Bernie Sanders Calls for Democratic Leader to Step Down Following Email Leaks: 'She Should Resign, Period'

Senator Bernie Sanders called for Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to step down on Sunday after email leaks showed officials attempting to aid Hillary Clinton's campaign in the party's primary.

"I think she should resign, period, and I think we need a new chair who is going to lead us in a very different direction," Sanders said on ABC's This Week.

WikiLeaks released about 20,000 emails on Friday, which appear to show Democratic National Committee officials, including Chairwoman Schultz, attempting to undermine Sander's campaign and aid Clinton.

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One email exchange suggested bringing up Sanders’ religious beliefs as a way to hurt his campaign in parts of the country.

"It might may [sic] no difference, but for KY and WA can we get someone to ask his belief," Brad Marshall, CFO of DNC, wrote in a May 5th email. "Does he believe in God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. 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."

Amy Dacey, CEO of the DNC, subsequently responded “AMEN,” according to the emails.

Sanders also told CNN on Sunday that the leaked emails were "outrageous but not a great shock."

The Vermont senator said the emails prove that the party favored Clinton from the start.

"Well, I think I told you a long time ago that the DNC was not running a fair operation – that they were supporting Secretary Clinton," Sanders said on This Week. "So what I suggested to be true 6 months ago turns out in fact to be true."