Nation/World

CNN parts ways with Democrat over sharing of debate questions with Clinton camp

CNN said Monday that the network has severed ties with the Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, after hacked emails showed that she shared questions for CNN-sponsored candidate events with friends on Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Brazile, a veteran political analyst for the network, temporarily left CNN in July when she became interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. CNN said that it accepted her formal resignation Oct. 14.

"We are completely uncomfortable with what we have learned about her interactions with the Clinton campaign while she was a CNN contributor," said Lauren Pratapas, a network spokeswoman.

In a statement, Pratapas wrote that 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 network's announcement came shortly after a new batch of hacked emails, released by WikiLeaks on Monday, revealed a note from Brazile sent March 5 — a day before a CNN-sponsored debate in Flint, Michigan — with this subject line: "One of the questions directed to HRC tomorrow is from a woman with a rash."

"Her family has lead poison and she will ask what, if anything, will Hillary do as president to help the ppl of Flint," Brazile wrote to John Podesta, the Clinton campaign chairman, and Jennifer Palmieri, the candidate's communications director.

At the debate the next night, two women asked similar questions of Clinton and her opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

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On Twitter on Monday, Brazile wrote: "Thank you @CNN. Honored to be a Democratic Strategist and commentator on the network. Godspeed to all my former colleagues."

She has previously denied that CNN gave her access to questions and has described feeling "persecuted" by the ensuing controversy over her actions.

Brazile's discussions with the Clinton campaign raised concerns in early October, when emails released by WikiLeaks showed she had contacted Palmieri to share a question about the death penalty that she said would be asked at a coming CNN town hall.

"From time to time I get the questions in advance," Brazile wrote in the subject line.

Brazile is not the only CNN analyst whose role has raised ethics concerns. Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump's former campaign manager, remains an informal, if unpaid adviser, with the network.

Trump has seized on the earlier revelation to reinforce his claim that the debates were rigged against him.

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