Top Clinton aide steps aside under pressure

"After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as Chief Strategist of the Clinton Campaign," said campaign manager Maggie Williams in a brief statement posted on the campaign's web site. Williams said that Penn and his firm would continue to provide polling and advice to the campaign, but that Geoff Garin and Howard Wolfson would coordinate the campaign's strategic message going forward.

Although Williams seemed to suggest the staff reorganization was related to the Colombia trade agreement, the Politico web site reported that the trade flap was "just the latest in a list of complaints about Penn." In an article published Sunday, Politico columnist Ben Smith cited Penn's 2007 strategic decision to focus the Clinton campaign "on a message of strength and electability rather than inspiration" and mentioned Penn's "insistence on highlighting policy over passion" as two major complaints lodged against him.

While some campaign staffed toiled for little pay or deferred pay, Penn billed the campaign $13 million and still maintained his salary as worldwide CEO of the firm Burson Marsteller, Politico noted. Others complained that Penn should not have served in dual roles as the campaign's pollster and strategist. 

Union leaders had already complained about the work that Penn's firm had done for controversial companies like Cintas Corp., a uniform manufacturer and launderer which Penn's firm helped to fight a unionization effort, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The newspaper called Penn's reassignment a demotion and described the shuffle as the Clinton campaign's second major staff shakeup in as many months. Last month the campaign dismissed former campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle.

"This goes to the bigger point that Hillary Clinton has been terribly ill-served by her campaign," Democratic strategist Peter Fenn told the LA Times. "She's a strong candidate. But I'm pretty appalled at what the campaign has done."

It was not immediately clear if Penn would still be paid, how much he would be paid, and what exact role he would play in the campaign in the days ahead.