After Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) launched into a lengthy explanation at Saturday's Democratic debate of the data breach committed by one of his staffers against the Hillary Clinton campaign, ABC's David Muir asked if Sanders should apologize to Clinton.
A staffer on the Sanders campaign improperly accessed Clinton's voter data after a software error, setting off the furor earlier this week.
"You've said of your staff that they did the wrong thing," Muir said. "Does Secretary Clinton deserve an apology tonight?"
"Yes, I apologize," Sanders said quickly, to laughter from the audience.
"Secretary Clinton, do you accept?" Muir asked.
"Not only do I apologize to Secretary Clinton ... I want to apologize to my supporters," Sanders said. "This is not the type of campaign that we run, and if I find anybody else involved in this, they will also be fired."
Muir asked for Clinton's reaction.
"I very much appreciate that comment, Bernie," Clinton said. "It really is important that we go forward on this. I know that you now have your data back, and there has been an agreement for an independent inquiry into what happened. Obviously we were distressed when we learned of it, because we've worked very hard. I said in the beginning of this campaign we wanted to reach as many voters as possible."
The Democratic National Committee initially barred Sanders from access to his voter files as punishment, and the Sanders campaign took the DNC to federal court. Campaign manager Jeff Weaver publicly accused the DNC of being in the tank for Clinton's campaign, and an agreement was reached for Sanders to have his access restored.