Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean says he's "shocked and incredibly disappointed" over the leak of internal DNC emails that were made public by hackers, according to
Politico.
The leaked emails revealed DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her staff set out to undercut the efforts of Sen. Bernie Sanders to win the Democratic nomination. Wasserman Schultz has resigned from the DNC.
"This is not something the DNC ever should have done," Dean told "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough. "I am shocked and incredibly disappointed because I know some of the people involved. I just don't understand how that could happen. I really don't."
When
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii endorsed Sanders, said Dean, she resigned from the DNC and that was "the right thing to do." Adding that neutrality on the committee is a primary concern.
"If you're for somebody, you either have to leave and go to work for their campaign or you have to shut up," Dean said.
When Dean was in charge of the committee, he took pains to avoid actions that could have shown the committee was being partial to one candidate, he added.
"We had a really strict rule," he said. "We are so strict that I did not vote in the Vermont primary at all, because voting for somebody and keeping your mouth shut is not the same as being neutral," Dean said.
Dean was governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003 and ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for president in 2004. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009.
Dean criticized the idea of voting for Donald Trump during an Ohio campaign stop to support U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland, according to
Cincinnati.com.
"I understand people are mad at Washington. I'm mad at Washington, but that doesn't mean you have to elect a crazy person," Dean said.
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