Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was involved in an incident earlier this month in which he threw a phone at the desk of a junior aide, according to a report from the New York Times.
The article is based on interviews with more than two dozen Democrats, including current and former DNC officials and members, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity.
According to the report, Martin threw his phone at the desk of a junior aide while reprimanding the person during a moment of frustration. The episode led to a formal complaint filed with the DNC’s human resources department.
Accounts of the incident were provided by half a dozen people familiar with it, none of whom witnessed the event directly. There was variation among the descriptions regarding the force involved in the throw, with some indicating that the phone was directed at the desk rather than at the aide.
Martin subsequently met with DNC human resources officials to discuss his behavior. The DNC declined to comment on the matter, and Martin declined a request for an interview, The Times reported.
Martin has held the chairmanship since early 2025, following his election by roughly 450 DNC members to a four-year term that runs through 2029. Before taking the national post, he led the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party for 14 years, a period in which the party did not lose a statewide race.
The phone incident occurred amid broader operational and financial difficulties at the committee. The DNC is approximately $2 million in debt, which forced the organization to take out a $15 million loan, on which it has paid more than $700,000 in interest, averaging over $75,000 per month. Principal repayments of $1.66 million per month are scheduled to begin in January.
To manage cash flow, party leaders have asked certain vendors to withhold invoices until after the midterm elections, a step described by three people briefed on the arrangement. DNC Executive Director Roger Lau described the discussions as standard negotiations over contracts and payment processes.
By comparison, the Republican National Committee holds $128.5 million in cash on hand, while President Trump controls a $400 million super PAC ahead of the pivotal midterm election cycle.
