Divisive Democrat Accused of Leaking DNC Call

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin told party leaders in a leaked private conversation that he’s unsure about his ability to lead the party because of infighting created by former Vice Chair David Hogg. Several top party officials accused Martin or Hogg of leaking a portion of a private and emotional meeting.

Leaked Call

“I’ll be very honest with you, for the first time in my 100 days on this job … the other night I said to myself for the first time, ‘I don’t know if I wanna do this anymore,’” he said in the leaked Zoom meeting of DNC officers. In the recording, Martin describes being deeply frustrated by the fallout over Hogg, who has lit a match under the party by vowing to spend $20 million in safe-blue primaries to oust incumbent Democrats he believes are ineffective. Martin paused twice while appearing to choke up during the call.

Leaked Fued

The intraparty feud, Martin said on the recording, was making it more difficult for the party to move forward. He claimed it had ruined his ability to demonstrate leadership: “No one knows who the hell I am, right? I’m trying to get my sea legs underneath of me and actually develop any amount of credibility so I can go out there and raise the money and do the job I need to put ourselves in a position to win,” Martin said, addressing Hogg. “And, again, I don’t think you intended this, but you essentially destroyed any chance I have to show the leadership that I need to. So it’s really frustrating.”

Pointing Fingers

After the leaked audio was published, five of the nine DNC leaders on the Zoom call at the time of the leaked clip closed ranks around Martin and accused Hogg, or people associated with him, of leaking it, in statements and interviews with The Washington Post. None of the party leaders provided any evidence for their claims, and Hogg denied leaking the audio. The DNC officials who pointed fingers at Hogg include fellow vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta, who said Hogg “proves he has no relationship with integrity if he’s willing to record and leak private conversations,” Association of State Democratic Committees President Jane Kleeb, who stated “the deliberate leaking of private conversations — by Hogg and his allies must stop,” and DNC Secretary Jason Rae, who declared “there is no doubt in my mind that David Hogg leaked this recording.” Said Washington Democratic Chair Shasti Conrad, “Does David Hogg benefit from this? Yes.”

Hogg Resigns

Since the audio leaked, Hogg has decided to resign as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. The fallout from Hogg’s exit extended beyond leadership changes, as the young progressive had garnered attention for his $20 million plan to primary challenge incumbent Democrats he deemed “asleep at the wheel.” This initiative polarized party members and laid bare existing fractures within the DNC. Hogg’s plan, executed through his political action committee, Leaders We Deserve, reportedly clashed with Martin’s vision for party unity. Hogg himself acknowledged the need for the DNC to refocus in light of his exit: In a statement shared on X, he emphasized that stepping down would allow the party to prioritize “what really matters.” This sentiment was echoed by Kenyatta, the DNC’s departing vice chair, who remarked that the internal strife had prevented the committee from concentrating on pressing political matters.

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