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Rep. Wasserman Schultz Dodges Questions About Explosive Allegations From Former DNC Chair

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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz didn't have much to say about the explosive allegations being leveled against her in a new book by Donna Brazile.

"For those who are telling me to shut up, they told Hillary that a couple months ago. You know what I tell them? Go to hell! I'm going to tell my story," Brazile said.

Brazile is facing her critics. She's about to release a book called "Hacks."  It's a behind the scene look at the time when she was head of the Democratic National Committee after Wasserman Schultz stepped down over a leaked email scandal.

Brazile makes explosive allegations, including that Wasserman Schultz allowed the Clinton Campaign, based in Brooklyn, to take over the DNC and its finances.

"The high command in of Brooklyn, the people who were making the decisions, even for the DNC, they didn't come and work with us.  They told us to shut up and basically let them win the election," Brazile said.

Brazile said then-party chairwoman Wasserman Schultz was not a good manager and favored Clinton to become the nominee, basically stacking the deck against Bernie Sanders.

"You're overall reaction to Donna Brazile's book and your role in it, your prominence in it," CBS4's Ted Scouten asked her.

"I am focused on doing the best job that I can to represent my constituents here in Florida's 23rd District," she responded.

For the first time, we were able to ask Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz about the explosive allegations.

"Can you deny those (allegations) for us?  Can you respond to what Ms. Brazile is saying about you?" a reporter asked her.

"My focus, which is what my constituents elected me to do, is to make sure that I can fight for the things they care about," Wasserman Schultz replied.

Time after time, Wasserman Schultz refused to respond directly to the allegations – continually saying she's focused on issues like getting other Democrats elected, stopping the Trump tax cuts and strengthening environmental protections.

"Just this past weekend we had King Tides inundate part of the coastal areas of my district," she said. "I can assure you that folks in the neighborhoods in Hollywood are much more concerned and talking to me and raising those issues when I see them in the cafes and coffee shops in our district than they are about anything related to last year's election."

After numerous attempts to get her take on the allegations, the congresswoman left to return to Washington.

"So you can't give us anything specific about what she said about you or the DNC during your tenure?" she was asked.

"The specifics I'm happy to give you is that we need to move forward and fight Donald trump and the Republican congressional agenda," she said.

Brazile's book will be released Tuesday. She will also visit Downtown Miami at the Miami Dade College campus for the book fair a week from Monday. She'll be speaking with Republican strategist Anna Navarro.

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