A former vice chair of the Democratic National Committee called the 2016 Democratic primary process "rigged" for Hillary Clinton on Thursday, saying it was clear the DNC "secretly chose their nominee" before the primaries even started.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) made the remark in response to revelations by interim DNC chair Donna Brazile, who released a book excerpt Thursday stating the Clinton campaign effectively took over the DNC in 2015, nearly a year before Clinton actually clinched the nomination after a surprisingly hard-fought battle with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
"Today we heard from Donna Brazile that what many suspected for a long time, is actually true: the DNC secretly chose their nominee over a year before the primary elections even occurred, turning over DNC control to the Clinton campaign," Gabbard said, calling the 2016 primary "rigged," according to The Hill.
"The deep financial debt, closed door decision-making, complete lack of transparency, and unethical practices are now front and center," she added.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) said "yes" on Thursday when asked by CNN's Jake Tapper if she felt the primary was rigged for Clinton.
Gabbard announced her resignation from her DNC post, while serving under Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D., Fla.), on Feb. 28, 2016, as she also announced her endorsement of Sanders.
Brazile had sharp words for Schultz and President Barack Obama in her book excerpt for their mismanagement of finances and handing her a committee in deep debt.