DNC chairman accused of throwing PHONE at young staffer during fit of rage as turmoil seeps through Democrat ranks ahead of midterms

By VICTORIA CHURCHILL, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 21:38, 26 July 2026 | Updated: 21:41, 26 July 2026 Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin has been facing an uphill battle since being elected to head the party's operations after Kamala Harris' defeat, according to reports. The DNC has most recently reported having $2 million in debt, compared to the Republican National Committee's $128 million on hand. Now, the New York Times has revealed that the financial pressures have allegedly been wearing on Martin. In an outburst that reportedly took place in early July, Martin reportedly threw a phone onto the desk of a junior aide while reprimanding the staffer, according to multiple people who spoke with the New York Times. The incident prompted a formal complaint to the DNC's human resources department. Six people with knowledge of the episode, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss internal party business, described the aftermath. While none witnessed the exchange firsthand, accounts differed over the force of the throw. Those familiar with the incident said the phone was thrown onto the aide's desk, not directly at the employee. The Daily Mail reached out to the DNC for comment. Martin, in a defense of DNC fundraising totals this week, said, 'the current DNC has raised the most money of any DNC without the White House in the 198-year history of the Democratic Party.'  The party's finances are also in such shambles that the group had to put up the Capitol Hill-area headquarters building as collateral for a $15 million line of credit to cover expenses.  Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin has been accused of throwing a phone at a junior staffer The building of the DNC has been put up as collateral for a line of credit amid the party's fiscal woes A party spokesperson told NOTUS that 'this is not new,' adding 'The loan documents were publicly released in November, and the DNC's building was also used as collateral in our prior lines of credit in 2019, 2018, 2014, and many other years.'  Despite financial issues, Democrats are beating out Republicans on the generic ballot in the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll. Voters said they'd vote for a Democratic candidate in the upcoming November midterm elections - by over nine points. That's a full point increase from the Daily Mail's June poll.  According to an exclusive new Daily Mail/JL Partners poll, the cost of living is the most cited driver of Trump's disapproval rating, which stands at 52 percent - up two percent from last month. Half of voters say Trump is doing a 'bad job' on the economy in general. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index, energy costs are up 15.7 percent, while all items are up approximately 3.5 percent over the last 12 months. Fuel oil has increased 42.9 percent, while the cost of gasoline, across all types, has increased 26.7 percent. And a mere 11 percent of Americans say they are 'very comfortable financially' and can easily save. The majority say they are 'managing' or 'struggling' with covering basic expenses. Over half of the respondents, Republicans and Democrats alike, say the economy is 'worsening' under Trump's leadership.