Sanders Responds to Charges: ‘The Political World Is Changing’

Issues Accusatory Statement In Response to Charges of Death Threats and Harassment by Supporters

Bernie Sanders says the Democratic Party needs to “understand that the political world is changing and that millions of Americans are outraged at establishment politics and establishment economics.” The candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination fired off what is being described as a “belligerent” and “angry” statement Tuesday afternoon in response to a four-page letter representing an official complaint by the Nevada Democratic Party against the Bernie Sanders campaign. 

“The Democratic Party has a choice,” Sanders says in his missive. “It can open its doors and welcome into the party people who are prepared to fight for real economic and social change – people who are willing to take on Wall Street, corporate greed and a fossil fuel industry which is destroying this planet. Or the party can choose to maintain its status quo structure, remain dependent on big-money campaign contributions and be a party with limited participation and limited energy.”

The Nevada Democratic Party filed its complaint with the DNC, following a contentious Nevada Convention over the weekend. The State Party is accusing the Sanders’ campaign of having a “penchant for extra-parliamentary behavior—indeed, actual violence—in place of democratic conduct in a convention setting.” It also is charging his supporters with sending death threats and other intimidating communications to the State Party Chair.

EARLIER: Nevada Democratic Party Files Complaint Against Conduct of Sanders’ Supporters and Campaign

Sanders says that at the Nevada convention, “the Democratic leadership used its power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place.” He charges the Party Chair “allowed its Credentials Committee to en mass rule that 64 delegates were ineligible without offering an opportunity for 58 of them to be heard.”

Rolling Stone reports, “Of the 64 disputed Sanders delegates, the party contends, only eight showed up at the convention on Saturday, and six were ultimately seated. The remaining 58 were disqualified, the party claims, either because they were not registered as democrats by May 1st, or because they did not respond to the party’s attempts to verify their names, birthdays and addresses.”

Some responses via Twitter:

 

 

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