Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez told a group of Kansas lawmakers this week that last year’s Democratic primaries were rigged in favor of Hillary Clinton – but later claimed he “misspoke” and apologized.
Perez was in Topeka to make his case to be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee when he made the stunning statement.
“We heard loudly and clearly yesterday from Bernie (Sanders) supporters that the process was rigged, and it was. And you’ve got to be honest about it. That’s why we need a chair who is transparent,” he said Wednesday, NBC News reported.
Sanders supporters have alleged that the DNC scheduled primary debates at lousy times to prevent candidates other than Clinton from getting the widest exposure.
Perez later backpedaled, tweeting that he “misspoke” about the primary process being rigged.
“Hillary became our nominee fair and square, and she won more votes in the primary — and general — than her opponents,” he wrote.
Perez – who was said to be on Clinton’s short list for vice president – is running for the DNC chairmanship against Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, a staunch ally of Sanders.
During the primaries, Sanders and his allies complained that then-DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz had stacked the deck against him. Schultz was assailed for refusing to alter the debate schedule.
Perez said Wednesday that debates should be scheduled well ahead of the primaries “so there’s no question whatsoever.”
“We’ve lost touch with a lot of voters,” Perez said, the Daily Caller reported. “We ignored people. And it’s not just that people felt ignored, it’s that people felt affirmatively disrespected and looked down on.”