Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, announced her decision to resign Sunday amid controversy over leaked emails that exposed the DNC's underhanded efforts to stifle Sen. Bernie Sanders' popularity during the primary.
Her resignation will become effective at the end of the convention, where she had already been stripped of her prime-time speaking role as calls for her to step down grew louder over the weekend.
Wasserman Schultz cited her desire to focus on boosting Hillary Clinton in Florida, where she is running for re-election, in a statement announcing her decision to step down just one day before the Democratic convention begins here in Philadelphia.
"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. "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 had faced pressure to leave the DNC since Friday, when a massive leak of internal documents suggested DNC officials had conspired to attack Sanders on his religion ahead of primaries in West Virginia and Kentucky. Her stewardship of the party has been under near-constant fire throughout this primary season, with supporters of Sanders smelling collusion long before WikiLeaks released stolen DNC emails.
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04.24.2024