Dem party chief: Sanders response to Nevada violence falls short

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz early Wednesday kept up her criticism of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, saying he ignored violence and threats on the part of his supporters at the party’s state convention in Nevada.

{mosads}The Florida congresswoman said the senator’s statement on Tuesday fell short of the needed response.

“With all due respect, when there is a ‘but’ in between condemnation of violence generally and after the word ‘but’ you go on to seemingly justify the reason that the violence and the intimidating has occurred, then that falls short of making sure that going forward this kind of conduct doesn’t occur,” she said on CNN’s “New Day.”

She said Nevada Democratic Chairwoman Roberta Lange has been “stalked by phone” and has had to undergo “unacceptable feedback through violence and intimidation.”

“In no way is it acceptable to condone or even to ignore violence and intimidation against officials with whom you’re frustrated,” she said. 

Sanders on Tuesday denied accusations of promoting violence among his supporters and accused the Nevada Democratic Party of abusing its power to hurt his campaign.

“Party Leaders in Nevada, for example, claim that the Sanders campaign has a ‘penchant for violence.’ That is nonsense. Our campaign has held giant rallies all across this country, including in high-crime areas, and there have been zero reports of violence,” the Sanders campaign said in a statement.

Tensions between the Sanders campaign and the national party burst into the open on Tuesday after mayhem in Las Vegas over the weekend.

An ugly scene on the floor of the convention included Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) being booed off stage and Democrats flipping chairs and refusing to leave.