Today at 4:15 p.m., Mayor Stephanie-Rawlings Blake gaveled in the opening of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The Baltimore mayor, who serves as secretary of the Democratic National Committee, took over for party chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who resigned from her chairmanship after a massive DNC email leak. WikiLeaks published thousands of internal emails showing DNC officials giving preference to presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primary election.
For her part, however, Mayor Rawlings-Blake released a statement, saying she “is honored to participate in the historic Democratic National Convention as the party prepares to confirm its 2016 presidential nominee, Hillary Rodham Clinton.”
Following a performance by the Mother Bethel AME Church choir of Philadelphia, Rawlings-Blake came out and announced that she was “the mayor of the great city of Baltimore and the temporary secretary of the Democratic National Convention.”
Wearing a celadon sheath dress made by Timonium-based designer Ella Pritsker, she continued: “It’s an an honor and pleasure to welcome . . . all of our honored democrats and other guests here in Philadelphia . . . I hereby call the 47th quadrennial Democratic National Convention to order.”
This is a historic time for our nation as @thedemocrats prepare to confirm its 2016 #presidentialnominee #Hillary #honored 2 gavel in
— Mayor Rawlings-Blake (@MayorSRB) July 25, 2016