WASHINGTON, D.C. – America First Legal (AFL) has initiated seven separate investigations into Vice President Kamala Harris' tenure in the California government from 1990 to 2017.
The inquiries focus on various aspects of Harris' career, including her compliance with federal laws protecting donor privacy, enforcement of immigration laws, pursuit of equal justice under the law, disclosure of conflicts of interest, handling of evidence of misconduct, and probes by the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
1. **Donor Privacy Compliance**: AFL is investigating whether Harris complied with federal laws designed to protect donor privacy during her time as Attorney General. The Supreme Court ruled in AFP v. Bonta that mandatory disclosures violated the First Amendment.
2. **Enforcement of Immigration Laws**: As Attorney General, Harris opposed federal immigration enforcement programs and supported San Francisco's sanctuary-city ordinance. She also agreed to a settlement allowing a transgender prisoner to undergo a sex-change operation at taxpayer expense.
3. **Equal Justice Under the Law**: AFL is examining Harris' decisions not to seek the death penalty in high-profile cases involving minority defendants, including the murder of SFPD officer Isaac Espinoza and a drive-by shooting by MS-13 gang member Edwin Ramos.
4. **Conflicts of Interest**: The investigation includes Harris' early career connections with California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and whether she properly disclosed conflicts of interest.
5. **Evidence of Misconduct**: AFL is concerned about Harris' handling of corruption investigations within Orange County jails and other penal entities under her jurisdiction.
6. **California Fair Practices Commission Probes**: AFL is reviewing Harris' interactions with the FPPC regarding gifts from interior designer Ken Fulk and subsequent payments for services rendered.
7. **Cover-up Allegations**: The final inquiry addresses claims that state prosecutors committed misconduct under Harris’ watch and her defense against such allegations, including a discrimination complaint involving her close aide Larry Wallace.
Dan Epstein, Vice President of America First Legal, issued a statement regarding these investigations but further details were not provided in this release.
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