We’re only weeks away from the election. Even the slightest slip-up could be the end.
And now Kamala caught a court case that is throwing her campaign into question.
Vice President Kamala Harris is once again raising concerns about her ties to major donors and potential conflicts of interest, as her presidential run benefits from individuals and entities with active business dealings before the federal government.
Critics are questioning whether Harris’ judgment is clouded by the hefty financial support from those who stand to gain from her administration’s decisions.
One glaring example is Harris’ campaign reliance on the law firm Covington & Burling, which has been tapped to vet her potential running mates and advise her transition team.
Conveniently, this same law firm is defending TikTok in its fight against the U.S. government’s ban, a ban signed into law by none other than President Biden.
The cozy relationship between Harris and the firm, which has also offered her campaign financial support, raises red flags about where her loyalties lie.
Even more troubling is the support from Chris Larsen, co-founder of cryptocurrency firm Ripple Labs, who has donated nearly $12 million to Harris’ campaign.
Larsen’s company is locked in a legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the classification of its cryptocurrency, XRP, and yet, $1 million of his donation to Harris came in the form of the very cryptocurrency under scrutiny.
While legal experts say these dealings may not cross into outright illegal territory, the ethical questions surrounding Harris’ decisions and the influence of her donors are hard to ignore.
Andrew McCarthy, a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, noted that while it would be difficult to prove a quid pro quo in court, these arrangements are “ethically troubling” and could certainly damage Harris politically.
In other words, Harris’ judgment is under serious scrutiny, especially as she continues to rake in money from individuals and firms with legal stakes in front of the federal government.
Just last week, major D.C. law firms, including Covington & Burling and Paul, Weiss LLP, hosted a pricey fundraiser for Harris in Washington.
The same attorneys who hosted the event are defending Google in a federal case brought by the Biden-Harris Justice Department.
And if that doesn’t sound like a conflict of interest, Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, made it clear: “It’s a conflict of interest if the government is indebted to opposing counsel.”
Even Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation acknowledged the serious concerns, noting that if a political figure like Harris is supported by the very lawyers who may be negotiating settlements with her administration, it raises significant questions about whether the Justice Department is truly acting independently.
Also raising eyebrows is the presence of Tony West, Uber’s general counsel and Harris’ brother-in-law, at the same fundraiser.
With Democrat insiders like Eric Holder and Sally Yates reportedly in the running for spots in Harris’ Cabinet, the overlap between her campaign donors and her administration picks only deepens the concerns.
The Harris campaign has yet to respond to these mounting questions, but with such glaring conflicts of interest and questionable judgment, it’s clear that Harris’ ties to big donors are casting a long shadow over her presidential bid.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
