PHILADELPHIA - Democrats had been trying to heal wounds inflicted during the primary process between supporters of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. The DNC email leak is ripping the wounds back open.
Reporter Brandon Rittiman worked to verify what’s being said about the leak.
During an interview with CNN Sanders said he wasn’t shocked by it. “Well, I think it’s outrageous but it is not a great shock to me. I think, as I said, it’s what we talked about six months ago. There’s no question in my mind. I think there’s no question in any objective observers mind that the DNC was supporting Hillary Clinton.”
This claim by Sanders is FAIR.
First, the DNC has not denied the authenticity of the emails. Second, there’s plenty in the emails to support Sanders’ claim that the DNC leaned pro-Hillary instead of staying neutral.
For instance, in one email a PR person for the DNC pitches a negative story to the press about Sanders.
Another email doesn’t name Sanders but pitches the idea of getting reporters to ask someone of “Jewish heritage” about whether he’s an atheist which could hurt him in a couple states.
Sanders was the only Democratic candidate of Jewish heritage in the race.
In response to the email leak, Clinton’s campaign manager, Robby Mook, implied Russians are behind the email leak. During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Mook said that ‘experts’ have said Russians coordinated the hack and release of DNC emails to help the Donald Trump campaign.
The argument that Russia is involved is FAIR. A hack of the DNC computer network originating in Russia made headlines last month.
We aren’t sure that’s where the emails came from, but a high profile hack before a high profile info dump leaves room for this argument.
However, the idea that Russia wants to help Trump goes further out on a limb and is speculation.
If this is Russia’s doing, it’s possible they see value in stirring up popular unrest with the entire US election system, as opposed to skewing the election toward Trump.
Democrats have been trying to link Trump and Russian President Vladamir Putin, but we don’t have any record to prove Russia is on Trump’s side.
Our fact checking team will be working to verify claims made during the DNC, as they did during the RNC.
