Alleged hacked emails released by WikiLeaks in recent days appear to show Donna Brazile providing Hillary Clinton at least one question in advance of a March 2016 CNN Town Hall appearance with Democrat rival Bernie Sanders.
According to WikiLeaks, an email from Brazile titled "Re: From time to time I get the questions in advance" was sent from Brazile’s iPad to Clinton staffer Jennifer Palmieri detailing a question about the death penalty that might be asked during the town hall. A very similar question was asked during the event on March 13.
Brazile was a commentator for CNN at the time. She has since taken over the Democratic National Committee chairpersonship on an interim basis after Deborah Wasserman-Schultz resigned earlier this year and is no longer a commentator for CNN.
In the email, the question was phrased as “Should Ohio and the other 30 states join the current list and abolish the death penalty?” since 156 people on death row have been set free since 1973. In the debate, a man wrongly convicted of murder asked Hillary how she could still support the death penalty after 156 people had been exonerated since 1973.
Roland Martin, debate moderator and CNN host, said he only shared his questions "with my executive producer and several members of my TV One team," CNN Money reported.
Brazile denies knowing the questions ahead of time, saying she “often” shared her thoughts with various candidates, but never knew or would have shared specific questions, CNN said.
Other leaked emails show derogatory and negative comments about journalists such as Jake Tapper of CNN who co-moderated the debate in question.
Democrats warned about believing the authenticity of the WikiLeaks emails and said they were gathered by Russians.