DNC Chair Faces HR Complaint as Party Reports $2M Deficit

The Democratic National Committee is facing a severe leadership and financial crisis just over three months before the November midterm elections, as its chairman, Ken Martin, confronts an internal human resources inquiry following an angry outburst and the party struggles with significant debt. The turmoil was detailed in reports published on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

According to multiple sources, Martin threw his phone toward the desk of a junior aide in early July after a period of donor calls. The phone did not hit the staffer, but the incident left a small group of aides shaken and prompted an internal HR complaint. Martin apologized to the aide the following business day during a meeting with human resources, and the committee has attempted to move past the event. Sources described varying accounts of the force and direction of the throw, with some emphasizing the phone was thrown at the desk and not aimed at the aide.

The leadership incident coincides with stark financial challenges for the party. Federal Election Commission filings from June show the DNC with $16.3 million in cash and $18.5 million in debts and loans, leaving it approximately $2 million in the red. In...