Vice President Kamala Harris is laughably being promoted as a “law and order” candidate in her presidential campaign, yet many of her major donors have historically supported efforts to reduce the power of law enforcement. CNN reports that Harris’s advisers are emphasizing her experience as a district attorney and attorney general in California. However, her financial backers’ past actions tell a different story.
George Soros and his son Alex, who have endorsed Harris, are known for their extensive support of criminal justice reform. Soros’s network has invested millions in groups pushing to defund the police, including those aligned with Black Lives Matter. The Open Society Foundations, which Soros founded and Alex now leads, donated tens of millions in 2021 to anti-police organizations.
Prosecutors supported by Soros have faced significant criticism. Chesa Boudin, the former District Attorney of San Francisco, was recalled in 2022 for his lenient approach to crime. George Gascon, the District Attorney of Los Angeles County, is facing a tough re-election campaign amid similar criticisms.
Quinn Delaney and Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who support Harris, have also backed Boudin and Gascon. Hastings donated $7 million to a pro-Harris PAC, while Delaney contributed $1 million to a pro-Harris super PAC. Both have opposed measures that would empower law enforcement, further complicating Harris’s tough-on-crime image.
In 2020, Harris expressed support for the defund the police movement, advocating for a reimagining of public safety that includes investing in education, housing, and health care. She also supported cutting $150 million from Los Angeles’s police budget.
Karla Jurvetson, another major Harris supporter, has been a significant donor to left-wing politicians advocating for defunding the police. Andrea Dew-Steele, a personal friend of Harris, has been laying the groundwork for her campaign and has backed several liberal prosecutors supported by Soros.
Brian Fallon, Harris’s campaign spokesperson, tweeted “defund the police” in June 2020. Despite Harris’s campaign messaging, her ties to donors with anti-police histories have raised questions about her stance on law enforcement.
