Harris' top deputy was accused of sexually harassing a staffer while working for Harris at the California Department of Justice, costing the state $400,000 to settle the case.
Now, as vice president, not only has Harris' office been plagued by staff issues, but the vice president is scrutinized for her role as "Border Czar" leading the Biden administration's efforts to solve the border crisis.
NewsNation reported Monday that Harris failed to speak with the new Border Patrol Chief after he assumed the office last year.
Harris' prior public service in California reveals a pattern of scandal and failures that will come to the forefront if Harris replaces President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.
Biden announced his decision to drop out of the race over the weekend and endorsed Harris to replace him on social media platform X. During her term as California Attorney General, Harris was rebuked by judges after her office attempted to defend a conviction obtained by local prosecutors, who had inserted a false confession in a 1995 murder case.
The judge criticized Harris by asking her deputy, Kevin Vienna, if her office wanted to defend the conviction "Obtained by lying prosecutors," according to the Los Angeles Times.
In December 2018, during Harris' first term as a U.S. senator from California, one of her long-time staff members resigned after the Sacramento Bee inquired with Harris' office about a $400,000 sexual harassment settlement dating from her tenure as attorney general.
The judge said the failure of Harris' office to notify the defendants of this information violated a "Constitutional duty." After the technician's illegal behavior was identified, prosecutors were forced to drop more than 600 drug cases, according to SFGATE. Again, Harris tried distancing herself from the error.
Speaking to the press, Harris said at the time that "Contrary to public perception, I don't run the crime lab." Her efforts to distance herself from the scandal were not successful because she admitted that her office failed to conduct a background check on the technician, instead relying on police to be forthcoming with that information.
In addition to a struggle to address the border crisis, reports emerged after Harris became Joe Biden's vice president that her office was dysfunctional and suffered from poor communications, Politico reported in June of 2021, only about six months after her term began.
The instability of Harris' vice presidential office was reportedly a factor considered by Biden and his advisors as they prepared for the president to potentially drop his reelection bid.
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