Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, which aims to portray her as a law and order candidate, is backed by donors who have historically supported anti-police efforts. Harris’s advisers are highlighting her experience as a district attorney and attorney general in California, according to CNN. However, many of her wealthy donors have advocated for reducing law enforcement’s power.
“A vote for Kamala is a vote to allow illegal immigrants from all over the world to invade our country, a vote to defund the police, abolish ICE and bail violent criminals out of jail,” said Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
George Soros, a significant proponent of criminal justice reform, and his son Alex endorsed Harris for president after Biden dropped out. Soros’s network has contributed millions to anti-police groups and supported lenient prosecutors. The Open Society Foundations, led by Soros, donated tens of millions to groups advocating for defunding the police in 2021.
Prosecutors backed by Soros have faced criticism. Former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who received support from Soros-aligned groups, was recalled in 2022 for failing to prosecute various crimes and releasing repeat offenders. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, also supported by Soros, faces a challenging reelection amid criticism of his approach to crime.
Quinn Delaney and Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, major Democratic donors supporting Harris, also funded the elections of Boudin and Gascon. Hastings donated $7 million to a pro-Harris PAC, while Delaney contributed $1 million to a pro-Harris super PAC.
Despite her campaign’s focus on law and order, Harris has a history of supporting criminal justice reform. In 2020, she praised the defund the police movement and supported a $150 million cut to Los Angeles’s police budget.
Other prominent Harris supporters include Karla Jurvetson, a major donor to left-wing members of Congress and groups advocating for defunding the police, and Andrea Dew-Steele, who has been preparing for Harris’s campaign. Dew-Steele founded Emerge America, an organization dedicated to electing women to office, including several liberal prosecutors supported by Soros’s network.
Brian Fallon, Harris’s campaign spokesperson, tweeted “defund the police” in June 2020. Harris has navigated her career balancing support from leftist donors and maintaining ties with law enforcement.
