Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced her resignation as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee on Sunday afternoon.
“Going forward, the best way for me to accomplish [party] goals is to step down as Party Chair at the end of this convention,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement (via CNN).
The Florida congresswoman’s resignation — effective at the close of this week’s Democratic National Convention — comes after hackers revealed emails showing that DNC staffers favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders at earlier stages in the 2016 election.
Wasserman Schultz said she remains committed to seeing Clinton elected president.
“As Party Chair, this week I will open and close the Convention and I will address our delegates about the stakes involved in this election not only for Democrats, but for all Americans,” she said.
“We have planned a great and unified Convention this week and I hope and expect that the DNC team that has worked so hard to get us to this point will have the strong support of all Democrats in making sure this is the best convention we have ever had.”
The congresswoman’s move to step down was a result of enormous pressure from party leaders, according to CNN.
Interim chair through the election will be DNC vice chair Donna Brazile. Housing Secretary Julian Castro has been discussed as a possible successor.
President Obama said in a statement, “For the last eight years, Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has had my back. This afternoon, I called her to let her know that I am grateful.”
After news of Wasserman’s imminent exit broke, Republican candidate Donald Trump took to Twitter:
I always said that Debbie Wasserman Schultz was overrated. The Dems Convention is cracking up and Bernie is exhausted, no energy left!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2016