Outgoing Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz won't gavel the Democratic Party Convention into order Monday afternoon after all, telling a hometown newspaper that she's stepping away to be "sure that we can start the Democratic Convention on a high note."
"I stepped down the other day because I wanted to make sure that having brought us to this momentous day, and to Philadelphia and planned the convention that is going to be the best one that we've ever had in our party's history, this needs to be all about making sure that everyone knows that Hillary Clinton would make the best president," Schultz told the
Sun Sentinel in Broward County, Florida, during a brief telephone interview.
The Florida congresswoman was met with
boos and jeers earlier on Monday when she attempted to speak to the Florida delegation. In that small setting alone, Sanders' supporters crowded in to heckle her over leaked emails that suggested DNC staff members had been working to push Clinton over Sanders in the presidential primary elections.
While Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant banged her gavel demanding the protesters let her speak, they yelled even louder, with shouts of "we didn't have our voices heard" being yelled among the placard-waving crowd.
Schultz is seeking re-election to her Florida representative's seat, while agreeing to chair Clinton's 50-state get out the vote initiative. Meanwhile, Clinton will campaign in favor of Wasserman Schultz as well.
On Sunday, she'd agreed to step down from the chairmanship as news broke about the
email leaks, but said she'd bang the gavel to open and close the convention, but not deliver a speech.
Several key Democrats had called for Wasserman Schultz to stay away from the convention altogether on Monday, including former Pennsylvania Gov.
Ed Rendell, himself a former DNC chairman.
"It's going to be messy when she gets up there," Rendell told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" television show. However, he described the Florida lawmaker as being "very stubborn and she wants to see this thing through."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.