Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Thursday that she believes the 2016 Democratic primary was rigged in former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s favor.
Donna Brazile, the former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, published an excerpt of her forthcoming book, “Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that Put Donald Trump in the White House,” in Politico. Brazile wrote that after taking over as party chair, she agreed to investigate Sen. Bernie Sanders’ allegations that the party had rigged its primary. She discovered that in August 2015, the debt-ridden DNC made a fundraising deal with the Clinton campaign, giving the campaign control over “the party’s finances, strategy, and all the money raised.”
“Her campaign had the right of refusal of who would be the party communications director, and it would make final decisions on all the other staff,” Brazile wrote. “The DNC also was required to consult with the campaign about all other staffing, budgeting, data, analytics, and mailings.”
Brazile herself aided the Clinton campaign during the primary, she allegedly used her role as a CNN contributor — suspended while she was party chair — to share questions with the Clinton campaign prior to a Democratic primary debate and a town hall. The network later severed ties with Brazile.
Asked about Brazile’s allegations by CNN’s Jake Tapper, Warren — seen as a possible Democratic candidate in 2020 — called the agreement between the Clinton campaign and the DNC “a real problem” and said the party must be held “accountable.”
“Do you agree with the notion that it was rigged?” Tapper pressed Warren.
“Yes,” she replied.
