Ex-Clinton Campaign Chief: I Wanted Adviser Accused of Harassment Fired, But I Was ‘Overruled’

Patti Solis Doyle, who initially served as campaign manager for Hillary Clinton in 2008, spoke out on CNN today about the campaign adviser who was kept on despite accusations of sexual harassment.

Per The New York Times, Patti Solis Doyle had “approached Mrs. Clinton and urged that Mr. [Burns] Strider, who was married at the time, be fired,” but Clinton “said she did not want to.”

Well, this morning Solis Doyle spoke to CNN’s Brianna Keilar and explained how “the incident was brought to my attention” and she thoroughly looked into the matter.

She said she concluded there was a clear case of sexual harassment here and she recommended that Clinton fire him, but she was “overruled.”

Keilar directly asked, “She overruled you personally?”

Solis Doyle said, “I was overruled, yes.”

After the Times report broke, Clinton reacted with the following tweets:

A story appeared today about something that happened in 2008. I was dismayed when it occurred, but was heartened the young woman came forward, was heard, and had her concerns taken seriously and addressed.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 27, 2018

I called her today to tell her how proud I am of her and to make sure she knows what all women should: we deserve to be heard.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 27, 2018

Keilar read the tweets and said, “She doesn’t admit she messed up… Why doesn’t she just look back and say ‘this was the wrong call’?”

“I don’t know,” Solis Doyle conceded. “I was disappointed by that tweet, that response. It was the wrong call. I wish she had said it was the wrong call.”

Watch the full segment above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]

— —

Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]