It is time for anyone who castigated Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their “Bernie Bro conspiracies” to look away now. Those who held the sneering attitudes that were ever present from the naïve guard dogs of the press, in the face of accusations questioning the impartiality of Democratic National Committee (DNC), have been proven to be on the wrong side of history.

Through Wikileaks, in the last few days we have learned that US democracy may have been undermined by the Democratic Party just weeks after concerns about the nature of the democratic process, and the motives of those who seek to influence it, had been palmed off as the mutterings of tin foil hat wearers who cannot accept defeat.

We are in dangerous territory when it is so easy for those in power to vilify and smear as “conspiracy theories” the genuine and – as we now know – legitimate concerns of voters.

The notorious whistle-blower Wikileaks dumped just under 20,000 emails on its website on Friday involving prominent figures in the hierarchy of the Democratic National Committee. Emails uncovered appear to indicate that the DNC contrived attacks against Sanders and his campaign, in direct contravention of party rules which state that all DNC officers must remain neutral in presidential primaries.

Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Show all 15 1 /15 Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. arrives for a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton A woman holds a sign at an event where Bernie Sanders will appear with Hillary Clinton at Portsmouth High School July 12, 2016 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Sanders and Clinton are expected to show unity within the party and a forwarding of their agendas. Darren McCollester/Getty Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Cerys Coffey, 5, of North Hampton, Massachusetts, walks along a line of supporters waiting to get into a campaign event with Democratic U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Mary Schwalm/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders stand together during a campaign rally where Sanders endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders greet supporters during a campaign rally where Sanders endorsed Clinton in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks as Senator Bernie Sanders looks on after he endorsed her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (R) looks on as Senator Bernie Sanders endorses her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton looks on as Senator Bernie Sanders endorses her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., July 12, 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., arrives for a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sanders endorsed Clinton for president. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. waves as he a Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrive for a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton People hold signs outside an event where Bernie Sanders will appear with Hillary Clinton at Portsmouth High School July 12, 2016 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Sanders and Clinton are expected to show unity within the party and a forwarding of their agendas. Darren McCollester/Getty Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Supporters for Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. cheer before a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, prior to the arrival of Clinton and Sanders. Sanders is poised to offer his long-awaited endorsement of Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his supporters into the party's fight against Republican Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sing the national anthem in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, prior to a rally with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sanders is poised to offer his long-awaited endorsement of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his supporters into the party's fight against Republican Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sing the national anthem in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, prior to a rally with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sanders is poised to offer his long-awaited endorsement of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his supporters into the party's fight against Republican Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik/AP Bernie Sanders campaigns with Hillary Clinton A woman holds poster for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. endorsed her for president. Andrew Harnik/AP

Trawling through these eye-opening documents, it seems clear that the DNC exhibited a pro-Clinton bias throughout the campaign. The DNC’s national press secretary, Mark Paustenpach, even went as far as pitching anti-Sanders narratives to colleagues, many of which were later used. One email – in which a DNC staff members talks of a “friend” who could provide more information – justifies the “paranoia” within the Sanders camp that there were moles inside his organisation.

Whether it be co-ordinating a line of attack based on Sanders’ religion, questioning whether Sanders is really a Democrat, or calling his more balanced policy on Israel and Palestine "disturbing", there is now significant evidence to indicate that the DNC was consistently working to undermine the Sanders campaign.

What might be more surprising, and is potentially even more damaging to the American democratic process, is the extent to which the leaks suggest co-ordinary between the DNC and members of the press. Those who sought to investigate the potential for such collaboration were vilified. The now former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz made a stunning demand to MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, commanding him that “this must stop”, in response to questions over the possibility of treating Sanders unfairly. Now Todd appears to among the handful not compromised in his execution of his work.

Sanders Endorses Clinton for President

In a twist beyond parody, Wasserman Schultz resigned yesterday only to be given a job by the Clinton campaign hours later. The so-called Democratic Party is anything but. The actions of the party establishment are nothing short of an affront to democracy.

It is time for the Democrats to wake up and smell the coffee. The polls are closer than they should be, with a rival of such questionable aptitude for the role of President as Donald Trump. If Clinton is to appeal to the left, she must apologise immediate for any form of misconduct from the DNC, and put an end to the neo-McCarthyist attitude that pollutes it.