WikiLeaks 2016 Democratic primaries flashback: Top LGBT donors were expressing concerns to the DNC about the fact that the Dems could lose the millennial vote in the absence of Bernie Sanders

Starting on Friday 22 July 2016 at 10:30am EDT, WikiLeaks released over 2 publications 44,053 emails and 17,761 attachments from the top of the US Democratic National Committee -- part one of WikiLeaks Hillary Leaks series. The leaks come from the accounts of seven key figures in the DNC: Communications Director Luis Miranda (10520 emails), National Finance Director Jordon Kaplan (3799 emails), Finance Chief of Staff Scott Comer (3095 emails), Finanace Director of Data & Strategic Initiatives Daniel Parrish (1742 emails), Finance Director Allen Zachary (1611 emails), Senior Advisor Andrew Wright (938 emails) and Northern California Finance Director Robert (Erik) Stowe (751 emails). 

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In early May, 2016, email exchange between DNC staffers reveals that the DNC received serious concerns from top LGBT donors "regarding the DNCs millennial outreach plan". Moreover, a number of donors were concerned about the fact that the exit of Bernie Sanders from the race of the Democratic primaries could cost the party the millennial support. Therefore, this could be proved "extremely detrimental to the success of the Democratic nominee."

The initial email was sent from Jordan Vaughn, then DNC's National AALC Finance Director, to Sean Meloy, then DNC's LGBT Engagement Director [important parts highlighted]:

                    Our DNC Finance Chair, Henry Muñoz (Cc’d here), has received a number of questions from our top LGBT donors regarding the DNCs millennial outreach plan.  This comes on the heels of an intense Democratic Presidential Primary and a number of our donors are concerned that should Sanders exit the race, we will lose millennial engagement and encounter a level of voter atrophy that could be extremely detrimental to the success of the Democratic nominee.

                 That being said, Scott and I wanted to reach out to see if your department has a plan in place and if so, could you please forward it to us?  It would assuage many of our donors fears and help us to prepare them for what is to come.  Thank you for your help on this! 

Meloy's response is interesting because he essentially suggests the recruitment of identity politics around LGBT issues as a solution (among others), to restrict millennial-vote losses and appease LGBT donor's fears [important parts highlighted]:

                    I remember this being brought up for me in passing a couple weeks ago… Tim Gill is one of those concerned, correct? Miles forwarded me the youth planned and it is attached, with the below addendum. Cc’ing Miles and Marilyn if there are specific concerns or programs we can identify as needing funding or where money is being directed.

                    I’m also of the belief that LGBT issues could help bring in some of the voters they are concerned about losing, considering millennials are very strong allies and refuse to support anti-LGBT candidates. 

Full email exchange:

https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/20085 

This is another evidence proving that a possible Sanders nomination was out of question for the DNC apparatus. Instead, the DNC would do whatever trick or political maneuver necessary, to even appease its own donors against vote losses in the absence of the most popular politician (especially among young Americans).

Notice again Vaughn's words in the second paragraph of his email: "It would assuage many of our donors fears and help us to prepare them for what is to come." Well, we all know what eventually came: Trump. Great irony, isn't it?