Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said he was “shocked and incredibly disappointed” by the hack of internal DNC emails that led to the resignation of Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
The DNC chairwoman resigned on Sunday after emails released by WikiLeaks showed Wasserman Schultz and her staff worked to quash the popularity of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign during primary season in favor of Hillary Clinton.
Dean told a panel on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Tuesday morning that he specifically worked to make sure nothing of this nature happened during his tenure as DNC chairman from 2005 to 2009.
“I don’t want to knock Debbie. I’ve always admired her as a human being, but this is not something the DNC ever should have done,” Dean explained. “We had a really strict rule. We are so strict that I did not vote in the Vermont primary at all, because voting for somebody and keeping your mouth shut is not the same as being neutral.”
“So you’re shocked by some of these emails?” co-host Joe Scarborough asked.
“I am shocked and incredibly disappointed because I know some of the people involved. I just don’t understand how that could happen. I really don’t,” Dean responded.
Dean praised Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, who stepped down from her role as vice chair of the DNC in February to specifically endorse Sanders. That, he said, was “the right thing to do.”
“If you’re for somebody, you either have to leave and go to work for their campaign or you have to shut up. You cannot have this kind of dialogue at the DNC. I don’t get it at all,” Dean remarked.
Dean, a former Vermont senator and 2004 Democratic presidential hopeful, endorsed Clinton in December.
