Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Kamala Harris
Public opinion and media debates around Kamala Harris—discover key moments of controversy.
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney. She served as the 49th U.S. Vice President from 2021-2025 under President Joe Biden, making her the first female, African-American, and Asian-American to hold the office. Previously, she served as a United States Senator representing California (2017-2021) and as California's Attorney General (2011-2017). A member of the Democratic Party, she was the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
2008: Prosecuted Parents for Truancy
In 2008, Kamala Harris issued citations against six parents whose children missed at least 50 days of school.
2009: Harris criticized liberals in her book
In her 2009 book, Kamala Harris criticized liberals for what she called "biases against law enforcement".
2015: Criticism for federal court motion
In 2015, Kamala Harris was criticized for a federal court motion she filed to block gender-affirming medical care for a transgender inmate.
May 2017: Questioning of Rod Rosenstein
In May 2017, Kamala Harris questioned Rod Rosenstein, leading to interruptions and claims of sexism.
October 2018: Target of Mail Bombing Attempts
In October 2018, Kamala Harris was a target of the United States mail bombing attempts.
March 2019: Called for Barr to testify before Congress
In March 2019, Kamala Harris called for U.S. Attorney General William Barr to testify before Congress to ensure transparency regarding the Mueller report on Russian interference.
May 1, 2019: Barr Testimony and Harris's Call for Resignation
On May 1, 2019, Kamala Harris questioned Attorney General Barr's handling of the Mueller report during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and subsequently called for his resignation.
May 5, 2019: Accusations of Voter Suppression in Georgia and Florida
On May 5, 2019, Kamala Harris suggested that voter suppression was responsible for the Democratic losses in the 2018 Georgia and Florida gubernatorial elections.
June 2019: Clash with Biden at Democratic Debate
During the first Democratic presidential debate in June 2019, Kamala Harris confronted Joe Biden over his past remarks on senators who opposed integration efforts.
July 2024: House Resolution Tying Harris to Border Crisis
In July 2024, despite Harris having no authority over the border itself, Republicans and other critics began using the term "border czar" to tie Harris to the Mexico–United States border crisis, including in a July 2024 House resolution.
