This board endorses Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate in the upcoming U.S. Senate primary. Harris has the experience, tenacity and high profile necessary to be outgoing Sen. Barbara Boxer’s successor.
As California’s attorney general, Harris has already played a prominent role on the national stage, most notably when she fought big banks to get California more money from a national settlement on foreclosure abuse. Because of Harris’ efforts, California received more than it was originally supposed to receive, thus bringing some justice to homeowners following the 2008 financial crisis. This kind of grit and determination is exactly what California and our nation needs.
Harris’ positions on higher education issues and actions she has taken in her role as California’s attorney general prove her to be a strong advocate for college students. Harris supports President Barack Obama’s call for free community college, and she also supports increasing the size of Pell Grant awards. As state attorney general, she prosecuted for-profit colleges, such as Corinthian Colleges, that misled students and did not provide them with adequate skills to compete in the job market.
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who is also running for the position, is another fine candidate. Sanchez’s decision to vote against the disastrous 2003 Iraq War is an example of the prescient kind of decision-making that all policymakers, including Harris, should take note of. However, in spite of Sanchez’s strengths, Harris remains the superior candidate because of her statewide experience and larger national profile.
California, as a result of its size and international prominence, is a state with a tradition of producing politicians of a national caliber. Harris, who was even touted as a potential Supreme Court nominee, would be a continuation of that trend.
How deeply disappointing this endorsement is in view of the number of missteps by the Attorney General Kamala Harris.
Perhaps you might want to look here for her malfeasance in protecting Gov Brown’s emails regarding the secret and illegal negotiations between the governor and SoCal Edison.
Here:
https://calwatchdog.com/2016/04/20/harris-drawing-fire-dual-san-onofre-role/
While here she just recently lost a salient Federal Court case and was reprimanded for the conduct of her office in releasing confidential information.
“On Thursday a federal court declared her disclosure requirement an unconstitutional burden on First Amendment rights.
Federal Judge Manuel Real granted a permanent injunction against Ms. Harris in a lawsuit brought by the Americans For Prosperity Foundation.”
Here: https://californiajimmy.com/2016/05/13/atty-gen-kamala-harris-loses-big-federal-court-may-2016/
Just because the mainstream media doesn’t cover her losses doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Her record alone disqualifies her from higher office, yet what is more profoundly disturbing as an alumnus is the lack of critical analysis of Harri’s record on the part of the editorial staff.
Very little prevents you from finding out about her record and covering it instead of a press release cutout of an endorsement.
It will avail students very little if Ms. Harris is a strong advocate for students’ rights, if their environment is severely diminished and their freedoms lost for political gain.