DNC Boss Accused of Throwing Phone at Staffer

The Democratic National Committee is being hit with a new wave of scrutiny after a damaging report claimed the party is battling financial strain, internal chaos, and allegations of erratic behavior from its own chairman, Ken Martin.

The report comes at a dangerous moment for Democrats, who are trying to regroup ahead of the 2026 midterm elections while Republicans appear to be entering the cycle with a major cash advantage.

According to The New York Times, tensions inside the DNC have been rising as the committee deals with debt, delayed vendor payments, and growing doubts about Martin’s leadership. One alleged incident has already triggered an internal human resources complaint.

The Times reported that Martin’s “fraying nerves are showing” under the pressure. In one episode from early July, the outlet claimed Martin “threw his phone at the desk of a junior aide while upbraiding the person.”

The alleged outburst reportedly led to a formal complaint with the DNC’s human resources department, adding another headache for a party organization already facing questions about money, discipline, and direction.

The report also claimed Martin has become increasingly worried that insiders may be trying to force him out of his leadership role. According to the Times, the chairman has developed a “growing sense of paranoia” and has become “paralyzed by the idea of leaks,” even as more details about the DNC’s internal problems continue to spill into public view.

The financial picture described in the report is just as troubling.

The Times reported that the DNC is roughly $2 million in debt and has asked some vendors to hold off on sending invoices until after the midterm elections. That claim immediately raised eyebrows, especially as Democrats attempt to present themselves as organized and ready for a bruising national fight.

The committee also reportedly spent $7.3 million to buy remaining assets from former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign, with the money allegedly helping cover outstanding campaign debts.

Another spending decision drawing attention was the DNC’s reported $840,000 investment in operations in Puerto Rico and Guam. The Times noted that such spending would have no direct impact on control of Congress, raising fresh questions about whether the party’s national operation is using its limited resources wisely.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee is reportedly sitting on approximately $128.5 million, giving the GOP a sharp financial contrast to highlight as both parties prepare for the midterms.

DNC officials are pushing back hard against the idea that the committee is in crisis.

Roger Lau, the DNC’s executive director, told the Times that the vendor payment issue was “nothing more than standard negotiations with vendors over contracts and payment processes.”

Martin has also defended the committee’s financial decisions, arguing that Democrats are investing aggressively in the infrastructure they believe they need to win future races.

In a Substack post published July 20, Martin said the DNC made a deliberate decision to put money to work instead of simply letting it sit in the bank.

“We made a conscious decision to invest money in the work required to win in 2025, 2026 and beyond,” Martin wrote. “We are converting the cash we raise into electoral assets: more people, earlier organizing, better technology, and stronger state parties.”

He also claimed the current DNC has “raised the most money of any DNC without the White House in the 198-year history of the Democratic Party.”

Still, the report is a political gift for Republicans, who are likely to seize on the allegations as evidence that Democrats are struggling behind the scenes while trying to project confidence in public.

For a party already dealing with bruising questions about its future, its leadership, and its ability to win back frustrated voters, the latest report adds one more problem Democrats cannot easily spin away.