As **Kamala Harris** prepares to run as the Democratic nominee for president, scrutiny of her previous roles as **San Francisco’s District Attorney** and **California Attorney General** has intensified. Here’s a breakdown of key aspects of her record that voters might find significant:
### Background
– **Education**: Harris graduated from the **University of California, Hastings College of Law** and began her legal career as a prosecutor in the **Alameda County District Attorney’s office**.
– **Political Milestones**: She became the first woman to serve as **San Francisco’s District Attorney** in 2004 and the first **Black and South Asian woman** to hold the position of **California Attorney General** in 2011. She served as attorney general until 2017, then was elected to the **U.S. Senate** and later became vice president.
### Key Issues from Her Tenure
#### 1. **Death Penalty**
– **Early Stance**: Initially, Harris opposed the death penalty and chose not to pursue it as district attorney.
– **Attorney General Actions**: However, she appealed a 2014 federal ruling that deemed California’s death penalty laws unconstitutional due to delays in executions. She argued this ruling undermined legal protections for defendants.
– **Evolving Views**: As a senator and during her 2020 presidential campaign, she supported a federal moratorium on the death penalty, aligning with California’s statewide moratorium enacted by Governor **Gavin Newsom**.
#### 2. **Truancy Initiatives**
– **Anti-Truancy Legislation**: As attorney general, Harris advocated for stricter penalties for parents of truant children. Her support for a law that allowed criminal charges against parents of truant children faced criticism for disproportionately impacting low-income families and people of color.
– **In School and On Track Report**: Harris released annual reports on truancy and absenteeism in California schools, drawing attention to these issues.
#### 3. **Homeowner Protections**
– **Mortgage Foreclosure Settlement**: In 2012, Harris played a pivotal role in securing a $26 billion settlement from major banks for flawed mortgage foreclosure practices, which provided substantial aid to affected homeowners.
– **California Homeowners Rights Bill**: This legislation, signed into law in 2013, allowed Harris to implement more protections for homeowners facing foreclosure.
#### 4. **Criminal Justice Reform**
– **Recidivism Reduction Initiative**: Harris launched programs aimed at reducing recidivism rates among formerly incarcerated individuals, focusing on program development and evaluation.
– **Body Camera Mandate**: Under her leadership, California became the first state to require special agents in the Department of Justice to wear body cameras, enhancing accountability.
– **Implicit Bias Training**: Harris enacted legislation for implicit bias training for law enforcement officers, marking a significant step in addressing systemic issues in policing.
– **Criminal Justice Open Data Initiative**: This initiative aimed to promote transparency by creating a publicly accessible database of arrests, in-custody deaths, and incidents involving law enforcement.
### Conclusion
Harris’ record as a prosecutor and attorney general is a complex blend of progressive reforms and controversial decisions, making her past a critical topic as she campaigns for the presidency. Understanding her history in these roles can help voters make informed choices in the upcoming election.