There’s no denying that this presidential election season has been far from ordinary. The unpredictable nature of the campaigns seemed to peak in July during the party conventions. In particular, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has been placed under intense scrutiny and legal pressure after yet another email scandal.
A Lawsuit is Born
Back in June, a hacker managed to access and release thousands of internal DNC documents and emails that made the DNC look very guilty of treating Hillary Clinton as the democratic nominee long before the voters had made that decision. Clinton’s opponent, Bernie Sanders, had been suggesting for months that he was not being considered a legitimate candidate, despite his unexpectedly passionate supporters and close margins with Clinton in key battleground states during the primaries.
The release of the emails proved to be the last straw, and it didn’t take long for the law firm Beck & Lee to file a class action lawsuit against DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the DNC itself. According to the attorneys, who have previously enjoyed victories against Yelp and Korea Airlines, their lawsuit gives a voice to Sanders supports who were robbed of their voice due to the failure of the DNC to remain impartial during the primary process.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Steps Down and is Served
DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was largely held responsible for the controversial emails and opted to step down in order to avoid further controversy. However, stepping down did not save her from being served papers for the lawsuit Deck & Lee has filed against her. The papers outline the six legal claims being made on behalf of Sanders supports: fraud, negligent misrepresentation, deceptive conduct, monetary restitution for donors of Sanders, the DNC breaking its own fiduciary duties, and negligence in protecting sensitive donor information.
Only time will tell the outcome of the lawsuit and the impact it may have on the larger political arena.
