Internal crisis at the DNC: Activist David Hogg could be removed from office for election irregularities

An internal panel of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) this week recommended invalidating the election of progressive activist David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta as the party's vice chairs, claiming the process violated internal gender parity rules.

The decision, while it must be ratified by the full committee, emphasizes that the situation in the DNC is complex, with much internal division.

If Hogg and Kenyatta are ultimately removed, the DNC will have to hold new elections limited to the same five original candidates. Both will remain in office in the meantime and can run again.

The election challenge was filed in February by Kalyn Free, a former candidate for vice chair.

But even though the challenge had been on the table for months, the DNC panel's vote comes amid harsh internal criticism of Hogg's plans to support candidates who challenge incumbent Democratic lawmakers ahead of the midterms. Through his organization Leaders We Deserve, Hogg announced a $20 million campaign to boost figures he believes are "more connected" to the electorate.

The move, which comes after Democrats lost the last election soundly to Trump and the Republicans, generated tension within the party and drew sharp questioning from traditional figures.

DNC Chairman Ken Martin has reiterated that party officials must remain neutral during primaries.

"When you lead the institution tasked with calling the balls and strikes, you don’t get to also swing the bat," wrote Martin on social media, warning that he would push for reforms to enshrine that neutrality as an official party rule.

In response to Martin, Hogg claims this move unfairly targets him.

"While this vote was based on how the DNC conducted its officers’ elections, which I had nothing to do with, it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote,” Hogg said in a statement after the committee’s recommendation. “I ran to be DNC Vice Chair to help make the Democratic Party better, not to defend an indefensible status quo that has caused voters in almost every demographic group to move away from us. The DNC has pledged to remove me, and this vote has provided an avenue to fast-track that effort."

Kenyatta rejected that the focus is solely on Hogg, calling the decision "a slap in the face" and warning that a new election would be even more flawed, leaving out members who no longer serve on the committee and candidates with no chance for reconsideration.