CNN cuts ties with Brazile after latest WikiLeaks leak

CNN said Monday that the network has severed ties with the Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, after hacked e-mails showed that she shared questions for CNN-sponsored candidate events with friends on Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Brazile, a veteran political analyst for the network, temporarily left CNN in July when she became interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. CNN said that it accepted her formal resignation Oct. 14.

"We are completely uncomfortable with what we have learned about her interactions with the Clinton campaign while she was a CNN contributor," said Lauren Pratapas, a network spokeswoman.

In a statement, Pratapas wrote that CNN "never gave Brazile access to any questions, prep material, attendee list, background information or meetings in advance of a town hall or debate."

The announcement came shortly after a new batch of hacked e-mails, released by WikiLeaks on Monday, revealed a note from Brazile sent March 5 — a day before a CNN-sponsored debate in Flint, Mich. — with this subject line: "One of the questions directed to HRC tomorrow is from a woman with a rash."

"Her family has lead poison and she will ask what, if anything, will Hillary do as president to help the ppl of Flint," Brazile wrote to John Podesta, Clinton campaign chairman, and communications director Jennifer Palmieri.

At the debate the next night, two women asked similar questions of Clinton and her opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders.

She has previously denied that CNN gave her access to questions.

At a rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., Donald Trump seized on the news of Brazile's departure from CNN, to attack Clinton and press his case that the media is biased against him.

"Speaking of draining the swamp, Donna Brazile did it again," he said. "WikiLeaks today, she gave the questions to a debate to Hillary Clinton. And that was from a couple of weeks ago. Happened again, but this time far worse. She gave the questions to a debate to Hillary Clinton."

The Clinton campaign has declined to verify the authenticity of the e-mails. Brazile's discussions with the Clinton campaign raised concerns in early October, when e-mails released by WikiLeaks showed she had contacted Palmieri to share a question about the death penalty she said would be asked at a coming CNN town hall.