Dems' 'Civil War': Whether to Oust 'Toxic' DNC Chair

Debbie Wasserman Schultz still has the support of many
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted May 25, 2016 8:11 AM CDT
Dems' 'Civil War:' Whether to Oust 'Toxic' DNC Chair
DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dozen Democratic senators have discussed kicking the head of the DNC to the curb, an unnamed "pro-Clinton Democratic senator" tells the Hill. "There have been a lot of meetings over the past 48 hours about what color plate do we deliver Debbie Wasserman Schultz's head on," the lawmaker says. A Senate Democratic aide says officials are discussing whether the Florida congresswoman—whom Bernie Sanders strongly dislikes—has become "too toxic" to unify the party and should step down before the national convention in July, per CNN. Though Wasserman Schultz agreed to appoint just four of 15 members of the convention's platform committee (Clinton filled six spots, while Sanders picked five), "How can she open the convention?" the lawmaker says. "Sanders supporters would go nuts."

A Democratic senator says there's no coordinated effort to remove Wasserman Schultz and the decision would rest with the Clinton campaign. An aide says Clinton supports Wasserman Schultz, who endorsed her over Barack Obama in 2008. Plenty of other Democrats support the chair, too, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and several senators who've gone on the record. Karl Rove's super PAC also hopes she'll keep her job: American Crossroads has "endorsed" Wasserman Schultz, noting she's responsible for "the emerging civil war in the Democratic Party" and "massive Republican gains" in recent years, reports the Hill. A DNC rep says Wasserman Schultz will "continue to focus on uniting Democrats and on being an asset to help elect them up and down the ballot in November." (More Democratic National Committee stories.)

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