If the DNC’s toxic leaked emails are for real, this is what Hillary Clinton should do about them
By Colbert I. King July 23
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/07/23/if-the-dncs-toxic-leaked-emails-are-for-real-this-is-what-hillary-clinton-should-do-about-them/
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, N.C., on July 5. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
It may be tempting for the media to walk away from the Republican National Convention and train their cameras and notebooks on next week’s Democratic Party proceedings in Philadelphia. That, however, would mean ignoring a nasty piece of political news that broke over the weekend. The story not only deserves closer public scrutiny; it also, if true, cries out for corrective action by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
On Friday, The Post reported that, among internal emails taken from the Democratic National Committee and published by WikiLeaks were messages exchanged between the DNC’s chief financial officer Brad Marshall and other DNC officials that seemed to indicate they wanted Sen. Bernie Sander (I-Vt.) to be pressed about his faith so his beliefs could be turned against him.
Using a candidate’s faith or lack of religious belief as a political weapon is a disgusting tactic, made all the more repellent if used by a political party that prides itself on religious tolerance and diversity.
Sanders is not mentioned by name in the emails, but here is one of Marshall’s emails quoted in its entirety:
From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]
Date: 2016-05-05 03:31
Subject: No s—
It might may no difference, but for KY [Kentucky] and WVA [West Virginia} can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think 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.
The email was sent to DNC Communications Director Luis Miranda and Deputy Communications Director Mark Paustenbach and chief executive officer Amy Lacey.
Another Marshall email, The Post reported, time-stamped a few minutes later, says, “It’s these Jesus thing.” A few hours later, Lacey reportedly responds: “Amen.”
The DNC didn’t respond to The Post for comment, but “The Intercept,” an online publication, which first reported on the WikiLeaks email, quoted Marshall as saying via email that he didn’t “recall” the exchange, adding, “it would not have been Sanders. It would probably be about a surrogate.”
Marshall needs his memory refreshed. And there’s no one better to do that than Hillary Clinton. After all, it is in her interest, as a Democratic Party leader, to ensure that the party’s hierarchy isn’t involved in the business of drawing out the religious beliefs of opponents in order to harm their campaigns. The presumptive leader of the Democratic Party cannot countenance such despicable behavior.
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So on her way to Philadelphia, Clinton should stop by party headquarters to learn exactly who was looking to find someone to ask Sanders whether he believed in God or was an atheist. And if she finds out that that is what the DNC’s CFO, CEO and communications director were up to, she should tell them that she intends to stop by headquarters on her way back from Philadelphia next week and that she intends to find someone to ask if they have left their jobs. If they haven’t, she’s going to find someone to tell them they are fired. And if she can’t, she’ll tell them herself.
Then off to Philly and shouts from the roaring crowd.
Colbert I. “Colby” King writes a column -- sometimes about D.C., sometimes about politics -- on that runs on Saturdays. In 2003, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. King joined the Post’s editorial board in 1990 and served as deputy editorial page editor from 2000 to 2007.
