CNN Severs Ties With Donna Brazile After Hacked Emails Show More Debate Questions Passed to Hillary Clinton Camp

CNN says it is "completely uncomfortable" with hacked emails that show long-standing contributor and interim Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile apparently sharing questions with members of the Hillary Clinton campaign staff before a debate and a town hall during the Democratic primary — so much so that the network has accepted her resignation.

The hacked emails published by WikiLeaks show Brazile — whose contract was suspended when she became interim DNC chair in July — sending a question to the Clinton campaign that would be asked to Hillary Clinton before the March CNN Democratic primary debate in Flint, Michigan, as well as another possible question ahead of a CNN town hall that same month.

"On October 14th, CNN accepted Donna Brazile’s resignation as a CNN contributor," the network said in a statement.

The network also raised questions about the methods by which Brazile obtained the questions.

"CNN never gave Brazile access to any questions, prep material, attendee list, background information or meetings in advance of a town hall or debate," the statement continued. "We are completely uncomfortable with what we have learned about her interactions with the Clinton campaign while she was a CNN contributor."

In an email dated March 5, 2016, Brazile appeared to give advance notice of a question to John Podesta, the Clinton campaign chairman, and Jennifer Palmieri, its communications director.

"One of the questions directed to HRC tomorrow is from a woman with a rash," Brazile wrote in the subject line. "Her family has lead poison and she will ask what, if anything, will Hillary do as president to help the ppl of Flint."

The email is part of the ongoing release by WikiLeaks of messages that were stolen in the hack of Podesta's email account.

Another email leaked earlier this month appeared to show Brazile sending a town hall question to the Clinton campaign.

"From time to time I get the questions in advance,” she purportedly wrote Palmieri on March 12.

For her part, Brazile has rejected the allegations.

“As a longtime political activist with deep ties to our party, I supported all of our candidates for president. I often shared my thoughts with each and every campaign, and any suggestions that indicate otherwise are simply untrue. As it pertains to the CNN Debates, I never had access to questions and would never have shared them with the candidates if I did," Brazile said in a statement.

Earlier this month, in a particularly testy exchange with Megyn Kelly of Fox News, Brazile denied any wrongdoing and suggested the emails were forged.

"I did not receive any questions from CNN," Brazile told Fox News Channel's Megyn Kelly. "What information are you providing to me that will allow me to see what you're talking about?"

"As a Christian woman I understand persecution but I will not stand here and be persecuted because your information is totally false," Brazile said. "Podesta's emails were stolen. You're so interested in talking about stolen material, you're like a thief that wants to bring into the night the things that you found that was in the gutter."

Photo credit: Tim Pierce via Flickr Commons