kamala harris when she was attorney general history

by Della Gibson IV 7 min read

What did Kamala Harris do as vice president?

In 2003, Harris was elected as the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. As a lawyer, Harris immediately began breaking glass ceilings. In 2010, Harris was elected as the first African American and first woman to serve as California's Attorney General.

How many terms has Kamala Harris served as California Attorney General?

Oct 07, 2020 · Harris served as attorney general twice. Harris' first go-around was as the district attorney general of San Francisco. Her term lasted seven years, from 2004 to 2011. Then, from 2011 to 2017, she...

Who is Kamala Harris and is she married?

Feb 15, 2022 · Kamala Harris, 49th vice president of the United States (2021– ) in the Democratic administration of President Joe Biden. She was the first woman and the first African American to hold the post. She had previously served in the U.S. Senate (2017–21) and as attorney general of California (2011–17).

Is Kamala Harris a Democrat or Republican?

Aug 14, 2020 · Being the attorney general of California was certainly the making of Harris’s political career, but as the decisions she made then are judged in the light of 2020, it may also be her greatest weakness. It is hard to know exactly what Harris stands for. Yet cases such as these mean she will be haunted by accusations of hypocrisy and cronyism for the duration of the …

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Nov 24, 2020 · Harris was the Attorney General at the time. She argued that there was no immediate urgency to carry out the surgery. But Harris did not win this fight. Norsworthy won the court ruling and was granted the request for surgery. She became the first incarcerated transgender women in the U.S. to win a court ruling of that manner. This was a historic win.

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Who is Kamala Harris?

Kamala Harris, 49th vice president of the United States, is the first Black woman to have been elected vice president. She represented California i...

What political party is Kamala Harris a member of?

Kamala Harris is a member of the Democratic Party.

Did Kamala Harris run for president?

Kamala Harris sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. The nomination was secured by Joe Biden, who chose Harris as his running mate.

Where was Kamala Harris born?

Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964.

Where did Kamala Harris go to college?

Kamala Harris earned a B.A. in political science and economics from Howard University in 1986 and a law degree from Hastings College in 1989.

Why did Harris question Nielsen?

Later that month, Harris questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen for favoring Norwegian immigrants over others and claiming to be unaware that Norway is a predominantly white country.

What did Harris do to reduce truancy?

In 2006, as part of an initiative to reduce the city's skyrocketing homicide rate, Harris led a city-wide effort to combat truancy for at-risk elementary school youth in San Francisco. Declaring chronic truancy a matter of public safety and pointing out that the majority of prison inmates and homicide victims are dropouts or habitual truants, Harris's office met with thousands of parents at high-risk schools and sent out letters warning all families of the legal consequences of truancy at the beginning of the fall semester, adding she would prosecute the parents of chronically truant elementary students; penalties included a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail. The program was controversial when introduced.

Where did Donald Harris live?

Of Afro-Jamaican descent, Donald Harris met his future wife, Shyamala Gopalan through the civil rights movement. Harris' childhood home on Bancroft Way in Berkeley. Harris and her younger sister Maya lived in Berkeley, California, during and after her parents' studies.

Who is Kamala Harris?

Harris served as the junior United States senator from Cali fornia from 2017 to 2021. Harris defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 Senate election to become the second African American woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the United States Senate.

Did Harris seek the death penalty?

In the runoff, Harris pledged never to seek the death penalty and to prosecute three-strike offenders only in cases of violent felonies. Harris ran a "forceful" campaign, assisted by former mayor Willie Brown, Senator Dianne Feinstein, writer and cartoonist Aaron McGruder, and comedians Eddie Griffin and Chris Rock.

Why does Kamala Harris wear pearls?

Although speculation during the 2020 presidential campaign emerged that she began wearing them as an homage to her Howard University sorority, or even to Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known for wearing a distinctive collar when issuing a dissent, in her 2019 biography The Truths We Hold Harris had previously explained that she began doing so after being given some as a gift by her mother's mentor Howard.

What is the privacy policy of Harris?

In February 2012, Harris announced an agreement with Apple, Amazon, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and Research in Motion to mandate that apps sold in their stores display prominent privacy policies informing users of what private information they were sharing, and with whom. Facebook later joined the agreement. That summer, Harris announced the creation of a Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit to enforce laws related to cyber privacy, identity theft, and data breaches. Later the same year, Harris notified a hundred mobile-app developers of their non-compliance with state privacy laws and asked them to create privacy policies or face a $2,500 fine each time a non-compliant app is downloaded by a resident of California.

Why did Biden choose Kamala Harris as his running mate?

Because of her commitment to fighting injustice, her eloquence, and capabilities for leadership and governance , President-Elect Joseph R. Biden chose Harris as his running mate. This pick made Harris the fourth woman on a major party's national ticket and the second African American on a presidential ticket.

Where was Kamala Harris born?

Kamala Harris has spent her life breaking glass ceilings. Born on October 20, 1964 in Oakland, California, Harris is the daughter of immigrants. Her father was born in Jamaica and her mother was born in India. After her parents divorced, Harris and her younger sister Maya were raised by their mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a single parent.

Who was the first African American woman?

October 20, 1964 -. On January 20, 2021, Kamala D. Harris became the first woman, the first African American woman, the first Indian-American, the first person of Asian-American descent, and the first graduate of an HBCU to be sworn in as the Vice President of the United States of America. As she said in her election acceptance speech, she “may be ...

When was Harris elected?

In 2003, Harris was elected as the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. As a lawyer, Harris immediately began breaking glass ceilings. In 2010, Harris was elected as the first African American and first woman to serve as California's Attorney General.

Who is Biden's running mate?

Joe Biden has chosen Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his running mate for the 2020 election. Last year, Sen. Harris was a frontrunner among the numerous Democratic candidates running for president. However, Harris' history as a prosecutor and attorney general in the state of California was a touchy subject and cause for concern long ...

How long does the Back on Track program last?

The program, known as "Back on Track", lasts 12-18 months and provides its participants with a personal responsibility plan (PRP). Their PRP will consist of setting goals around employment, parenting and receiving an education, instead of serving jail time.

Who is Alexis Jones?

Alexis Jones Assistant Editor Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes across several verticals on WomensHealthmag.com, including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness, while also contributing to the print magazine.

How many truant kids were there in 2010?

In her 2011 inauguration speech, Harris pointed out that in 2010 there were 600,000 truant students in their elementary schools alone. In an effort to remediate this issue, she passed a law making it a criminal misdemeanor for parents to allow their children (kindergarten through eighth grade) to miss more than 10 percent of school days, without an excuse. The parents or guardians of truant children could face a $2000 fine or up to one year in jail. “We are putting parents on notice,” Harris said at her 2011 inauguration. “If you fail in your responsibility to your kids, we are going to work to make sure you face the full force and consequences of the law.”

What degree did Kamala Harris get?

Kamala Harris earned a B.A. in political science and economics from Howard University in 1986 and a law degree from Hastings College in 1989. Her father, who was Jamaican, taught at Stanford University, and her mother, the daughter of an Indian diplomat, was a cancer researcher. Her younger sister, Maya, later became a public policy advocate.

When was Kamala Harris sworn in?

Kamala Harris being sworn in as U.S. vice president, as her husband Doug Emhoff (right) and Joe Biden (left) look on, Washington, D.C., January 20, 2021. Kamala Harris waving to the crowd after being sworn in as U.S. vice president, Washington, D.C., January 20, 2021.

Who is Kamala Harris?

Kamala Harris, in full Kamala Devi Harris, (born October 20, 1964, Oakland, California, U.S.), 49th vice president of the United States (2021– ) in the Democratic administration of Pres. Joe Biden. She was the first woman and the first African American to hold the post.

Who was the first black woman to be elected vice president?

Kamala Harris, 49th vice president of the United States, is the first Black woman to have been elected vice president. She represented California in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and served as the state’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017.

What happened to Planned Parenthood in 2015?

In 2015, an undercover sting led to the release of a series of videos that appeared to show top Planned Parenthood leadership engaged in the sale of aborted fetal body parts. The videos led to a large public outcry and a string of congressional and state inquiries into the embattled abortion provider followed, many of which are rumbling on to the present day.

How much did Planned Parenthood donate to Harris?

However, when it emerged that Planned Parenthood and its associates had donated over $80,000 to Harris’s political campaigns — both for attorney general and for a seat in the Senate — there was outrage over the flagrant conflict of interest.

Why was Harris' truancy harsh?

Harris’s truancy was harsh, and it targeted innocent people like Peoples to be criminalized based on a sick child’s attendance record. Harris believed that keeping parents and guardians in check or letting them face the consequences of the law. By criminalizing truancy laws in the state, it would mean that fewer children would become criminals or join gangs when they grow up. The program offered mentors and counseling sessions to both parents and children to teach them how to take care of them. Peoples was one of the six parents that were arrested that day for truancy.

What happened to Harris in 2004?

One of her many controversies as her role as San Francisco’s District Attorney in 2004 was when an undercover police officer was killed by a twenty-one-year-old. Harris had promised never to impose capital punishment under her tenure, but the police chief and other Democratic senators had called to impose that rule immediately.

Who won the 2020 presidential election?

A collective cheer (and sigh) came across the world when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 Presidential Election against Donald Trump. Millions of people celebrated this historic win, and it did not matter whether you were American or not. People were glad that The Orange Menace, aka Donald Trump, was finally defeated ...

Is Kamala Harris a progressive prosecutor?

A progressive prosecutor. Even with all of the controversies and her position as a ‘progressive prosecutor,’ Harris has managed to hold onto most of her harsher policies till now. She believes that these changes were made to keep the community safe.

What did Kamala Harris do in 2015?

Harris’s war against sex workers. In 2015, Harris worked to block a court ruling in favor of gender reassignment surgery for a transgender inmate, Michelle-Lael Norsworthy. Harris was the Attorney General at the time. She argued that there was no immediate urgency to carry out the surgery.

Who are Kamala Harris' parents?

Kamala Harris is the daughter of immigrant parents, Shyamala Gopalan and Donald J. Harris. Gopalan migrated from Tamil Nadu, India, at the age of 19 as a graduate student of nutrition and endocrinology. Harris’s father arrived from British Jamaica and completed a Ph.D. in economics. Her parents met during the civil rights movements and took Harris and her sister to the protests, rallies, and marches. At a young age, Harris understood that the country that she lived in was not friendly to Black people. She hoped to change that in the future. Harris had mentioned that when she was a child visiting her father in Palo Alto, she and her sister were not allowed to play because they were Black. Another incident occurred in elementary school. She was bussed to a different school in another district as part of an attempt to segregate schools.

What was Daniel Larsen sentenced to?

Daniel Larsen was an innocent man that was sentenced to twenty-seven years to life under the three-strikes law . He was wrongfully targeted by the police for pulling a six-inch-long knife from his waistband and throwing it under a car. Previously, he had been convicted of burglary, which meant that he would have a much harsher sentence. Witnesses had reported that it was not Larsen that had thrown the knife, but somebody else, but that was not taken into account.

Where was Harris born?

He grew up in the Orange Hill area of Saint Ann Parish, near Brown's Town. Harris received a Bachelor of Arts from the University College of the West Indies in 1960.

Who is Kamala Harris?

Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice President of the United States. Harris was formerly the junior United States senator from California, and prior to her election to the Senate, she served as the 32nd Attorney General of California. Her family includes several members who are notable in politics and academia. Harris's maternal ancestry comes ...

Where did the name Harris come from?

Harris wrote in an account of his family ancestry that the Harris name comes from his paternal grandfather Joseph Alexander Harris, a land owner and agricultural produce exporter , and that his paternal grandmother Miss Chrishy was a descendant of Hamilton Brown, a plantation and slave owner.

Who is Kamala Harris' husband?

Douglas Emhoff is the husband of Kamala Harris. He was born to Jewish parents, Michael and Barbara Emhoff, in Brooklyn, New York. He lived in New Jersey from 1969 to 1981, moving with his family to California when he was 17. Emhoff graduated from the California State University, Northridge and USC Gould School of Law.

Who is Kamala Harris' stepdaughter?

Ella Emhoff is the stepdaughter of Kamala Harris through her marriage to Doug Emhoff. She was born May 29, 1999, to Kerstin Emhoff and is named after jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. In 2014, she was in the music video for Bo Burnham 's song "Repeat Stuff".

Why did Harris and Brown break up?

In 1995, Brown was elected mayor of San Francisco. That December, Harris broke up with him because “she concluded there was no permanency in our relationship,” Brown told Joan Walsh in 2003. “And she was absolutely right.”

How much did Harris get paid for foreclosure?

As attorney general, when California was offered $4 billion in a national mortgage settlement over the foreclosure crisis, Harris fought for a larger amount by refusing to sign the deal. Although she was accused of grandstanding, she managed to secure $20 billion for California homeowners.

Where is Kamala Harris from?

1. Kamala Devi Harris was born in Oakland, California on October 20, 1964, the eldest of two children born to Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher from India, and Donald Harris, an economist from Jamaica.

Who is Catherine Kim?

Catherine Kim is an editorial intern at POLITICO. Zack Stanton is digital editor of Politico Magazine. Kamala Harris has spent the better part of two decades in public life notching up a long list of things she was the first to achieve: the first Black woman to be elected district attorney in California history, ...

Did Kamala Harris go to a Hindu temple?

As a child, Harris went to both a Black Baptist church and a Hindu temple —embracing both her South Asian and Black identities. “My mother understood very well that she was raising two black daughters,” Harris later wrote in her autobiography, “and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud black women.”

Why did Kamala Harris shied away from discussing specifics about her career as a prosecutor?

During the campaign, Harris shied away from discussing specifics about her career as a prosecutor, a strategic choice borne of fear that voters on the left would criticize her over criminal justice issues. She even failed to give a sharp response to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s misleading attacks against her record, leaving voters unclear about her positions.

Where did Kamala Harris go to high school?

Harris attended middle school and high school in Montreal after her mom got a teaching job at McGill University and a position as a cancer researcher at Jewish General Hospital.

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Overview

Kamala Devi Harris is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th and current vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well as the first African American and first Asian American vice president. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the attorney general of Californiafrom 2011 to 2017 and a…

Early life, family and education (1964–1990)

Kamala Devi Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a Tamil Indian biologist whose work on the progesterone receptor gene stimulated advances in breast cancer research, had arrived in the United States from India in 1958 as a 19-year-old graduate student in nutrition and endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley; Gopalan r…

Early career (1990–2004)

In 1990, Harris was hired as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, where she was described as "an able prosecutor on the way up". In 1994, Speaker of the California Assembly Willie Brown, who was then dating Harris, appointed her to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and later to the CaliforniaMedical Assistance Commission. Harris took a six-month leave of absence in 1994 from her duties, then afterward resumed as prosecutor during the years she sa…

District Attorney of San Francisco (2004–2011)

In 2002, Harris prepared to run for District Attorney of San Francisco against Hallinan (the incumbent) and Bill Fazio. Harris was the least-known of the three candidates but persuaded the Central Committee to withhold its endorsement from Hallinan. Harris and Hallinan advanced to the general election runoff with 33 and 37 percent of the vote, respectively.

Attorney General of California (2011–2017)

Nearly two years before the 2010 election, Harris announced she planned to run. She also stated she would run only if then-Attorney General Jerry Brown did not seek re-election for that position. Brown instead chose to run for governor and Harris consolidated support from prominent California Democrats. Both of California's senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, House Speaker Nanc…

U.S. Senate (2017–2021)

After more than 20 years as a U.S. Senator from California, Senator Barbara Boxer announced in January 2015 that she would not run for reelection in 2016. Harris announced her candidacy for the Senate seat the following week. Harris was a top contender from the beginning of her campaign.
The 2016 California Senate election used California's new top-two primary for…

2020 presidential election (2019–2020)

Harris had been considered a top contender and potential frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president. In June 2018, she was quoted as "not ruling it out". In July 2018, it was announced that she would publish a memoir, a sign of a possible run. On January 21, 2019, Harris officially announced her candidacy for president of the United States in the 2020 United St…

Vice presidency (2021–present)

Following the election of Joe Biden as U.S. president in the 2020 election, Harris assumed office as vice president of the United States on January 20, 2021. She is the United States' first female vice president, the highest-ranking female elected official in U.S. history, and the first African-American and first Asian-American vice president. She is also the second person of colorto hold the post…

Overview

Kamala Harris is the 49th vice president of the United States. Harris was formerly the junior United States senator from California, and prior to her election to the Senate, she served as the 32nd attorney general of California. Her family includes several members who are notable in politics and academia.
Harris's maternal ancestry comes from Tamil Nadu, India and her father is from Saint …

Immediate family

Douglas Emhoff is the husband of Kamala Harris. He was born to Jewish parents, Michael and Barbara Emhoff, in Brooklyn, New York. He lived in New Jersey from 1969 to 1981, moving with his family to California when he was 17. Emhoff graduated from the California State University, Northridge and USC Gould School of Law. Emhoff is an entertainment litigator and began his career at Pil…

Parents

Shyamala Gopalan was the mother of Kamala Harris. She was an Indian biologist and civil rights activist from Chennai, India. Shyamala was born on April 7, 1938, to P. V. Gopalan and his wife, Rajam. Gopalan's family belongs to the Brahmin caste. Gopalan was from Thulasenthirapuram and Rajam was from Painganadu – agrarian villages located very close to each other, near Mannargudi, in the erstwhile Tanjore District. A gifted singer of South Indian classical music, she won a natio…

Other relatives

Maya Harris is the younger sister of Kamala Harris. She was born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and Montreal. She had her only child Meena Harris at the age of 17. Harris completed a Bachelor of Arts at University of California, Berkeley and earned a J.D. degree from Stanford Law School. She works as a lawyer, public policy advocate, and a television comme…

Ancestry of Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris is of Black Jamaican descent on her paternal side and of Indian descent on her maternal side. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Gopalan (Kamala's mother) was a Tamil Brahmin, part of a "privileged elite" in Hinduism's ancient caste hierarchy." Donald J. Harris wrote in an account of his family ancestry that the Harris namecomes from his paternal grandfather Joseph Alexander Harris, a land owner and agricultural produce exporter, and that his paternal g…

See also

• Family of Joe Biden, Harris's president (2021–present)