In a Saturday, May 14, 2016 photo, supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, igather in the front of the room during the Nevada State Democratic Party’s 2016 State Convention at the Paris hotel-casino in Las Vegas. (Photo: Chase Stevens / AP)
The Nevada Democratic Party sent a letter to the Democratic National Committee accusing the Bernie Sanders campaign and its supporters of inciting violence. The letter, which comes after the State Convention descended into chaos last weekend, prompted the head of the Democratic Party on Tuesday to denounce the violence and behavior of the Sanders campaign and its supporters.
“We write to alert you to what we perceive as the Sanders campaign’s penchant for extra-parliamentary behavior — indeed, actual violence — in place of democratic conduct in a convention setting, and furthermore what we can only describe as their encouragement of, and complicity in, a very dangerous atmosphere that ended in chaos and physical threats to fellow Democrats,” wrote Bradley S. Schrager, General Counsel for the Nevada Democratic Party.
At the convention last Saturday, supporters of the self-described socialist essentially flipped out over the selection of delegates, throwing chairs, shouting profanities and even death threats at and to party leaders. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Monday that it “is investigating threats being made to the Democratic office/members.”
Sanders supporters alleged that the party establishment was rigging the results of the convention, which resulted in a net gain of two more delegates after seven pledged support for Hillary Clinton juxtaposed to five for Sanders.
“Our democracy is undermined any time threats, intimidation, physical violence or damage to property are present,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., chairman of the Democratic Party, said in a statement. “If there are legitimate concerns, they must be addressed in an orderly, civil and peaceful manner.”
Responding to the letter, Rep. Wasserman Schultz said, “There is no excuse for what happened in Nevada, and it is incumbent upon all of us in positions of leadership to speak out.”
Despite the media blackout, this is not the first time supporters of Sen. Sanders have decided to get violent. In fact, during the rally in Chicago for Donald Trump, which was cancelled due to security concerns, well-known radical leftwing supporters of the Vermont senator were at the helm, including Jamal Green. He is well-known in the area among police as a Black Lives Matter agitator and Sanders supporter, even being invited up to speak at the podium at one of the candidate’s rallies.
The Democratic underdog issued a statement on Friday night calling for backers to work together “respectfully and constructively” at Saturday’s convention. It was obviously ignored. In Puerto Rico, Sen. Sanders was asked about the complaint and he turned his back on reporters and walked away.
