In the wake of an email controversy that exploded over the weekend, the Democratic National Convention could be completely derailed as it gets underway Monday, July 25 in Philadelphia.
Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, a vice chairman at the DNC, told The Hill on Sunday, July 24 that those involved in scheming to undermine Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign should either resign immediately or be fired.
“The DNC needs to make a clear statement that this was wrong and that any member of the staff involved in criticizing another candidate, especially using DNC offices and equipment, should be fired,” Rybak said. “If any officer played a role in helping another candidate when we’re supposed to be neutral, they should resign. It’s that simple. Make a clear statement. Clean up this mess so we can move on and work together.”
A cache of emails released Friday, July 22 by WikiLeaks revealed at least two instances of DNC officials openly discussing ways to undermine the Vermont senator’s campaign.
Sanders and his top aides hit the Sunday talk show circuit to reiterate their demands that DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz resign.
They have long claimed Wasserman Schultz was in the tank for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign and working to undermine Sanders.
Rybak on Sunday stopped short of calling on Wasserman Schultz to resign — but he came close.
“I’ve been clear that I think she has not been effectively unifying the party, and this makes it harder,” Rybak said. “She should examine her actions and ask whether she’s been fair and if she hasn’t been, or if she becomes an issue, she should get out of the way so that we’re talking about Hillary Clinton and not Debbie Wasserman Schultz.”
According to multiple reports, the chairwoman will see a greatly diminished role at the coming convention. Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio will instead preside in Philadelphia.
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