PHILADELPHIA, July 24 (UPI) — Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was stripped of her leadership role at this week’s convention after leaked internal emails suggested favoritism toward Hillary Clinton.
Clinton’s primary rival, Bernie Sanders, went even further Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” saying, “I think she should resign, period.”
Rep. Marcia Fudge of Ohio will serve as convention chairwoman as ratified by the convention’s Rules Committee on Saturday night. Wasserman Schultz was the temporary chair of the convention until the Rules Committee approved Fudge.
Wasserman Schultz, who is member of the House of Representatives from South Florida, had decided not speak at the convention.
Former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, a co-chairman of the convention’s rules committee, said Fudge’s appointment as permanent chairman wasn’t related to the email controversy.
“She was never going to be the permanent chairman of the convention,” Frank told the Washington Post. “The national chair is never the permanent chair of the convention.”
Wikileaks released national committee emails, including correspondence where Wasserman Schultz referred to Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver as a “damn liar” and an “ASS” and said the senator has “never been a member of the Democratic Party and has no understanding of what we do.”
In the emails, staffers considered ways to hurt Sanders at the polls.
The committee’s Chief Financial Officer Brad Marshall floated an idea to question Sanders’ Jewish faith.
“It might may [sic] no difference, but for KY and WA can we get someone to ask his belief,” Brad Marshall, CFO of DNC, wrote in an email on May 5, 2016. “Does he believe in God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My southern baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.”
Amy Dacey, CEO of the DNC, subsequently responded “AMEN,” according to the emails.
Marshall apologized to Sanders.
“I told you long time ago that the DNC was not running a fair operation, that they were supporting Secretary Clinton,” Sanders told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. “So what I suggested to be true six months ago turned out to be true.”
Sanders says was “not shocked” by the emails but “disappointed.”
“Our campaign was about revitalizing American democracy. I want to see that incorporated into the Democratic Party,” Sanders said. “And I don’t believe that Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the person to be able to do that.”
Ironically, Wasserman Schultz criticized her GOP counterpart for his badly run convention. “I’m in Cleveland if you need another chair to help keep your convention in order,” she tweeted.
Wasserman Schutz was elected to Congress in 2004 and was named to the DNC post by Barack Obama in 2011.
Sanders has backed her challenger in the primary, Tim Canova, a Nova Southeastern University law professor.’
Clinton’s campaign manager is alleging Russian hackers are leaking the emails in an effort to help Republican nominee Donald Trump win the election in November.
Robby Mook told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” on Sunday it comes after “changes to the Republican platform to make it more pro-Russian.”
“I don’t think it’s coincidental that these emails were released on the eve of our convention here, and I think that’s disturbing,” he said.
The DNC has previously had its files hacked by an individual named “Guccifer 2.0” with possible ties to the Russians.
