This archive report was first published on 12 August 2020.
On August 11, 2020, Joe Biden announced Kamala Harris as his running mate in the upcoming presidential election. Harris's selection was hailed as a historic first for women of color, but her record as a prosecutor and attorney general has also raised concerns.
As the first woman and first black attorney general in California's history, Harris portrayed herself as a progressive reformer during her presidential bid. However, some have questioned her commitment to criminal justice reform, citing her opposition to certain reforms as district attorney and attorney general.
Law professor Lara Bazelon wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times that Harris 'turned legal technicalities into weapons so she could cement injustices.' Bazelon also criticized Harris for failing to intervene in cases involving police violence, including a 2016 case where she opposed a bill to investigate deadly police shootings.
Despite her controversial record, Harris has also been praised for her efforts to reform the justice system. Her 'Back on Track' program aimed to reduce incarceration rates by providing non-violent first-time drug offenders with a high school diploma. She also initiated a project for anti-bias training for law enforcement agencies and created an online portal, 'Open Justice,' to make criminal justice data available to the public.
Many argue that Harris's record as a prosecutor should be viewed in the context of her role as a law enforcement official, rather than a legislator. 'As attorney general of the state of California, she had to defend laws in court whether or not she agreed with them,' said Jack Pitney, a professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College.
Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego, noted that Harris's track record as a prosecutor could both help and hurt her in the election. 'Her smart-on-crime moderate positions on crime and social justice will help her with moderates,' Kousser said, 'but it could also demobilize some more young liberal voters.'
