Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign reiterated concerns Thursday about ties between Donald Trump and Russia in light of hacked emails from the account of John Podesta, Clinton’s presidential campaign chairman.
The thousands of emails, published by WikiLeaks on Monday, include an email from Clinton supporters to U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, criticizing her for stepping down from the Democratic National Committee in February to support Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid.
“We now know the FBI believes the Russians are behind this hack and that a Trump campaign associate was back-channeling with Julian Assange,” said Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin, in response to questions about the Gabbard email. “On day 5 of the WikiLeaks propaganda campaign, the question is, What did the Trump campaign know, and when did they know it? The fact that Donald Trump refuses to condemn this intrusion by a foreign government, cheers it on and even says it didn’t happen is yet another reason why he is unfit to be president of the United States.”
Caplin said the campaign is not confirming the authenticity of any individual emails.
Reporters have been mining thousands of emails from Podesta’s account that are easily searchable on WikiLeaks’ website.
In the Feb. 29 email to Gabbard, two Clinton supporters, including a former director of the Clinton Foundation, tell the Hawaii congresswoman that she has disrespected Clinton and not to expect any help from them in raising campaign funds.
“When we met over dinner a couple of years ago I was so impressed by your intellect, your passion, and commitment to getting things done on behalf of the American people. For you to endorse a man who has spent almost 40 years in public office with very few accomplishments, doesn’t fall in line with what we previously thought of you,” the email reads, in part. “Hillary Clinton will be our party’s nominee and you standing on ceremony to support the sinking Bernie Sanders ship is disrespectful to Hillary Clinton. A woman who has spent the vast majority of her life in public service and working on behalf of women, families and the underserved.”
The email was then forwarded to Podesta and longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin with the note “Hammed dropped!” — apparently meaning to write “hammer.”
Trump has denied any association with the hacked emails, while also relishing their release.
“I hope people are looking at the disgraceful behavior of Hillary Clinton as exposed by WikiLeaks,” he tweeted earlier this week. “She is unfit to run.”