It turns out there may be something to that vast conspiracy then-first lady Hillary Clinton condemned in 1998. She got one thing wrong, however.

There is a vast conspiracy in American politics, but it’s of the left-wing variety.

As a trove of leaked email messages among high-ranking Democrat officials makes clear, the conspiracy in the last year was to ensure Clinton got the party’s nomination for president. Last week, that was formalized at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ran a strong race against Clinton. Throughout, he and his supporters insisted the party’s deck was stacked against them, however. It was argued that Clinton had been chosen by the Democrat hierarchy and she would be the nominee, no matter what.

If the party’s “super delegate” rules, virtually guaranteeing Clinton the nomination, did not make that clear, the email leaks did.

Party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other power brokers exchanged messages in which they discussed tactics – some quite sleazy – to hurt Sanders. At one point his Jewish heritage was mentioned, with the speculation opponents might be able to claim he is an atheist.

Wasserman Schultz has resigned her position. The Democratic establishment needed a scapegoat, and she is it.

All the while they were promoting Clinton, Democratic leaders made fun of what they called disarray in the Republican primaries. At least there, the will of GOP voters, not the wishes of party leaders, carried the day.