Following the “controversy” over the DNC email hack, some Bernie Sanders supporters are infuriated again, claiming that these emails “prove” there was a conspiracy against the senator from Vermont that “rigged” the Democratic primary for Hillary Clinton. style=”display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px” data-ad-client=”ca-pub-8278450341216875″ data-ad-slot=”8820921792″> Look, if you’re someone who truly and honestly believes that these elections were literally rigged, with…
Hillary won. The margin is outside of influence. But the DNC manipulated the debate dates and formats. DWS’ outrageous allegations and actions around that firewall breach weren’t remotely intended to be neutral. The DNC had no business putting its hand on the scales against a challenger to the presumptive nominee. It is a big deal because the future control of the Party is in play. It is not a valid indictment of Hillary’s nomination, as Trump already claims. Bernie acknowledges that.
“DNC Leak Shows Mechanics of a Slanted Campaign” [Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone]. “If you supported Hillary Clinton, it probably won’t bother you that the Democratic National Committee is revealed in these documents to have essentially acted as an arm of the Clinton campaign during the contested primary season.” Like Politico, Taibbi hones in on the Clinton “Victory Fund.”
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/dnc-leak-shows-mechanics-of-a-slanted-campaign-w430814
“Leaked emails show the Democratic National Committee scrambled this spring to conceal the details of a joint fundraising arrangement with Hillary Clinton that funneled money through state Democratic parties” [Politico]. This is the Clinton Victory fund debacle, where the Clinton campaign laundered its money through the state parties. “During the three-month period when the DNC was working to spin the situation, state parties kept less than one half of one percent of the $82 million raised through the arrangement — validating concerns raised by campaign finance watchdogs, state party allies and Bernie Sanders supporters. … The fund is a bad deal for state parties, said one operative who works with state party committees. State party officials have been buzzing about the WikiLeak emails, said the operative, arguing they show that ‘the extent to which the game has been rigged goes much deeper at the DNC than what many of us expected.’” (Remember that we showed yesterday that when Donna Brazile replaced DWS as DNC head, her first concern was not ethics but secrecy or, more politely, public relations: “Stop emailing. Pick up the phone.” Therefore, we can expect more of the same from the DNC, especially directed against any insurgent candidates not endorsed by Clinton. Canova and Teachout should take care.)
I have already explained the joint fundraising agreement. That money doesn’t go to the states until the general election, and yes, it’s complicated. Experienced people who work for the party do understand it; obviously Matt Taibbi didn’t interview anyone who would disrupt the story he already decided to write.