Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley finally called out Debbie Wasserman Schultz tipping the scales for Hillary with their limiting debates during the opening of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa field office.
Via Des Moines Register:
"I want to say right off the bat here to those in Washington who think they can limit the number of debates that we're going to have before the Iowa caucuses, can circle the wagon and close off debates, I think they're going to have another thing coming when they talk to the people of Iowa," O'Malley said in the first minutes of his speech at the opening of his campaign office.
The number of unsanctioned debates has risen in recent election cycles, but the DNC this year has insisted on candidates signing an exclusivity clause, according to Politico and other news outlets. That means any candidate who participates in an unofficial debate would be barred from one that is party-sanctioned.
"I think it's outrageous frankly that anyone in the Democratic Party would think it's their job to tell the people of Iowa or New Hampshire or any state that they're not allowed to have presidential debates," he said. "It runs counter to everything that we believe as a country ... I'll let other candidates decide whether they want to be part of that other approach, that exclusive approach to politics."
More from
The Hill:
“There's an effort by a few insiders to try to limit the number of debates that we have and I've shared with the chair — Debbie Wasserman Schultz — that I think that’s a grave mistake and I think it's undemocratic,” O'Malley told The Hill in between in-between campaign stops in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.
“It's all about trying to pre-ordain the outcome, circle the wagons and close off debate,” O'Malley said. “If they could actually accelerate the date of the Iowa caucuses and hold them tomorrow — they'd like to do that. Then there'd be no campaign at all. That's what they'd really like.”
Asked if the party insiders included the Clintons, O'Malley said: “Of course they are. President and Secretary Clinton are the most colossal, prolific fundraising couple in the history of representative democracies... So yes — lots of people have long histories with the Clintons.”
The
DNC statement shows they don't care and clearly have no interest in pretending to be fair:
Holly Shulman, a committee spokeswoman, said: “We believe that six debates will give plenty of opportunity for the candidates to be seen side by side. I’m sure there will be lots of other forums for the candidates to make their case to voters, and that they will make the most out of every opportunity.”