serves as a U.S. Congresswoman from Florida, said in a statement. “We have planned a great and unified Convention this week and I hope and expect that the DNC team that has worked so hard to get us to this point will have the strong support of all Democrats in making sure this is the best convention we have ever had.”

Wasserman Schultz's statement comes just a day after she spoke at a rally at Florida International University in Miami in which Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton introduced Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as her running mate.

The DNC emails released by WikiLeaks included one in which Wasserman Schultz described Bernie Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver as a "damn liar." Sunday morning, both Weaver and Bernie Sanders repeated calls for Wasserman Schultz to resign.

"I want to thank my longtime friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her leadership of the Democratic National Committee over the last five years," Hillary Clinton said in a statement, citing her "hard work" and "leadership."

Clinton Campaign Manager Robby Mook said "experts" believe the DNC emails were obtained by Russian hackers and handed over to WikiLeaks to benefit the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The Trump campaign called that accusation a "joke."

"I always said that Debbie Wasserman Schultz was overrated," Trump said in a 4:30 p.m. tweet Sunday. "The Dems Convention is cracking up and Bernie is exhausted, no energy left!"

Hillary Clinton, involved in an email controversy of her own, will give her acceptance speech Thursday night. The Chappaqua resident will become the first woman to be nominated for president by one of the major parties.

For a rundown of speakers and more info on the Democratic Convention, click here.

to follow Daily Voice Mamaroneck and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE