Following the publication of former interim Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile’s accusation that Hillary Clinton had “rigged the nomination process,” a new report is attempting to provide some much-needed context. After all, between Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Massachusetts) publicly agreeing with Brazile and President Donald Trump’s ranting tweets about the matter, the news has placed the already embattled Democratic Party in an increasingly uncomfortable corner. Hence the revelations contained within the 2015 internal memo obtained by NBC News.
According to the report, the document sent to DNC CEO Amy Dacey by Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook on August 26, 2015 “details the relationship between Clinton’s campaign and the DNC long before she won her party’s nomination”:
In exchange for Hillary for America’s (HFA) helping the cash-strapped DNC raise money, the party committee agreed “that HFA personnel will be consulted and have joint authority over strategic decisions over the staffing, budget, expenditures, and general election related communications, data, technology, analytics, and research.”
Specifically, the DNC agreed to hire a communications director from “one of two candidates previously identified as acceptable to HFA.” And while the DNC maintained “the authority to make the final decision” on senior staff in the communications, technology and research departments, the party organization said it would choose “between candidates acceptable to HFA.”
Despite the agreed-upon exchange of cash for authority in determining who would occupy significant communications positions with the party, the memo stipulated said deal only applied to the general election. What’s more, the DNC maintained the right to consult with other viable candidates regarding similar deals. “Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to violate the DNC’s obligation of impartiality and neutrality through the Nominating process,” the document stated. “All activities performed under this agreement will be focused exclusively on preparations for the General Election and not the Democratic Primary.”
Though acknowledging the written precondition that the party could “enter into similar agreements with other candidates,” the Clinton campaign nonetheless maintained a significant amount of influence over the party ahead of the general election. As NBC News notes, the memo “clearly allowed the Clinton campaign to influence DNC decisions made during an active primary, even if intended for preparations later.”
(Via NBC News)