Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin forced open a document Thursday that he had spent months keeping under lock and key, only to trigger a fresh crisis that left the party fractured and donors questioning his grip on power.
The autopsy report on the 2024 campaign collapse, finally released after weeks of internal pressure, arrived as a damaged artifact. Martin had commissioned longtime friend Paul Rivera to produce the review but then reversed course on his original pledge to make it public. When forced to release it Thursday, Martin didn't defend the work. Instead, he walked back his earlier statements and told staff on a call that keeping it secret was "a major mistake" and that "I own it."
The damage, however, was already done. The document itself arrived stuffed with DNC annotations arguing against its own findings. Martin wrote on Substack that the report "isn't ready for primetime" and that he wouldn't "put the DNC's stamp of approval on it." Progressive activists erupted over the report's complete silence on Gaza, even though DNC officials had interviewed pro-Palestinian groups. And donor confidence cracked, with multiple sources telling outlets that major funders were now questioning whether to continue supporting the committee.
"This is an unmitigated s---show," said Steve Schale, a veteran Democratic strategist. "There's just no confidence in the competence in the DNC."
The unraveling turned on Martin's shifting explanations. In February 2025, fresh off his election as chair, Martin pledged that the report would be released to members and the public, criticizing his predecessors for keeping the 2016 autopsy under wraps. By December, he reversed course, saying release would distract the party. Then Thursday came another twist: Martin claimed the report wasn't finished and that he hadn't seen major sections until shortly before Christmas.
But behind-the-scenes details contradicted that account. Rivera, who had never been paid for the work, sat in on senior DNC meetings in recent months and remained in the building consulting with Martin long after the decision to withhold the report was made in December. The DNC never obtained a list of interview subjects, transcripts, or notes from Rivera's review despite multiple requests, according to someone with knowledge of the situation.
Martin allies defending his record pointed to Democratic gains in 2025 special elections and overperformance in key districts. Donor Ursula Terrasi credited Martin's coordination work with states and said his leadership remained sound. Wisconsin Democratic Chair Devin Remiker acknowledged the report was "incomplete and riddled with mistakes" but expressed hope that Martin would use the moment as a reflection point.
Others weren't waiting. Progressive groups like RootsAction and the Institute for Middle East Understanding demanded further transparency, with the latter noting that Rivera had told them clearly that Biden's support for Israel was a net negative for Democrats in 2024. Norm Solomon, RootsAction co-founder, said the party faced a "leadership crisis" rooted in the same deference to top leadership that had plagued the Biden campaign.
No mechanism exists in party bylaws to directly remove a DNC chair, though members can call a no-confidence vote. Martin's tenure, which began just 16 months ago, has been battered by repeated controversies ranging from a public clash with Gen Z activist David Hogg to the party's cash disadvantage against Republicans. The RNC has $124 million on hand versus the DNC's $14 million, and the committee's debt exceeds its reserves.
Former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison cautioned against the distraction, arguing the party's energy should focus on threats like Supreme Court decisions weakening the Voting Rights Act rather than infighting. But the damage to Martin's standing appeared substantial. Multiple party figures stopped short of demanding his resignation but expressed deep concern about whether rank-and-file Democrats could trust their own institution.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Martin had one job: conduct a transparent review and rebuild trust after a devastating loss. Instead, he handed his allies a playbook for how to bungle damage control at the highest level of American politics."
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