PHILADELPHIA — Atheists are calling for a top Democratic National Convention official to resign after leaked emails showed he suggested attacking Sen. Bernard Sanders for his alleged lack of belief in God.
Bradley Marshall, DNC CFO, apologized Saturday for an internal May 5 email to two Democratic National Committee communications staffers in which he talked about using Mr. Sanders’ beliefs against him.
“It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief,” said the email, which appeared Friday on the WikiLeaks website. “Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.”
While Mr. Marshall has apologized on Facebook to “those I offended,” calling the emails “insensitive,” the Center for Inquiry said his apology was not enough.
“Mr. Marshall has reportedly apologized for embarrassing the DNC, but there has been no apology, no admission of wrongdoing, to the people he sought to defame,” said the statement. “We believe he should resign his position with the DNC.”
The statement, issued by three Center of Inquiry officials and the executive director of the Council for Secular Humanism, said Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the DNC should also condemn his remarks.
“The Democratic National Committee must make immediately clear that it finds Marshall’s line of thinking unacceptable, and that it will not countenance party operatives proffering attack strategies based on this kind of anti-atheist bigotry. It would do well for the Clinton campaign to do the same,” said the statement.
DNC chair Debra Wasserman Schultz has announced she will resign her post at the end of the convention Thursday after emails appeared to show her plotting to derail Mr. Sanders’ campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
In his apology, Mr. Marshall said, “I deeply regret that my insensitive, emotional emails would cause embarrassment to the DNC, the Chairwoman, and all of the staffers who worked hard to make the primary a fair and open process.”
“The comments expressed do not reflect my beliefs nor do they reflect the beliefs of the DNC and its employees. I apologize to those I offended,” he said.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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