WASHINGTON (AP) — The presidential campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to regain access to a Democratic National Committee voter database.

The DNC temporarily barred the campaign this week from the massive trove of voter information after Sanders' staff improperly accessed data compiled by the campaign of rival Hillary Clinton.

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The lawsuit says the campaign is now "sustaining irreparable injury and financial losses."

Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said earlier Friday the DNC was "taking our campaign hostage" by preventing it from accessing the data.

He threatened the lawsuit if the party didn't back down.

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