Several former staffers of Vice President Kamala Harris have recently come forward, shedding light on their experiences working for her. In interviews with author Charlie Spiering for the UK’s Daily Mail, these individuals describe Harris as a “bully” who often left her staff in tears after berating them in degrading tirades.
One source even referred to her as a “soul-destroying bully.” These revelations have brought attention to the high turnover rate within Harris’ team, with only four out of the initial 71 staffers hired during her first year in office still remaining in their positions.
This translates to a staggering 92 percent staff turnover rate, leading critics to suggest that the issues within Team Harris may stem from Harris herself rather than anyone else.
These allegations of mistreatment by Harris are not new. Reports dating back to 2010, when she served as California attorney general, highlight a “toxic” work environment that left interns feeling undervalued. Even after being elected as a U.S. senator in 2016, Harris continued to exhibit the same behavior in Washington, D.C. Her office had the ninth-highest staff turnover rate out of all 114 senators who served between 2017 and 2020. Congressional sources have revealed that she would frequently berate subordinates in expletive-laden tirades, sometimes even targeting Republican staffers during highly contentious events like the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.
In November 2019, Harris’s former State Operations Director Kelly Mehlenbacher shared a sensational resignation letter with the New York Times. In the letter, Mehlenbacher criticized the treatment of staff within the organization, stating, “I have never seen an organization treat its staff so poorly.” She continued, expressing her dissatisfaction with the way people were encouraged to relocate from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore only to be laid off without notice. Mehlenbacher emphasized the low morale among the staff and the need for a real plan to ensure Harris’s success.
Despite becoming Joe Biden’s vice president, Harris’s behavior towards her staff appears to have remained unchanged. In a December 2021 story, The Washington Post interviewed current and former staffers who spoke candidly about their experiences working for her. Many of them highlighted the lack of preparation and work ethic on Harris’s part, along with constant soul-crushing criticism and her own lack of confidence. Working for Harris often feels like propping up a bully, and it is unclear why she behaves this way.
Politico also reported earlier in the year that some staffers believed Harris’s office was abusive. People at all levels felt thrown under the bus, experiencing short fuses and mistreatment. The overall environment was described as unhealthy and unsupportive.
These accounts from former and current staffers provide insight into the challenges and difficulties they have faced while working with Kamala Harris. The allegations of bullying behavior and high staff turnover rates raise concerns about the vice president’s management style and treatment of her team.
