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Embattled Wasserman Schultz Won’t Speak at Convention

Email scandal has upended DNC chair's role at party nominating confab in Philadelphia

One senator anonymously said ousting Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as head of the Democratic National Committee was being "discussed quietly" among senators. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
One senator anonymously said ousting Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as head of the Democratic National Committee was being "discussed quietly" among senators. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Embattled Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz will not speak at the party convention this week in Philadelphia due to fallout over emails suggesting that her her organization sought to undermine Bernie Sanders’ campaign in favor of Hillary Clinton.  

CNN and others reported that Democratic Party officials concluded on Saturday that Wasserman Schultz would gavel in the nominating convention in Philadelphia but would not have a speaking role.  

The reports said that both Clinton and Sanders’ went a long with the decision made after a trove of emails released by Wikileaks suggested an effort by some national committee staffers to undermine Sanders, who was Clinton’s main rival in the nomination fight.  

For his part, Sanders has been complaining for months that the DNC favored Clinton and blamed Wasserman Schultz. On Sunday, he called for Wasserman Schultz, also a Florida congresswoman, to resign from her party position.  

Sanders is scheduled to deliver a prime-time address on Monday, highlighting a list of speakers from the liberal end of the party.  

Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, all Sanders supporters, will speak to the delegates. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who many liberals favored for the ticket, will also speak.  

In addition, convention organizers announced that Sarah McBride, national spokeswoman for the Human Rights Campaign, would be the first transgender speaker at a major party convention.  

Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney and LGBT rights activist Sarah McBride will also speak as will other traditional Democratic special interest power brokers on abortion and women’s rights, labor, and education.  

Below is a list of the additional speakers announced Sunday.  

Monday, July 25 – Rep. Keith Ellison (Minnesota)
-National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia
-Rep. Raul Grijalva (Arizona)
– Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal.
-SEIU President Mary Kay Henry
-Congressman Joe Kennedy (Massachusetts)
-Chair of the Democratic Governors Association Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy
-Building Trades President Sean McGarvey
-U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (Oregon)
-Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (California) and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
-AFSCME President Lee Saunders
-AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
-American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten  

Tuesday, July 26 -Democratic National Committee Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation Donna Brazile
-Former Georgia state Sen. Jason Carter.  

-House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.  

-Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards  

Wednesday, July 27 – Rep. G.K. Butterfield and members of the Congressional Black Caucus
– Rep. Judy Chu and members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
-NARAL President Ilyse Hogue
– Rear Adm. John Hutson (Ret)  

-Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson
-Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
-Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey
– EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock  

Thursday, July 28 – Marine Gen. John Allen (Ret.), former commander in Afghanistan  

-President of the Human Rights Campaign Chad Griffin
-League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski
-Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (New York) and LGBT rights activist Sarah McBride
-U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (Maryland) and the Democratic Women of the Senate.  


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