Senator Kamala Harris Is Using A Book Launch To Set Her 2020 Message On “The Truths We Hold,†But Has A Troubled Past With The Virtue
______________________________________________________________
TOP TAKEAWAYS
- Today, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) released her memoir “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey,†and will tour the liberal cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C., where she will preview her 2020 message.
- In 2003, Harris broke a campaign finance limit pledge, which resulted in four charges brought on by the San Francisco Ethics Commission and a $34,000 fine.
- Harris has not been forthcoming about a sexual harassment case involving one of her top employees, which resulted in a $400,000 settlement for the plaintiff.
- As District Attorney, Harris was admonished by a San Francisco judge for ignoring her “constitutional obligation†to turn over police employees’ criminal backgrounds to defense attorneys, impacting 1,700 criminal cases.
- During Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Harris received four Pinocchio’s from The Washington Post for posting a misleading tweet and video about his views on birth control.
__________________________________________________________________
HARRIS’ EARLY ENTRANCE INTO THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ARENA CAME WHEN SHE RELEASED HER MEMOIR ON JANUARY 8, 2019
Harris Released Her Memoir Today, Which Raised Expectations That She Will Make A Presidential Announcement Later This Month
On January 8, 2019, Harris Released Her Memoir Titled, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey.†“Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants who was born and raised in Oakland and rose to be the junior U.S. senator from California, is working on a memoir that will be released Jan. 8. ‘The Truths We Hold: An American Journey’ will be published by Penguin Press.†(John McMurtrie, “Kamala Harris To Publish Memoir In Early 2019,†San Francisco Chronicle, 7/17/18)
In Line With Her Book Release And A Growing 2020 Field, Harris Has Announced That She Will Hold A Four City Book Tour In Washington, D.C., New York City, San Francisco, And Los Angeles. “I’m excited to announce events in DC, NYC, SF, and LA for my book #TheTruthsWeHold and my children’s book #SuperheroesAreEverywhere. I hope to see many of you at these readings. http://prh.com/kamalaharris.†(Kamala Harris, Twitter Feed, 12/12/18)
Harris Is Expected To Make An Announcement About Running For President Later This Month. “With a new memoir set to publish Tuesday, the 2020 spotlight shifts this week to Sen. Kamala Harris as she embarks on a book tour in advance of an expected presidential announcement this month.†(Maeve Reston, “Kamala Harris To Preview 2020 Message In New Book,†CNN, 1/7/19)
WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE, SENATOR HARRIS ACTS AS THOUGH THE RULES DO NOT APPLY TO HER
In 2003, Harris Broke A Campaign Spending Limit Pledge And The San Francisco Ethics Commission Brought Four Charges Against Her Resulting In A $34,000 Fine
In 2003, Senator Kamala Harris Made A Voluntary Pledge To Limit Campaign Spending During Her Campaign For California District Attorney. (“Voter Information Pamphlet,†San Francisco Department Of Elections, 11/4/03)
The Voluntary Spending Limit Was $211,000 And Was Highlighted In A Voter Information Pamphlet Sent To More Than 400,000 Registered Voters. “Harris broke the voluntary $211,000 spending cap after promising to honor it for the district attorney’s race. Her original decision to abide by the limit was published in the city’s official Voter Information Pamphlet, which the Department of Elections distributes to the city’s more than 400,000 registered voters.†(Rachel Gordon, “Harris Violated S.F. Campaign Finance Law/ D.A. Candidate To Pay Up $34,000 For ‘Unintentional’ Mistake,†San Francisco Chronicle, 10/7/03)
After The Pamphlet Was Mailed, Harris Wrote To The Ethics Commission To Inform Them She Violated The Limit By $91,446, And She Filed A Form To Reject The Spending Cap Pledge. “After the Voter Information Pamphlet was completed, Harris’ campaign notified the Ethics Commission on Sept. 25 that it had exceeded the limit by $91,446. On the same day, the campaign filed a new form with the commission stating that Harris now did not accept the voluntary spending cap.†(Rachel Gordon, “Harris Violated S.F. Campaign Finance Law/ D.A. Candidate To Pay Up $34,000 For ‘Unintentional’ Mistake,†San Francisco Chronicle, 10/7/03)
Harris’ Aides Thought The Pledge Had “Wiggle Room†To Amend Her Position, But The Ethics Commission Brought Four Counts Against The Campaign. “Her campaign advisers said they thought they could amend their position because the city issued new rules on the spending cap pledge, offering campaigns wiggle room to change their position. In the end, the Ethics Commission came up with four counts against Harris and her campaign for failure to file the proper paperwork.†(Rachel Gordon, “Harris Violated S.F. Campaign Finance Law/ D.A. Candidate To Pay Up $34,000 For ‘Unintentional’ Mistake,†San Francisco Chronicle, 10/7/03)
The San Francisco Ethics Commission Found That Harris Broke The Pledge And Her Campaign Faced Up To $34,000 In Fines. “The San Francisco Ethics Commission found that district attorney candidate Kamala Harris violated the city’s campaign finance law — misconduct that will cost her campaign up to $34,000 in penalties and spending on corrective measures.†(Rachel Gordon, “Harris Violated S.F. Campaign Finance Law/ D.A. Candidate To Pay Up $34,000 For ‘Unintentional’ Mistake,†San Francisco Chronicle, 10/7/03)
Harris Released A Statement Admitting To And Attempting To Take Responsibility For The Violation. “Harris issued a written statement Monday taking full responsibility for her wrongdoing. ‘Leadership isn’t about being perfect. Leadership means taking responsibility,’ she said. ‘This agreement (with the Ethics Commission) shows what can happen when a campaign, instead of running from its mistakes, takes responsibility for them.’†(Rachel Gordon, “Harris Violated S.F. Campaign Finance Law/ D.A. Candidate To Pay Up $34,000 For ‘Unintentional’ Mistake,†San Francisco Chronicle, 10/7/03)
HARRIS HAS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING ABOUT A SEXUAL HARRASSMENT CLAIM IN HER ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE THAT WAS SETTLED FOR $400,000
Larry Wallace Was Previously The Director Of The Division Of Law Enforcement Under Attorney General Harris And Also Worked On Her Senate Staff
Larry Wallace, Harris’ Top Staff Member, Resigned After The Sacramento BeeInquired About A $400,000 Harassment Lawsuit Against Him From 2016. “A longtime top staff member of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris resigned Wednesday after The Sacramento Bee inquired about a $400,000 harassment and retaliation settlement resulting from his time working for Harris at the California Department of Justice.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
The Lawsuit Was Filed While Harris Was Attorney General, But Waiting To Be Sworn In As A United States Senator. “The lawsuit was filed on Dec. 30, 2016, when Harris was still attorney general but preparing to be sworn in as California’s newly elected Democratic senator. It was settled less than five months later, in May 2017, by Xavier Becerra, who was appointed to replace her as attorney general.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
Harris Appointed Larry Wallace As Director Of The Division Of Law Enforcement In Late 2011, And He Was Accused By His Former Assistant, Of “Gender Harassment†In December 2016. “Larry Wallace, who served as the director of the Division of Law Enforcement under then-Attorney General Harris, was accused by his former executive assistant in December 2016 of ‘gender harassment’ and other demeaning behavior, including frequently asking her to crawl under his desk to change the paper in his printer.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
The Lawsuit Stated That Wallace “Placed His Printer On The Floor Underneath His Desk And Ordered His Assistant To Replace The Paper Or Ink On A Daily Basis.†“According to the lawsuit, Wallace placed his printer on the floor underneath his desk and ordered Hartley to replace the paper or ink on a daily basis. When she asked to move the printer to another location so she would not have to crawl under his desk in dresses and skirts, the lawsuit states, Wallace refused. Wallace frequently asked Hartley to put paper in the printer while he was sitting at his desk or in front of other male executives from the division, according to the lawsuit.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
The Lawsuit Also Stated That Wallace Demeaned His Assistant By Taking Away Meaningful Tasks And “Put Her In Charge Of Running Personal Errands Instead.â€â€œHartley also complained in the lawsuit that Wallace took away her ‘meaningful tasks’ and put her in charge of running personal errands instead, including booking flights for Wallace’s children and washing and performing maintenance on his car. When she would return from these assignments, the lawsuit states, ‘co-workers would make hostile comments to her including, ‘Are you walking the walk of shame?’†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
The Victim Eventually Informed Her Supervisor Of The Incidents. “According to the lawsuit, Hartley eventually informed her supervisor, Shannon Patterson, of the harassment and asked for help. ‘Hartley observed Patterson enter Wallace’s office and met with him behind closed doors,’ the lawsuit states, but after that, she began to experience retaliation.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
In 2014, The Victim Was Involuntarily Transferred To Another Bureau Within The Department Of Justice. “Two days before Christmas 2014, the lawsuit states, Hartley was involuntarily transferred to another bureau within the Department of Justice. She then began to search for a job outside the department, according to the lawsuit, but she was ultimately unsuccessful because the ‘stress from all of the harassment’ took a toll on her physical and mental health.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
Wallace Began Working For Harris As A Senior Advisor In Harris’ Sacramento Office In 2017. “By that time, Wallace had transitioned to work for Harris as a senior advisor in her Sacramento office.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
Harris Claims She Was Unaware Of The Harassment Even Though The California Department of Justice Settled The Claim For $400,000
A Spokeswoman For Harris Said “We Were Unaware Of This Issue.†“‘We were unaware of this issue and take accusations of harassment extremely seriously. This evening, Mr. Wallace offered his resignation to the senator and she accepted it,’ Harris spokeswoman Lily Adams wrote in an email.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
Harris’ Office Declined The Huffington Posts’ Request For Comments. “Wallace resigned this week after The Sacramento Bee inquired about the settlement. Harris’ office did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.†(Antonia Blumberg, “Kamala Harris Senior Aide Resigns After Sexual Harassment Settlement Surfaces,†Huffington Post, 12/6/18)
Hartley Was Awarded $400,000 In A Settlement With The Department Of Justice. “But on May 16, 2017, the department settled with Hartley for $400,000. It continued to deny her claims. As part of the settlement, Hartley resigned her position and agreed not to seek employment with the Department of Justice again. She also agreed to a non-disclosure clause, forbidding her from discussing the settlement amount or alerting the media to the agreement.†(Alexei Koseff, “Kamala Harris Aide Resigns After Harassment, Retaliation Settlement Surfaces,†The Sacramento Bee, 12/5/18)
AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY, HARRIS’ OFFICE WITHHELD INFORMATION THAT IT WAS CONSTITUTIONALLY OBLIGATED TO SHARE WITH DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
A San Francisco Crime Lab Technician Admitted To Stealing Cocaine From Her Office
While Working At The San Francisco Crime Lab, Technician Deborah Madden Stole Cocaine Evidence From Her Office, Which Led To The Dismissal Of Over 600 Pending Drug Cases And A Scandal For Harris’ Office. “In 2010, Harris’ office faced a scandal over the mishandling of evidence at the San Francisco crime lab. Lab technician Deborah Madden took cocaine from the police crime lab and prosecutors were forced to dismiss over 600 pending drug cases because they relied on Madden’s work, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.†(Daniel Levine, “Kamala Harris: 5 Fast Facts You Need To Know,†Heavy, 11/14/16)
Madden Admitted To Investigators That She Took Small Amounts Of Cocaine From Her Drug Lab Office, Which Disqualified The Results Of Her Previous Work.“The technician at the center of San Francisco’s drug lab scandal admitted to investigators she took small amounts of cocaine evidence home with her. More than 600 drug cases were tossed in the fallout. San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon ordered the crime lab shuttered, but the state attorney general is not filing criminal charges against Madden and it is a decision that baffles San Francisco police and public officials.†(Cecilia Vega, “No Charges Filed Against SFPD Crime Lab Tech,†ABC News (San Francisco), 12/30/10)
The Technician Was Previously Convicted Of Domestic Violence, Which Harris’ Office Never Reported To Defense Attorneys Because She Says They Didn’t Do A Record Check
Madden Was Previously Convicted Of Domestic Violence In 2008, But This Information Was Not Reported To Defense Lawyers By Harris’ Office. “Madden was convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence in 2008, which should have been reported to defense lawyers. Last fall, Harris’ lead drug prosecutor complained about Madden’s unreliability in a memo to her bosses, information that was also wrongly kept from the defense, the judge found.†(Jaxon Van Derbeken, “Judge Rips Harris’ Office For Hiding Problems,†San Francisco Chronicle, 5/21/10)
Madden Testified In Several Criminal Trials, But Her Work Was Discredited When Harris’ Office Failed To Run A Background Check On Her And Did Not Inform Defense Attorney’s About Her Previous Criminal History. “Madden was convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence in 2008 and went on to testify in an unknown number of criminal trials. Harris’ office never ran a check on her record and did not tell defense attorneys about her conviction, and several lawyers whose clients were found guilty are now seeking to have those cases overturned. Harris’ office has said it was the Police Department’s job to pass along its employees’ criminal histories, although the legal onus is on district attorneys to check with police and inform defendants. San Francisco prosecutors conceded they never asked police for the information.†(Jaxon Van Derbeken, “S.F. Cops’ Pasts Could Jeopardize Convictions,†San Francisco Chronicle,†5/4/10)
Harris’ Office Was Admonished For The Oversight And Ignoring Its “Constitutional Obligation†To Turn Over Information To Defense Attorneys
Harris’ Office Was Criticized For Hiding “Damaging Evidence†And Failing To Give Defense Attorney’s Critical Evidence Regarding Madden Previous Record. “San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris‘ office violated defendants’ rights by hiding damaging information about a police drug lab technician and was indifferent to demands that it account for its failings, a judge declared Thursday.†(Jaxon Van Derbeken, “Judge Rips Harris’ Office For Hiding Problems,†San Francisco Chronicle, 5/21/10)
A San Francisco Superior Court Judge Blamed Harris For Ignoring Its “Constitutional Obligation,†By Not Turning Over Police Employees’ Criminal Backgrounds To Defense Attorneys. “A San Francisco Superior Court judge has blamed San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris for the debacle that has grown out of misconduct at the San Francisco Police Department crime lab, saying Harris’ office ignored its constitutional obligation to turn over information about police employees’ criminal backgrounds to defense attorneys. In a 26-page ruling, Judge Anne-Christine Massullo wrote that Harris ‘failed … in two respects’ to deal adequately with revelations that crime-lab technician Deborah Madden was suspected of stealing portions of cocaine samples and had a criminal history: by not disclosing information the office possessed about Madden, and by not having a general policy in place to inform defense attorneys of past wrongdoing by prosecution witnesses. (Under the U.S. Supreme Court decision Brady v. Maryland, such information must be shared, in the event defendants want to challenge witnesses’ credibility.)†(Peter Jamison, “Judge Blames D.A. Kamala Harris For Crime-Lab Scandal,†San Francisco Weekly, 5/20/10)
Harris’ Office Made “Significant Errors†When Handling Specific Evidence In The Case. “A San Francisco Superior Court judge slammed the District Attorney’s Office and the Police Department on Thursday for failing to head off two growing scandals involving the crime lab and police disciplinary records. Even as blame was placed firmly on District Attorney Kamala Harris’ office for failing to follow basic constitutional procedures, Judge Anne-Christine Massullo refused to grant dismissals for dozens of drug offenders. Massullo said there were ‘significant errors and misjudgments by both the Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office with regard to the handling of the evidence specific to the Crime Lab.’ Massullo ordered the release of hundreds more documents related to Deborah Madden, the Police Department lab technician accused of taking cocaine from evidence samples. Prosecutors also failed to provide information about Madden’s criminal past to defense attorneys, a violation of the U.S. Constitution, Massullo wrote.†(Brent Begin, “Judge Lambastes DA, SFPD For Drug-Lab Scandal, Disciplinary Records,†San Francisco Examiner, 5/21/10)
While Harris Admitted To Not Checking The Technician’s Criminal Record, She Tried To Distance Herself By Saying Her Office Didn’t Run The Lab, However, The Error Impacted 1,700 Cases
Harris’ Office Admitted That 1,700 Cases Were Affected Because Of How The Office Mishandled Madden’s Scandal. “San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris says her office has finished counting all of the cases in which former crime lab analyst Deborah Madden was involved since her 2005 conviction on domestic violence charges. There are 1,700 cases in all. Harris says letters have now been sent to defense lawyers who represented suspects in those cases.†(Vic Lee, “1,700 Cases Affected By Crime Lab Scandal,†ABC News, 6/29/10)
Harris’ Office Admitted To Not Checking Madden’s Previous Criminal Record. “Police have admitted they erred in not telling prosecutors about Madden’s conviction, and Harris’ office has acknowledged that it relied on police to volunteer such information without checking her criminal record.†(Jaxon Van Derbeken, “Judge Rips Harris’ Office For Hiding Problems,†San Francisco Chronicle, 5/21/10)
Harris Admitted That She Would Have Handled The Case Differently, Claiming “Hindsight Is 20/20.†“A police investigation was launched in February. Harris cited that ‘hindsight is 20/20’ in defending her office’s handling of the case. The case would have been handled differently, she intimated, ‘knowing what we know now’ – which is that a crime lab technician was ‘sniffing the evidence.’†(Shane Goldmacher, “San Francisco D.A. Kamala Harris Addresses Crime Lab Scandal, Other Topics In AG Race,†Los Angeles Times, 4/29/10)
Harris Also Tried To Distance Her Office From The Scandal, Stating That “Contrary To Public Perception, I Don’t Run The Crime Lab.†“Madden has since been dismissed and more than 500 cases in the city have had to be dropped. Harris distanced herself from the scandal, noting that ‘contrary to public perception, I don’t run the crime lab,’ which is operated by the Police Department.†(Shane Goldmacher, “San Francisco D.A. Kamala Harris Addresses Crime Lab Scandal, Other Topics In AG Race,†Los Angeles Times, 4/29/10)
The Judge Ruled That Prosecutors “Failed To Fulfill Their Constitutional Duty†To Tell Defense Attorney’s About Madden’s Prior Record. “But in a scathing ruling, the judge concluded that prosecutors had failed to fulfill their constitutional duty to tell defense attorneys about problems surrounding Deborah Madden, the now-retired technician at the heart of the cocaine-skimming scandal that led police to shut down the drug analysis section of their crime lab.†(Jaxon Van Derbeken, “Judge Rips Harris’ Office For Hiding Problems,†San Francisco Chronicle, 5/21/10)
Harris Recused Her Office From The Case In April 2010, And Turned The Case Over To The State Attorney General. “San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris recused her office from the case in April and asked the state attorney general to investigate. Harris is set to be sworn in as the new attorney general on Monday. The attorney general’s office pushed to resolve the Madden investigation before she took over.†(Cecilia Vega, “No Charges Filed Against SFPD Crime Lab Tech,†ABC News(San Francisco), 12/30/10)
In 2013, Madden Was Only Sentenced To A Year In Home Confinement And Fives Years Of Probation For Cocaine Possession. “A former San Francisco police crime laboratory technician avoided a prison sentence Friday when a federal judge sentenced her to one year of home confinement and five years of probation for misdemeanor cocaine possession. Deborah Madden, 63, of San Mateo, told U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, ‘I’m not proud of the way I ended my career. I ended it in a shameful way.’ ‘I apologize to the people of San Francisco and to the criminal justice system,’ Madden said at the sentencing at the federal courthouse in San Francisco.†(Julia Cheever, “Former Drug Lab Tech Gets Year Home Confinement,†The Daily Journal,†7/20/13)
Harris’ Chief Assistant District Attorney, Russ Guintini, “Retired†Over The Handling Of The Drug Scandal Case. “San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris’ top deputy is retiring amid questions over his handling of an early warning sign of the police drug lab scandal. Russ Guintini, 60, a former Alameda County prosecutor who has been Harris’ chief assistant district attorney since she took office in 2004, is officially retiring June 28.†(Jaxon Van Derbeken, “Harris’ Top Aide Retiring- Sat On Scandal Tip,†San Francisco Chronicle, 6/12/10)
- ABC News Reported Guintini Was Asked To Leave Because Of His Mishandling Of The Scandal, But Harris Claimed He Left Because He Qualified For A Generous Retirement Package That Had A Deadline. “Guintini unexpectedly retired several months ago following the crime lab scandal. Sources say he was asked to leave because of his mishandling of the scandal. Monday, Harris said Guintini left because he qualified for a generous retirement package which had a June 30 deadline.†(Vic Lee, “1,700 Cases Affected By Crime Lab Scandal,†ABC News, 6/29/10)
As A Result Of The Scandal, Harris Also Made Several Other Changes To Her Team Of Prosecutors. “Replacing Giuntini is prosecutor David Pfeifer, who previously headed the office’s special operations division. Other changes include the appointments of prosecutor Braden Woods to head the homicide unit, replacing the retired George Butterworth; prosecutor Sharon Woo to lead the criminal division; and prosecutor June Cravett as chief of the special operations division. ‘I am absolutely confident about the skills, dedication and commitment of each of these attorneys,’ Harris said.†(“DA Kamala Harris Introduces New Management Team,†ABC News (13), 6/29/10)
HARRIS WAS RIDICULED FOR FALSELY EDITING VIDEOS FROM THE JUSTICE KAVANAUGH HEARINGS TO MAKE THEM MORE SENSATIONAL
During Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Confirmation Hearings, Harris Edited Video To Make His Answer On An Abortion Question More Inflammatory
Harris Tweeted A Video On September 7, 2018, And Said That “(Supreme Court Justice Brett) Kavanaugh Chooses His Words Very Carefully, And This Is A Dog Whistle For Going After Birth Control.†“Kavanaugh chooses his words very carefully, and this is a dog whistle for going after birth control. He was nominated for the purpose of taking away a woman’s constitutionally protected right to make her own health care decisions. Make no mistake – this is about punishing women.†(Kamala Harris, Twitter Feed, 9/7/18)
· Harris Received Four Pinocchio’s For Her Misleading Tweet Because She Edited The Video Of Her Questioning To Make Him Look Immoral On An Abortion Question. “Some might argue that it’s a judgment call, open to legal interpretation, as to whether Kavanaugh ‘uncritically’ used a term that riles advocates of abortion rights. But a plain reading of Kavanaugh’s answer during the hearings shows that it is broadly consistent with his written opinion. One can question why he used the phrase ‘abortion-inducing drugs’ rather than ‘abortion-inducing products’ or ‘abortifacients.’ But it’s pretty clear from the context that he was quoting the views of the plaintiffs rather than offering a personal view. Harris’s original tweet, with the ‘they say’ language removed, was slightly mitigated by the second tweet a day later, providing the full context. But there was no acknowledgment by Harris that the original tweet was misleading. She earns Four Pinocchios — and her fellow Democrats should drop this talking point.†(Glenn Kessler, “Did Brett Kavanaugh Signal He Supports ‘Going After Birth Control,’†The Washington Post, 9/11/18)
Harris Fought To Block Kavanaugh’s Nomination And Pushed Wild Claims To Rally Her Supporters
In June 2018, Harris Claimed That President Trump’s List Of Potential SCOTUS Nominees Are “Complete Non-Starters.†“The President’s list of potential SCOTUS nominees are complete non-starters. They are conservative ideologues, not mainstream jurists. We cannot and will not accept them to serve on the highest court in the land.†(Kamala Harris, Twitter Feed, 6/27/18)
Harris Called For The Senate To “Delay Any Hearings On Trump’s Nominee Until After The November Midterms.†“Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Kamala Harris have called for the Senate to delay any hearings on Trump’s nominee until after the November midterms, when Democrats have at least a chance to pick up enough seats to block a justice’s confirmation.â€(Casey Tolan, “California Democrats Gear Up For Supreme Court Battle Over Anthony Kennedy Successor,†Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6/27/18)
· Despite Harris Calling To Delay The Kavanaugh Hearings In 2018, Harris Hypocritically Called For An Immediate Up-Or-Down Confirmation Vote For Merrick Garland In October 2016. “It’s been 200 days since Merrick Garland was nominated to the Supreme Court. This is the longest wait any nominee in modern history has had to endure. We can no longer afford to have a Supreme Court that is working short-handed. It’s time Senate Republicans do their jobs and give him a fair hearing and an up-or-down confirmation vote.†(Kamala Harris, Facebook, 10/2/16)
Harris Went So Far As To Claim That If Judge Kavanaugh Had “Been On The Bench In The 1950’s†He Might Have “Derailed Efforts To End Racial Segregation.†“Sen. Kamala Harris suggested this week that President Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court might have derailed efforts to end racial segregation if he’d been on the bench in the 1950s.†(Seth McLaughlin, “With Kavanaugh Hearing, Some Democrats See Opportunity To Bolster 2020 Campaigns,†The Washington Times, 7/11/18)
On October 6, 2018, Harris Voted Against Brett Kavanaugh’s Confirmation To The U.S. Supreme Court. (PN2259, Roll Call Vote #223: Nomination Confirmed 50-48: R 49-0; D 1-46; I 0-2, 10/6/18, Harris Voted Nay)
