3 More Top DNC Officials Out After WikiLeaks Email Release

The staffers are the latest to leave after the email release.

ByABC News
August 2, 2016, 5:09 PM

— -- Three top Democratic National Committee officials are the latest to leave their positions in the wake of the WikiLeaks email release, which appeared to show party officials trying to help Hillary Clinton and hurt Bernie Sanders.

Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned last week and today, DNC CEO Amy Dacey stepped down in addition to communications director Luis Miranda and CFO Brad Marshall.

Both Marshall and Dacey have been criticized because they were both on an email chain released in the WikiLeaks dump that seemed to question Sanders’ religion during the primaries as a possible way to undermine support among voters.

"It may make no difference but for KY and WA can we get someone to ask his belief,” Marshall wrote in the email on May 5, 2016. "He had skated on having a Jewish heritage. I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist."

Dacey responded, “Amen.”

The news of their departures was first reported by Politico and confirmed in a press release from interim chair Donna Brazile Tuesday afternoon.

"In order to make history, the Democratic Party depends on the tireless work of everyday drum majors for justice, fairness, and equality,” Brazile says in the release. “Thanks in part to the hard work of Amy, Luis, and Brad, the Democratic Party has adopted the most progressive platform in history, has put itself in financial position to win in November, and has begun the important work of investing in state party partnerships.

"I’m so grateful for their commitment to this cause, and I wish them continued success in the next chapter of their career.”

In the same statement, Brazile calls this election the “most important of my lifetime” and says the DNC will "continue to recruit top talent to help lead the fight to elect Hillary Clinton and Democrats across the country.”

“I am committed to adding to our team of skilled professionals who will make sure that Donald Trump is held accountable for his reckless rhetoric and harmful policies,” Brazile said.

Brazile is also appointing a transition team help the party during the general election and prepare for a permanent party chair.

That team includes Tom McMahon, who served as executive director of the DNC under then-chair Howard Dean, and Brandon Davis, who joined the DNC in June as chief of staff.

Brazile is a former ABC News contributor.

Wasserman Schultz was forced to step down on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last week. She was supposed to gavel in the four-day event, but relinquished those duties, staying mostly out of sight during the convention, which nominated Clinton as the first woman to lead a major party ticket.

Miranda couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

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