Harris declines to reveal how she voted on California proposition that would toughen criminal penalties

Vice President Kamala Harris Declines to Disclose Vote on Proposition 36

CNN
CNN —

Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday refrained from revealing her stance on Proposition 36, a California ballot measure that proposes heightened sentencing for individuals convicted of retail theft or drug offenses.

Harris stated, “I am not going to discuss the vote on that because honestly, it’s the Sunday before the election, and I don’t intend to make an endorsement one way or another about it,” when questioned about the proposition during a press conference in Detroit.

A former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, Harris mentioned casting her vote, stating, “I actually just filled out my mail-in ballot” and sent it to California, her home state.

Proposition 36 seeks to elevate the penalties for certain theft and drug offenses by reclassifying them as felonies rather than misdemeanors. It also mandates courts to caution individuals who distribute illegal substances that they could face murder charges if the substance results in a fatality.

The proposition aims to amend certain aspects of Proposition 47, a contentious initiative passed by California voters in 2014 to alleviate overcrowding in jails by reducing penalties for specific crimes.

Advocates of Proposition 36 include district attorneys, Republican legislators, and major retail chains like Walmart, who have voiced concerns about a surge in shoplifting during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the measure also garners support from several Democratic mayors, including San Francisco’s London Breed, who faces a challenging reelection campaign.

Opponents, encompassing Democratic state officials and social justice organizations, argue that the proposal could disproportionately incarcerate impoverished individuals and those grappling with substance abuse issues.

Throughout her political career, Harris has endeavored to balance her portrayal as a tough-on-crime prosecutor with that of a progressive lawmaker.

Harris initiated her presidential campaign by highlighting her prosecutorial background, aiming to draw a distinction between her track record and the multiple legal entanglements of former President Donald Trump.

During her tenure as a prosecutor, Harris embraced a “smart on crime” strategy, which included launching a program to divert nonviolent offenders towards vocational training instead of incarceration, as well as the release of comprehensive criminal justice data statewide to enhance governmental transparency.

Republicans in this election cycle have sought to link crime with immigration, utilizing Harris’ prosecutorial and attorney general background in a border state to mount a broader critique of how Democrats have managed crime nationwide.

Conversely, progressive activists and civil rights advocates have censured some of Harris’ policies during her tenure as California’s top law enforcement official, leading to a loss of support when she vied in the Democratic presidential primaries in 2019.

CNN’s Sam Fossum and The Associated Press contributed to this report.