A disgruntled Democratic National Committee staffer tore into interim chairwoman Donna Brazile during a 150-person staff meeting on Thursday afternoon.
Brazile, a former CNN contributor who took over for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz this summer, had been lecturing on the importance of having hope about the future, despite Hillary Clinton’s surprising loss Tuesday night. That’s when a DNC staffer, solely identified as Zach, took to his feet to call out Brazile.
“Why should we trust you as chair to lead us through this?” Zach asked, according to two people in the room who spoke with Huffington Post. “You backed a flawed candidate, and your friend [Wasserman Schultz] plotted through this to support your own gain and yourself.”
Some staffers booed the outspoken man, prompting a response from Brazile. But before the organization’s leader could continue, Zach chirped up again.
“You are part of the problem,” Zach added. “You and your friends will die of old age and I’m going to die from climate change. You and your friends let this happen, which is going to cut 40 years off my life expectancy.”
The staffer gathered his belongings and walked out of the meeting. Brazile attempted to stop him, asking him where he was going. Zach responded that he was going outside to “tell people there.”
The two sources who confirmed the outburst said not everyone in the room was opposed to his comments. Some in the audience nodded in agreement with Zach.
Brazile told Huffington Post she could not discuss events that take place during internal meetings.
In March 2017, the DNC will appoint a permanent chair or confirm Brazile as the organization’s official leader.
