DNC chairwoman urged to resign, says she will after convention

The chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) says she will step down after the party’s convention in the run-up to the US 2016 presidential election.

Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz made the announcement on Sunday after email leaks from within the Democratic Party showed officials had tried to undermine the campaign of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in favor of his rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"Going forward, the best way for me to accomplish those goals is to step down as party chair at the end of this convention,” she said in a statement.

The Democratic National Convention is set to take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 25 to 28.

"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 said. “As party chair, this week I will open and close the convention and I will address our delegates about the stakes involved in this election not only for Democrats, but for all Americans."

Meanwhile, Ohio Representative Marcia Fudge (pictured below) was assigned to serve as the convention chair this week in Philadelphia.

Fudge said she was "happy to serve" and was looking forward to a "great convention and our ongoing efforts as we work together for a strong party and a successful election."

No fair operation at DNC

The Vermont senator was infuriated after the WikiLeaks released the emails on Friday, proving that DNC officials had privately made plans to undermine his campaign.

She "should not be chair of the DNC, and I think these emails reiterate that reason why she should not be chair," said Sanders, who has already announced official endorsement for Clinton.

"I think she should resign, period, and I think we need a new chair that's going to lead us in a new direction," he added.

Sanders said he was not “shocked” by the emails as he knew from the beginning that the party was supporting the former first lady.

"Well, I think I told you a long time ago that the DNC was not running a fair operation — that they were supporting Secretary Clinton. So what I suggested to be true six months ago turns out, in fact, to be true," he said. "I'm not shocked by it, but I'm disappointed."

No political revolution

GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, meanwhile, took the opportunity to sow more discord among the Democrats, saying Sanders’ "political revolution" had ended up fruitless.

"There is no longer a Bernie Sanders 'political revolution.' He is turning out to be a weak and somewhat pathetic figure, wants it all to end!" Trump tweeted.

In another tweet he said, "Sorry folks, but Bernie Sanders is exhausted, just can't go on any longer. He is trying to dismiss the new e-mails and DNC disrespect. SAD!"

In one of the emails, dated May 2, DNC press secretary Mark Paustenbach wrote to communications director Luis Miranda about how to make the US media portray Sanders’s campaign as one in “a mess.”

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