Debbie Wasserman Schultz is going to go quietly.
The Florida congresswoman and Democratic National Committee chairwoman will not speak at the party’s convention as previously planned, NBC News reports. She had been expected to talk in her role as chairwoman — but that was before a leak of emails over the weekend revealed the committee’s efforts to boost Hillary Clinton’s campaign over Bernie Sanders’ during the Democratic primary.
That fueled Sanders supporters’ contention that the primaries were rigged against them, and prompted the congresswoman’s sudden decision to resign as DNC chairwoman, saying she didn’t want to distract from Clinton’s campaign.
But not speaking will also protect her from the prospect of being booed by Democrats on national television during the opening night of the convention. Wasserman Schultz tried to address members of her home state’s delegation on Monday morning in Philadelphia, but dozens of Sanders supporters booed and yelled.
The Vermont senator’s supporters are out in force in Philadelphia, and thousands rallied Sunday ahead of the convention. Sanders is scheduled to speak from the DNC podium Monday night.
Wasserman Schultz’s interim replacement is Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, who must leave her job as a CNN analyst because of her new role.