Kamala Harris’s Campaign Faces Backlash Over Dubious Law Enforcement Endorsement
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is facing new criticism after it was revealed that a recent law enforcement endorsement she touted may not be as credible as initially claimed. On Monday, Harris’s campaign announced the endorsement of an organization called “Police Leaders for Community Safety,” presenting it as a significant law enforcement group backing her run. However, a closer look has raised serious questions about the group’s authenticity and its ties to the Democratic Party.
According to a report from the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF), “Police Leaders for Community Safety” is only a few months old, having been publicly launched on June 11, 2024. The organization is run by Gail Hoffman, a long-time Democratic political operative with no actual policing experience. Hoffman’s background includes roles on John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign and various positions within the Clinton administration, but her biography confirms she has never worked in law enforcement.
Fox News Backtracks on “Leading” Group Claims
The controversy gained more traction when Fox News initially described the endorsement as coming from a “leading” law enforcement group. However, after learning of the organization’s recent founding and lack of actual law enforcement credentials, the network quickly changed its headline. Despite this, Harris’s campaign continued to promote the endorsement, downplaying concerns about the group’s credibility.
FOP Fires Back: “We’ve Never Heard of Them”
The backlash intensified after the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the nation’s largest and most established law enforcement organization, publicly distanced itself from “Police Leaders for Community Safety.” The FOP, which represents approximately 377,000 members, released a statement emphasizing they had no prior knowledge of this group.
“Prior to Police Leaders for Community Safety announcing their endorsement earlier this week, we were totally unfamiliar with the group,” an FOP spokesperson said. The FOP, which endorsed former President Donald Trump, highlighted the stark contrast between their long-standing national presence and the small advisory board of Harris’s endorsing group, which primarily consists of retired officers with Democratic ties.
“Nonpartisan” Claim Raises Red Flags
Despite labeling itself as “nonpartisan,” the leadership of “Police Leaders for Community Safety” is composed entirely of individuals with clear Democratic connections. Gail Hoffman, the group’s founder, is a well-known Democratic staffer. The group’s treasurer, David Mahoney, ran for sheriff of Dane County, Wisconsin, as a Democrat. Furthermore, the board chair, Susan Riseling, is known for her social media posts supporting Democratic causes and criticizing Republicans.
Harris’s History with “Defund the Police”
The timing of this endorsement is especially significant, as Harris has faced ongoing scrutiny for her past support of the defund the police movement. In June 2020, Harris praised efforts to reallocate police funding, including then-Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s decision to cut $150 million from the city’s police budget. Harris stated at the time, “This whole movement is about rightly saying, we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities.”
However, following public backlash and rising crime rates, Harris has since distanced herself from the defund movement, rarely mentioning it on the campaign trail. Many critics now believe her campaign sought this endorsement to mitigate the damage from her earlier comments, but the controversy surrounding the group’s legitimacy has only added fuel to the fire.
Endorsement Backfires Amid Credibility Concerns
“Police Leaders for Community Safety” has defended its endorsement, claiming it is the only national police leadership organization to formally back political candidates. A spokesperson for the group also argued that it has been informally organizing since 2022 but only went public in June 2024. Despite primarily consisting of retired officers, the group insists it represents a broad coalition of law enforcement leaders.
However, as scrutiny mounts over the group’s Democratic connections and lack of policing credentials, Harris’s campaign is left grappling with yet another controversy. With the Fraternal Order of Police standing firmly behind Trump and questioning the credibility of Harris’s endorsement, it appears this move may have backfired, doing more harm than good in her bid to gain support from law enforcement.
As the 2024 election approaches, the legitimacy of political endorsements will likely remain a key issue for voters weighing the backgrounds of their candidates—and this latest incident casts further doubt on the credibility of the groups Harris’s campaign chooses to align with.
Has Harris’s attempt to win over law enforcement with questionable endorsements hurt her credibility? Let us know in the comments below!