The Harris campaign already has the printing press pumping out lies. But this could get her in legal trouble.
And now Kamala Harris was caught fabricating the last thing you’d ever expect.
Caught with their pants down
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has been caught red-handed manipulating news headlines in Google search ads to falsely suggest that major news outlets are in her corner, according to a recent report.
These doctored headlines, displayed in Google ads marked with a “Paid for by Harris for President” banner, were altered without the consent of the news organizations involved, Axios reported on Tuesday.
This deceptive scheme roped in nearly a dozen publishers, including major outlets like The Guardian, Reuters, CBS News, the Associated Press, and PBS.
Even smaller publications like North Dakota’s WDay Radio weren’t spared from this underhanded tactic.
While the ads link to legitimate articles, the headlines and descriptions were twisted to paint a glowing picture of the 59-year-old candidate.
One ad linked to a Guardian article, for instance, with the misleading headline, “VP Harris Fights Abortion Bans – Harris Defends Repro Freedom,” and supportive text claiming, “VP Harris is a champion for reproductive freedom and will stop Trump’s abortion bans.”
Another ad, linked to an NPR story, read, “Harris Will Lower Health Costs,” with text underneath declaring:
“Kamala Harris will lower the cost of high-quality affordable health care,” Axios noted.
Companies like CNN, USA Today, and NPR — which have all published favorable pieces about Harris recently — were apparently clueless about their involvement in this misleading campaign.
A slap on the wrist
“While we understand why an organization might wish to align itself with the Guardian’s trusted brand, we need to ensure it is being used appropriately and with our permission. We’ll be reaching out to Google for more information about this practice,” a Guardian spokesperson stated.
Although underhanded, this strategy doesn’t violate Google’s policies because the ads are clearly labeled as “sponsored” and are “easily distinguishable from search results.”
“They also include ‘paid for by’ disclosures, so it’s clear to users who paid for them. It’s fairly common for advertisers to link out to or cite external websites, including news sites, in their ads,” a Google spokesperson added.
This disturbing revelation comes as Harris remains conspicuously absent from the very media she’s trying so hard to manipulate.
Since clinching the presidential nomination over three weeks ago, the former California attorney general has dodged significant interviews and news appearances.
The Harris campaign did not respond to the New York Post’s request for comment.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
