Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Nevada’s Sanders delegation frustrated Wasserman Schultz delaying resignation

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Richard Drew / AP

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., is interviewed March 21, 2016, in New York. Democratic officials on Sunday, July 24, 2016, were weighing whether the party’s chairwoman should resign following the publication of hacked emails.

Members of Bernie Sanders' delegation in Nevada are calling Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz's announcement today that she will step down from her role at the end of the convention a "step in the right direction," though they're not sure how much it will help toward resolving tensions as the party's convention kicks off here tomorrow.

Wasserman Schultz's resignation comes in the wake of a release of almost 20,000 internal emails between Democratic Party officials Friday, which reignited tensions in Nevada and across the country between Sanders supporters and the Democratic Party. Sanders supporters long suspected bias by Wasserman Schultz and the Democratic Party toward Hillary Clinton's campaign, and the emails appeared to confirm their worst fears.

Some of the emails detail how party officials apparently tried to make an issue over Sanders' faith and their general frustration with him and his campaign. In the wake of the emails' release, many Sanders supporters called on Wasserman Schultz to resign from her post.

In a statement Sunday afternoon, she said she would do just that, but only at the end of the convention. She said she would still open and close the convention and address the delegates about the stakes of the election.

"We have planned a great and unified convention this week, and I hope and expect that the DNC team that has worked so hard to get us to this point will have the strong support of all Democrats in making sure this is the best convention we have ever had," Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.

Still, several Sanders supporters in Nevada's delegation said they weren't sure how much the move would actually go toward relieving tensions on the convention floor tomorrow.

"It's a step in the right direction," Sanders delegate Angie Morelli said. "But I'm frustrated she's not stepping down until the end of the convention."

Morelli said she was uncomfortable with Wasserman Schultz still running things behind the scenes and potentially impacting what happens on the floor.

"I think it's another superficial dangling the carrot in front of our faces," Morelli said. "If they removed her now, it would seem genuine."

Morelli also added that she wished something similar had happened in the wake of the Nevada state Democratic convention, where Sanders supporters alleged that state party Chairwoman Roberta Lange was biased toward Clinton. Though she has a superdelegate vote, Lange remained neutral throughout the caucus and convention process, only coming out for Clinton after she appeared the party's presumptive nominee.

National committeewoman and superdelegate Erin Bilbray called the move by Wasserman Schultz a "big step forward."

She added that the timing of Wasserman Schultz's resignation didn't bother her, as she believes people should be allowed to "walk away with dignity."

Bilbray said she thinks the resignation will help relieve some tensions at the convention, but she's hoping even more relief will come Monday night when Sanders addresses the delegates.

Sanders delegate Lucy Flores, a former assemblywoman who recently ran in a congressional primary, said Sanders supporters weren't expecting Wasserman Schultz to resign. Flores said she wishes Wasserman Schultz would step down now but that at this point it was "kind of irrelevant."

"The more she delays it, it's more of a distraction," Flores said.

She also added that there needs to be accountability within the Democratic Party, that other top party officials should step down or be fired, as well, and be replaced with people who voice a commitment to neutrality and transparency.

"The party needs to get back to its roots, not focusing on this culture of addiction to power," Flores said.

State Sen. Tick Segerblom, another Sanders delegate, said it was good Wasserman Schultz stepped down before the convention. However, he added that now that she has announced she's resigning, people need to move on and start thinking about defeating Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in November.

"We only have three months," Segerblom said. "Time's a wasting."

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