Democrats officially kicked off their national convention Wednesday afternoon, as outgoing Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz stayed offstage following heavy criticism over the leak of a trove of embarrassing DNC emails.Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake stepped in for Wasserman Schultz to gavel in the convention at about 4:15 p.m.Wasserman Schultz excused herself from gaveling in the convention Monday, bowing to heavy opposition from party activists. She also gave up her speaking slot, according to Hilary Rosen, a longtime Democratic operative and friend of Wasserman Schultz.“I have decided that in the interest of making sure that we can start the Democratic convention on a high note that I am not going to gavel in the convention,” Wasserman Schultz told the Sun Sentinel newspaper in Florida, which first reported her plans..

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