And it was corporate Democrats—particularly lobbyists like Harris’s brother-in-law, former Uber executive Tony West, and David Plouffe—who held the most sway over Harris’s campaign. They advised her to cozy up to ultra-wealthy celebrities, Liz and Dick Cheney, and Mark Cuban, and avoid populist rhetoric that could have distanced her from the corporate elites who dominate the party. In 2024, the biggest spenders in Democratic Party politics weren’t progressives—it was AIPAC, cryptocurrency PACs, and corporate giants like Uber, all of whom poured millions into Democratic campaigns without regard for public opinion or the will of the people.
This section is very rough, but gives a rough idea for now. The idea here is to give a timeline of events for reference, to show donation trends, to discuss rhetoric trends, to discuss Harris’s inner circle, and to highlight how Harris initially tried to balance populist messaging with the typical Democratic dependence on corporate donors. Quickly however, she decisively tipped towards big capital, and away from an economic message that could appeal to working Americans. The goal was to compensate with middle- and upper-class voters. As we now know, this failed catastrophically.
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Thursday, June 27 2024 - a presidential debate was held between Trump and Biden, and Biden’s cognitive issues were painfully apparent, sparking horror amongst Democrats, and calls for him to step down as Democratic presidential nominee for the 2024 election (s)
Wednesday, July 10 2024 - NYT reports pressure from Democrats (such as Nancy Pelosi) and donors ramps up for Biden to step down; Biden’s retort is that he knows better how to beat Trump than elites (s, s; see also NPR)
Thursday, July 4 2024 - NYT reports: "Major Democratic Donors Devise Plans to Pressure Biden to Step Aside - The president appears intent on remaining on the ballot, while wealthy donors are discussing plans to put their money elsewhere." Donors were in a state of revolt, pursuing a range of strategies, from putting funds in an escrow account for whoever the candidate would be, should Biden step down, to stopping donations to all Biden-linked (and therefore Democrat-linked) organizations, or to diverting their donations to down-ballot races. Others have targetted their lawmakers to pressure Biden to drop from the race. "Some of these efforts could redound to the benefit of Ms. Harris, who has faced skepticism from some major donors but whose allies are now privately consolidating some support from ultrarich donors and their big-money operatives, according to interviews and internal memos." (s)
Friday, July 12 2024 - NYT reports: "July Donors to Pro-Biden Super PAC [Future Forward] Are Said to Withhold Roughly $90 Million - The decision to withhold such enormous sums of money is one of the most concrete examples of the fallout from President Biden’s poor debate performance at the end of June." Future Forward was "anointed" by the Biden campaign as its leading super PAC, and had already announced $250m in TV/digital ad reservations. Before the debate, the super PAC reported it had raised $430m already, and hoped for $700m+ by the election. (s)
Monday, July 15 2014 - Trump picks JD Vance for VP s; at the same time, the Republican National Convention (RNC) was held from July 15 to Thursday, July 18 in Milwaukee, WI (s)
Wednesday, July 17 2024 - Biden tests positive for COVID-19 (s)
Thursday, July 18 2024 - CNBC reports: "Democratic megadonors push Biden to quit race, as Kamala Harris events fill up" - "Many of these donors laid their positions out in stark terms: If Biden refused to drop out, they would not be giving money to help his reelection until polls showed that he was a clear favorite to beat Trump." (s)
Friday, July 19 2024 - NYT reports Biden believes that Nancy Pelosi and Barrack Obama are orchestrating a campaign to bring him down as Democratic nominee (s)
Sunday, July 21 2024 - Biden releases a letter (pdf here) in the afternoon announcng he will step down as the Democratic presidential nominee for the 2024 election, although not saying who should succeed him; some time afterwards, at 2:13 PM, he tweets an endorsement of Kamala Harris for the Democratic nominee (s). At 4:31 PM, Kamala Harris tweeted accepting his endorsement, and her plans to run for president (s). Many of the big wigs in the Democratic Party quickly fell in line, but Obama was notably silent here (s)
Monday, July 22 2024 - The Guardian reports: "Key Democratic donors back Harris but others warn against ‘coronation’ - Some top backers throw weight behind Harris amid flood of grassroots donations but others pointedly decline to do so" (s); regardless, Harris raised a record breaking $81m in the first 24 hours of announcing her bid for president, from 880k donors [$92.05 donation/person on average then], of which it was the first 2024 donation for 60% of them. 43k of these donors were signed up for recurring donations. A breakdown of small-dollar vs major dollar donations was not provided (s; see also: OpenSecrets)
Tuesday, July 23 2024 - Decrypt reports: "Mark Cuban Says Kamala Harris’ Camp Reached Out With 'Multiple Questions' About Crypto - Less than two days into the VP's presidential campaign, advisors to Kamala Harris are apparently weighing how to approach crypto" - "It makes sense why the Harris camp would turn to crypto so immediately. In recent weeks, former president Donald Trump has aggressively courted—and won the approval of—many tech leaders, including a substantial number of prominent crypto executives. Fairshake, a pro-crypto super PAC, has raised a whopping $203 million since the fall, making it the biggest independent political spender this election cycle. But it’s still unclear how the vice president actually plans to govern when it comes to crypto. While she has never publicly shared her thoughts on the sector, the previously San Francisco-based politician is widely seen as more connected to Silicon Valley and tech industry interests than Biden." The Biden administration was seen as very anti-cryptocurrency, and advocates hoped Harris would represent a change. (s)
Wednesday, July 31 2024 - Reuters reports: "More than 100 venture capitalists including entrepreneur Mark Cuban threw their support behind U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, a counterweight to tech billionaires backing Republican rival Donald Trump. // Silicon Valley has traditionally been seen as a liberal bastion, but Republicans have won support from prominent industry figures in this election cycle. They were bolstered by Trump's selection of U.S. Senator JD Vance, a former venture capitalist, as running mate. But President Joe Biden's decision to drop off the Democratic ticket on July 21 has reenergized some in the tech industry who previously had stayed on the sidelines. // "We spend our days looking for, investing in and supporting entrepreneurs who are building the future. We are pro-business, pro-American dream, pro-entrepreneurship, and pro-technological progress," the group said in a public petition posted online." (s); the Dallas Morning News reports more specifically on Cuban: "Cuban, a longtime supporter of crypto, has a crypto portfolio full of currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon and Injective. He also helped the Mavericks form a now-dissolved five-year partnership with defunct crypto platform Voyager Digital. // Though he still wants to hear from Harris himself, the former California attorney general and U.S. senator appears to be more open-minded to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, Cuban said Tuesday to Politico. // “The feedback I’m getting, but certainly not confirmed by the VP, is that she will be far more open to business, [artificial intelligence], crypto and government as a service,” he said to Politico." (s)
Saturday, August 03 2024 - Mark Cuban defends Harris, noting she said she would sign the bipartisan border bill, killed by Congressional Republicans at Trump’s behest. He linked to a report which notes that Obama’s peak "removals of unauthorized immigrants" (432,281 in 2013) was higher than Trump’s peak (337,287 in 2018). s
Friday, July 26 2024 - Barrack Obama endorses Kamala Harris for the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election (s)
Monday, Aug 5 2024 - Harris formally secures the Democratic presidential nomination (s)
Tuesday, Aug 6 2024 - Harris picks Minnesota governor Tim Walz as running mate (s); Mark Cuban’s opinion: he publicly praised the Walz pick: ""People are tired of the ideologues and hate from both parties," he added. "They want to vote for normal people they can relate to. Walz can sit at the kitchen table and make you feel like you have known him forever. That’s an incredible skill these days."" (s); apparently, she had asked Martin Walsh, reportedly a friend of Harris’s since she became a Senator in 2016, a former Boston mayor and former Biden Labor Secretary (Mar 2021 - Mar 2023) - a Labor Secretary pick favored by Bernie et al. - to help vet possible running mates (s). So it seems he had a hand in the Walz pick? A Progressive thread there.
Monday, August 19 2024 to Thursday, August 22 2024 - the Democratic National Convention (DNC) (s)
Tuesday, September 10 2024 - Harris-Trump presidential debate
Tuesday, October 1 2024 - Walz-Vance vice presidential debate
Tuesday, November 5 2024 - Election day
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Figure t.1: Top: donations per day for Biden/Harris vs Trump, for the 2024 election. Bottom:: Cumulative contributions for Biden/Harris vs Trump for the 2024 election, and compared to the Biden vs Trump cumulative contributions for the 2020 election. The sharp rise in 2024 Democratic cumulative donations happens about 45.86% between "200 days" and "Election day", which is around 108 days before (July 20). However, there is some error in my estimate here - given the timeline above, this jump probably happened between July 21 4:31 PM and July 22 4:32 PM, as that was the time interval of Harris’s record-breaking fundraising of $81m in 24 hours, and this spot in question has the steepest slope. (source: NYT)
From Figure t.1 (bottom), we can clearly see the huge spike in donations starting at the beginning of Harris’s campaign (July 21).
Jacobin did an analysis, finding that Harris’s rhetoric focused on kitchen-table economic issues during and immediately after the DNC. Yet these topics became increasingly marginalized. Why? Because such rhetoric was was uncomfortable for the donor class - and they were well nestled in her inner circle.
The following is Harris’s inner circle, as reported by NYT (published Aug 17 2024, updated Sept 28 2024; this "inner circle" is the same since August publication). I’ve broken down the backgrounds of each here.
Law Clerk - The Honorable Denny Chin, U.S. District Court, SDNY (2006 - 2007)
Associate - O'Melveny and Myers LLP (2005 - 2006)
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Kristine Lucius
Senior Advisor and Director of Legislative Affairs for the Vice President of the United States - Biden White House (Jan 2021 - Sep 2022)
Chief of Staff - US Senate (Oct 2019 - Jan 2021); specifically, for Senator Harris (s)
Executive Vice President and Director of Policy - The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (May 2017 - Sep 2019)
US Senate Committee on the Judiciary (specifically for who?) - Chief Counsel and Staff Director (2013 - 2017); General counsel and Deputy Staff Director (2006 - 2013); Chief Counsel for Civil Justice (2004 - 2006); Senior Counsel (2002 - 2004)
Associate - Jenner and Block (2001 - 2002)
Judicial Law Clerk - US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2000 - 2001)
Judicial Law Clerk - US Court of Federal Claims (1999 - 2000)
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Erin Wilson
Deputy Chief of Staff - Office of the Vice President of the United States (May 2022 - Present [Dec 2024?])
Deputy Director of Political Strategy and Outreach - Biden White House (Feb 2021 - May 2022)
Deputy Executive Director - 59th Presidential Inaugural Committee (Nov 2020 - Feb 2021)
National Political Director - 2020 Biden Campaign (May 2019 - Nov 2020)
State Director - United States Senate (Apr 2017 - Apr 2019)
Deputy State Director for PA - 2016 Clinton Campaign (Jun 2016 - Nov 2016)
Northeast Political Director - Democratic National Committee (Jul 2014 - Jun 2016)
US Senator Casey - Deputy State Director (May 2011 - Jul 2014); Director of Outreach and Special Projects (Nov 2009 - May 2011); Regional Representative (Feb 2007 - Nov 2009);
Senior Advisor - Bob Roggio for Congress (Oct 2008 - Nov 2008)
Deputy Political Director - Bob Casey for Senate Campaign (Jul 2006 - Nov 2006)
Assistant to the First Lady (of IL) - Office of Governor Rod Blagojevich (Jul 2005 - Jul 2006)
Intern - Congressman Alcee Hastings - Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (May 2005 - Jul 2005)
Political Coordinator - Joe Hoeffel for Senate (Jun 2004 - Nov 2004)
Philadelphia Street Team Leader - Rock the Vote (Sep 2002 - Aug 2004)
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Sean Clegg
LinkedIn appears very old...
Partner - BearStar Strategies
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Kristin Bertolina Faust
Strategist for the 2024 Harris Campaign
President at BB and G Political Fundraising and Strategy
VIMS Foundation Board Member - Virginia Institute of Marine Science (Jul 2024 - Present [Dec 2024])
SAP and Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor and Chief Climate Advisor to the Vice President - Office of the Vice President of the United States (Jan 2021 - Feb 2024)
Strategic Advisor to the National Space Council - Executive Office of the President (Jun 2022 - Jan 2024)
Senator Kamala Harris - Senior Policy Advisor (Jul 2018 - Jan 2021); AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow (Sep 2017 - Jul 2018)
PhD Research - Virginia Institute of Marine Science (2012 - 2017)
Graduate Fellow - President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology - Exeuctive Office of the President (Obama) (2014)
Science Faculty - John Burroughs School (2009 - 2012)
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Rohini Kosoglu
Policy Advisor - 2024 Harris Campaign
Policy Fellow - Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) (Jun 2023 - Present [Dec 2024?])
Senior advisor, minority leader Harry Reid and senator Ted Kennedy (2005-2006)
Communications Director, 2004 John Kerry campaign (2003-2004)
Communications Director, US senator Ted Kennedy (2001-2003)
Communicator, Clinton Administration (1994-2001)
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Megan K. Jones
Senior Political Advisor, 2024 Harris campaign (Jul 2024 - Present [Dec 2024]) (asssisted Harris in securing necessary delegates for Democratic nomination (wiki))
Senior Political Advisor to VP Harris on 2024 Biden campaign (Jan 2024 - Jul 2024)
Co-owner of Bottega Exchange (May 2019 - Present)
Partner at Hilltop Public Solutions (June 2014 - Present)
Special Assistant to the President and Director of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of the VP (Sep 2022 - Dec 2023) (worked w Harris to fight for abortion rights protection (wiki))
Senior Advisor, 2020 Harris campaign (Feb 2019 - Dec 2019)
US Senate Majority leader Harry Reid - Senior advisor (Jan 2011 - Jan 2017), Political Director (Mar 2009 - Dec 2010), Nevada Finance Director (Jan 2007 - Mar 2009)
Trip/Surrogate Director, Nevada - for 2012 Obama campaign (Aug 2012 - Nov 2012)
State Director, ONE Campaign ("ONE Campaign (styled as ONE) is an international, non-partisan, non-profit organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa", funded by the Mill and Melinda Gates Foundation wiki) (Jul 2007 - Nov 2008)
Deputy Campaign Manager, 2006 Hafen for Congress campaign (Jan 2006 - Dec 2006)
Deputy Campaign Manager, "Friends for Harry Reid" [2004 Senator Harry Reid campaign] (Apr 2003 - Dec 2004)
Account Executive - The Rogich Communications Group (Jun 2001 - Mar 2003)
Director of Government Affairs - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Human Resources (in Washington DC metro area) (Jan 1999 - Jun 2001)
Press Assistant/Deputy Press Secretary for US Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (Jan 1997 - Jan 1999)
Communications Director for the Vice President - 2024 Biden campaign (Jan 2024 - Jul 2024)
President - Barracks Row Media LLC (public affairs firm founded in 2017) (Jan 2017 - Present [Dec 2024])
Executive Director [and co-founder] - Demand Justice (politically progressive American 501(c)(4) legal advocacy organization (wiki)) (Feb 2018 - Sep 2023) (while here, he gave his former boss Chuck Schumer a "C" rating here, damaging his relationship with him (wiki))
Political Commentator - CNN (Feb 2017 - May 2018)
Senior Advisor - Priorities USA (largest Democratic Party super PAC, founded in 2011 to support the 2012 Obama campaign; primary super-PAC for the 2016 Clinton, 2020 Biden, and big in 2024 Biden→Harris campaigns (wiki)) (Jan 2017 - Feb 2018)
National Press Secretary, 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign (Apr 2015 - Dec 2016)
Director, Office of Public Affairs - US Dept of Justice (Jul 2013 - Mar 2015)
Communications Director - Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Center (Jan 2011 - Jun 2013)
Communications Director - US Senato Chuck Schumer (Jul 2007 - Dec 2010)
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Sheila Nix ("Loyalist and/or New Adviser")
Chief of Staff for Vice President Kamala Harris - 2024 Biden→Harris campaign (Aug 2023 - Present [Dec 2024])
Chief of Staff - US Dept of Education (Jan 2021 - Jul 2023)
President - Tusk Philanthropies (Apr 2017 - Jan 2021)
Chief of Staff to VP Joe Biden, 2012 Obama campaign (Apr 2012 - Nov 2012)
US Executive Director - ONE Campaign ("ONE Campaign (styled as ONE) is an international, non-partisan, non-profit organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa", funded by the Mill and Melinda Gates Foundation wiki) (Jun 2009 - Apr 2012)
Senior Vice-President - the Strategy Group (2008 - 2009)
Two years as top aide/IL Deputy Governor to IL gov Rod Blagojevich (D); around that time, he was facing federal corruption charges, casting a shadow on her involvement in the ONE Campaign (2006 - 2008)
Policy Director and Chief of Staff in Blair Hull’s 2004 Democratic primary campaign for the IL Senate seat that Obama would end up winning (~2004)
Chief of Staff - US Senator Bill Nelson (2001 - 2003)
Chief of Staff; Legislative Director - Senator Bob Kerrey (1992 - 1999)
Associate - Arnold and Porter (1989 - 1991)
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Kirsten Allen ("Loyalist and/or New Adviser")
The White House - Deputy Assistant to the President and Communications Director to the Vice President (Feb 2024 - Present [Dec 2024]); Special Assistant to the President and Press Secretary to the Vice President of the United States (Apr 2022 - Mar 2024)
National Press Secretary (COVID Response)National Press Secretary (COVID Response) - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (Feb 2021 - Apr 2022)
Confirmations - Volunteer Staff - Biden-Harris Transition Team (Dec 2020 - Feb 2021)
Communications Director, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis - US House of Representatives (Jun 2020 - Feb 2021)
Deputy Communications Director - DCCC (Jan 2020 - Jun 2020)
Deputy National Press Secretary and AfAm Media Director - 2020 Harris presidential campaign (Jan 2019 - Dec 2019)
Deputy Communications DirectorDeputy Communications Director - Andrew Gillum for Governor (FL) (Sep 2018 - Dec 2018)
Communications Director - Mahlon Mitchell for Wisconsin (Governor) (Mar 2018 - Aug 2018)
Communications Director, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman - U.S. House of Representatives (Jan 2017 - Mar 2018)
Regional Press Secretary (FL area) - 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign (Jul 2016 - Nov 2016)
US Dept of Transportation - Public Affairs Specialist (Mar 2016 - Jul 2016); Lead Public Affairs Specialist (Nov 2015 - Mar 2016); Public Affairs Specialist (Jul 2012 - Nov 2015);
Production Intern - Latin America Service - Voice of America (May 2012 - Jul 2012)
Office of Civil Rights Intern - Broadcasting Board of Governors (Jan 2012 - Jul 2012)
"Plouffe began his political career by working for Senator Tom Harkin's 1990 re-election campaign."
"He later worked as a state field director for Harkin's unsuccessful 1992 presidential campaign."
"In the same year, he successfully managed Congressman John Olver's first re-election bid in Massachusetts."
"In 1994, Plouffe managed Delaware Attorney General Charles M. Oberly's unsuccessful campaign against Senator William V. Roth."
Campaign manager for the 2008 Obama campaign, credited for the winning strategy in the primary against Hillary Clinton
"Plouffe began working as an outside senior adviser to the Obama administration in January 2009. His book The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory, discussing management strategies and tactics that he used in the 2008 campaign, was published on November 3, 2009, and became a New York Times bestseller."
"Plouffe signed with the Washington Speakers Bureau to give paid speeches and plans to engage in non-government consulting work."
"Plouffe has drawn criticism for his paid speaking engagements abroad while on hiatus from advising Obama. In early 2009, Plouffe spoke in Baku, Azerbaijan, for $50,000. The event's sponsor had ties to Azerbaijan's authoritarian government. Following complaints from human rights groups, Plouffe donated his speaking fees to the National Democratic Institute."
"n December 2010, Plouffe received $100,000 for two speeches in Nigeria from an affiliate of the South African telecommunications company MTN Group. At the time, MTN had been doing business with the government of Iran since 2005. MTN later came under increased scrutiny by the United States due to allegations that the Iranian government used the MTN network to track and monitor dissidents. MTN has been listed on the "Iran Business Registry" of watchdog group United Against Nuclear Iran since 2009.[45] White House spokesman Eric Schultz stated that Plouffe had only spoken to the group about digital communications and cellular technology, and had declined to meet with the company's leadership. Schultz also said the criticism of Plouffe's speeches before he joined the White House was "misplaced"."
"In January 2011, Plouffe joined the White House as Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor. Plouffe replaced David Axelrod as Senior Advisor when Axelrod returned to Chicago to help run President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign" (2011 - 2013)
"After leaving the White House in early 2013, Plouffe became a contributor for Bloomberg TV and ABC News."
"In April 2013, Plouffe was inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame."
"Plouffe met with Hillary Clinton in mid-2013 to help out in her campaign for president, having claimed that Clinton approached him first. In September 2015, Plouffe reportedly played a key role in convincing Vice President Joe Biden not to challenge Clinton, telling Biden "not to end his career in embarrassment with a third place finish in Iowa", according to multiple accounts of the meeting."
On August 19, 2014, Plouffe was appointed as Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Uber. The company had just raised $18.2 billion in its most recent funding round. Uber at the time was facing heavy regulatory hurdles and the hiring of Plouffe was seen as a way for the company to get these regulations lifted."
"In February 2017, Plouffe was fined $90,000 by the Chicago Board of Ethics for the violation of ethics rules when he failed to register as a lobbyist after contacting Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to help Uber with regulations for picking up travelers at Chicago airports. The board fined Uber $2,000 as well for hiring a lobbyist who violated the city's lobbying laws."
"In January 2017, Plouffe was hired by Mark Zuckerberg to lead policy and advocacy at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. He led a bipartisan policy board alongside Ken Mehlman where they announced policy members and worked to find opportunities to work with the government."
"In September 2019, Plouffe was invited to join the board of directors of ACRONYM, a liberal nonprofit group focused on digital messaging, by CEO Tara McGowan. He advises program work at ACRONYM and bolsters the organization's fundraising efforts."
"Plouffe hosts a podcast, Campaign HQ with David Plouffe, which is a partnership with Cadence13."
"In August 2024, Plouffe joined the Harris campaign as a senior advisor."
"Nelson clerked for judges Louis H. Pollak of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and William A. Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit."
"From 2006 to 2009, he was an associate at Sidley Austin."
"From April 2009 to May 2010, Nelson was special counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security."
"He later served as deputy chief of staff of the National Security Division."
"From 2011 to 2015, Nelson served in the California Department of Justice, first as special assistant attorney general and then as general counsel."
"Since September 2017, Nelson has worked as chief legal advisor and corporate secretary for the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games, scheduled to be hosted in Los Angeles."
"On May 26, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Nelson to serve as Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. On June 22, 2021, the Senate's Banking Committee held hearings on Nelson's nomination. The committee deadlocked on his nomination on October 5, 2021, in a party-line vote. The entire Senate discharged his nomination from the committee on October 19, 2021, in a 50–49 vote. On December 2, 2021, Nelson was confirmed by the Senate in a 50–49 vote."
"In July 2024, Nelson left his position with Treasury and joined Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign as a senior adviser for policy."
In 1999, Dunn joined the campaign team for Hillary Clinton, who was preparing to run for a Senate seat in New York."
"Following Clinton’s election to the Senate, Dunn worked as press secretary for Clinton, then as her communications director until 2003."
After law school, Dunn served as a law clerk to United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Judge Merrick Garland in 2006."
"In 2007, she was a law clerk for United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer."
"Dunn became deputy to Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod, in July 2008."
"Following Obama’s inauguration in 2009, she was named associate White House counsel. In July of that same year, Dunn prepared Sonia Sotomayor for the Senate hearings before her confirmation as a Supreme Court justice."
"Dunn was hired as a prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia in 2010."
"In 2012, Dunn co-directed preparation for Obama’s re-election campaign debates."
She joined private practice as partner at the law firm Boies, Schiller, and Flexner in 2014. The same year, Dunn and her husband Brian Netter, also an attorney, served as pro bono counsel on behalf of the D.C. Council, which filed suit against District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray and chief financial officer Jeffrey DeWitt over their refusal to act on the 2012 Budget Autonomy Act. The Superior Court of the District of Columbia ruled in favor of Dunn and Netter’s clients, the D.C. Council, in 2016."
"Dunn and colleague Bill Isaacson successfully defended Apple in a $1 billion class action lawsuit over an update to its iPod music player, winning a unanimous verdict in favor of the technology company in December 2014."
"Dunn oversaw Hillary Clinton’s debate preparation for both the Democratic primaries and the general election presidential debates in 2016. According to authors Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes in their book Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign, Dunn was considered as a lead contender to serve as White House Counsel should Hillary Clinton have won the presidency in 2016."
In 2017, Dunn defended Uber in a case in which Uber was accused by autonomous driving technology company Waymo of stealing driverless technology trade secrets. Following Dunn’s February 7, 2018 questioning of former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick regarding the company’s early interest in the technology of autonomous driving cars, the trial ended abruptly on February 9 and later that month it was settled out of court."
"The American Lawyer magazine named Dunn “Litigator of the Year” in 2017, citing her “high-stakes” work defending Uber; representing Apple in a patent lawsuit disputing the Qualcomm patent licensing model; and summary judgment for Beats - owned by Apple - in a $1 billion suit brought by Monster."
"Dunn was one of the lead attorneys in the civil suit against the organizers of the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, representing multiple Charlottesville residents and counter-protesters. In her opening statement, Dunn argued that rally organizers "came to Charlottesville with a plan for violence with racial and religious hatred” and “that they used race and religious hatred to motivate others to join". Dunn’s clients were awarded more than $25 million in damages in November 2021."
"In July 2020, Dunn became a partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison. At Paul, Weiss, Dunn counseled Jeff Bezos during his testimony before a congressional committee in July 2020."
During the 2020 election cycle, Dunn oversaw Kamala Harris’s preparation for the general election vice presidential debates."
"In 2021, Dunn defended Apple against a lawsuit brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite in a case that NPR described as “the most high-profile antitrust trial in the technology world in decades…”"
"Voles worked for the Walter Mondale 1984 presidential campaign and Michael Dukakis 1988 presidential campaign."
"She also worked as a project manager for the Natural Resources Defense Council and served as deputy White House press secretary during the first year of the Clinton administration."
"She also worked as press secretary for Iowa senator Tom Harkin."
"From 1993 to 1997, she served as director of communications for Vice President Al Gore."
From 1998 to 2006, Voles worked as an independent communications consultant for organizations including Porter Novelli, the Smithsonian Institution, EMILY's List, and the Democratic National Committee."
"In 2006 and 2007, she served as director of communications for then-Senator Hillary Clinton."
"From 2007 to 2009, she was the senior vice president of Fannie Mae for communications and marketing."
"She was also the vice president of George Washington University for external relations from 2009 to 2020."
"In the summer of 2021, Voles joined the Office of the Vice President of the United States as a senior advisor and was promoted to chief of staff in April 2022."
"Gordon held a number of research and teaching positions, including at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.; the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London; INSEAD, the global graduate business school in Fontainebleau; the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (“Sciences Po”) in Paris; and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik in Bonn."
Director for European Affairs - National Security Council under President Bill Clinton (1998 - 1999)
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs under Secretary of State Clinton in Obama admin (May 2009 - Mar 2013)
Special Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf Region at the National Security Council, under Obama (2013-); not much Israel-Palestine conflict experience, but appointed due to experience in federal bureaucracy
booster of the Iran nuclear deal, been described as associated with the progressive wing of the national security continuum
2016-2020: Mary and David Boies senior fellow in U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations
2016-2020: Senior Adviser at Albright Stonebridge Group
Joined the Council on Foreign Relations in April 2015
Foreign Policy Adviser to the 2020 Harris presidential campaign
At start of Biden admin, named Deputy National Security Advisor to VP Harris
Mar 2022: National Security Advisor to VP Harris
During the Gaza genocide, took a high-profiel trip to Israel+West Bank w Israeli president Isaac Herzog and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
National Security Adviser to 2024 Harris campaign
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Adam Frankel ("Stabilizer") (Harris speechwriter)
VP, Communications and Public Policy - Antora Energy (Nov 2022 - Present?)
John F. Kennedy Library Foundation - Member, Board of Directors (Jan 2014 - Dec 2022), Member, John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Committee (Jan 2014 - Dec 2022)
"Butler began her career as a union organizer for nurses in Baltimore and Milwaukee, janitors in Philadelphia, and hospital workers in New Haven, Connecticut. In 2009, she moved to California, where she organized in-home caregivers and nurses and served as president of SEIU United Long Term Care Workers, SEIU Local 2015. Butler was elected president of the California SEIU State Council in 2013. She undertook efforts to boost California's minimum wage and raise income taxes on the wealthiest Californians."
"As president of SEIU Local 2015, Butler endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. Butler was one of California's electors who voted for Clinton in the 2016 election."
2018: appointed by CA gov Jerry Brown to 12-year term as regent of University of California; resigned from her role in 2021
Butler joined SCRB Strategies, a California-based political-consulting firm, as a partner in 2018."
"At SCRB, she played a central role in Kamala Harris's 2020 presidential campaign. She has been a political ally of Harris's since the latter's first run for California Attorney General in 2010, when she helped Harris negotiate a shared SEIU endorsement in the race."
"Butler advised Uber in its dealings with organized labor while at SCRB, at a time when Uber was attempting to stop state legislation from classifying its drivers as employees. The New York Times reported that Butler "advised Uber on how to deal with unions like the Teamsters and S.E.I.U., and sat in on several face-to-face meetings between the gig companies and union representatives"."
"Butler left SCRB in 2020 to join Airbnb as director of public policy and campaigns in North America."
"In 2021, Butler was named the third president of EMILY's List. She was the first black woman and first mother to lead the organization."
"In February 2022, Butler joined the board of directors of Vision to Learn."
"On October 1, 2023, Newsom chose Butler to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Feinstein's death, fulfilling his pledge to appoint a black woman. Butler was selected despite not being a resident of California, as she had moved to Maryland in 2021. The United States Constitution requires only that senators be "inhabitants" of the state they represent. Newsom's office said that Butler would re-register to vote in California before taking office as a senator. Shortly before nominating Butler, Newsom announced that his nominee would be free to run in 2024 if they chose, a departure from his previous position. After being sworn in, Butler announced she would not seek election to a full Senate term or run in the November 2024 special election for the final two months of Feinstein's term. Adam Schiff won both elections. When she was sworn in on October 3, 2023, Butler became the first openly lesbian Black woman in Congress, the first openly LGBT member of the U.S. Senate from California, and its first openly LGBT Black member."
"In January 2024, Butler voted for a resolution proposed by Bernie Sanders to apply the human rights provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act to U.S. aid to Israel's military. The proposal was defeated, 72 to 11"
"Cortez Masto was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in 1990, the U.S. District Court, the District of Nevada in 1991, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1994. Her career includes four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas and two as a criminal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C."
"She also served as former Nevada Governor Bob Miller's chief of staff."
"In November 2003, Cortez Masto was named executive vice chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. There was some controversy, because she was hired directly by the chancellor, not the university system's board of regents; the chancellor said the regents had recommended that he hire an assistant, and in December the board voted unanimously to approve her annual salary of $215,000."
"Cortez Masto was the Democratic nominee for state attorney general in 2006 and defeated Republican nominee Don Chairez 59% to 36%, with 5% for "None of these". She was reelected in 2010, defeating Republican Travis Barrick 52% to 36%, with 8% for Independent American candidate Joel F. Hansen and 4% for "None of these"." They investiaged Republican lieutenant governor Brian Krolicki for mishandling funds, but ultimately lost the case, amidst conflict of interests issues with her husband; she also investigated Bank of America for raising interest rates on troubled borrowers; she defended Nevada in a lawsuit, defending the state’s ban on same-sex marriage; she and the state eventually abandoned the case "in light of a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit."
In 2016, ran to fill Senator Harry Reid’s spot, relying heavily on his political infrastructure. She supports increased investments in renewable energy tech, supported by the League of Conservation Voters; "She was also financially supported by pro-choice groups, such as EMILY's List and Planned Parenthood, and by End Citizens United, a political action committee seeking to overturn Citizens United v. FEC"; she won the election, "becoming the first Latina in the US Senate"
Elected to, and served in, the Louisiana House of Representatives (2000 - 2011)
Lost the 2008 Democratic primary for the Louisiana 2nd congressional district seat in the US House of Representatives; "Richmond came in third place in the seven-candidate primary election for the Democratic nomination for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district, behind U.S. Representative William J. Jefferson and television newscaster Helena Moreno. During a primary debate, Richmond accused Moreno of drug use, and she attacked him based on his disqualification from the 2005 New Orleans City Council "D" district election. Later in 2008, the Louisiana Supreme Court suspended Richmond's law license for six months in a 5–2 decision. It found that he had falsified a sworn statement claiming more than two years of residency in New Orleans's "D" district in order to be eligible for the district's city council seat."
US House of Representatives from Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district (2011 - 2021)
"One of few Democrats who voted to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline. He is the fifth-biggest recipient of money from fossil fuel donors among House Democrats. The League of Conservation Voters gave him one of the lowest ratings for any Democrat in Congress."
"Richmond has been active in the Congressional Black Caucus, made up of African-American legislators who work together to have their views heard. On November 30, 2016, he was elected chair of the caucus for the 115th United States Congress."
In his 2020 campaign, the sector that donated most to his campaign was the oil and gas sector, with $113,000. He was re-elected
A National co-chair of the Biden 2020 Campaign
Senior Advisor to the President + Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison - Biden White House (and resigned from House of Representatives) (Jan 2021 - May 2022); Justice Democrats opposed his appointment, due to his fossil fuel ties
job at the Democratic National Committee (May[?] 2022 - ?)
"Litigator focused on media, entertainment, and intellectual property"
career starts ~1990 with the Pillsbury Winthrop litigation group
moved to Belin Rawlings and Badal, a boutique firm, in the late 1990s
Opened own firm w Ben Whitwell in 2000, which was acquired by Venable LLP in 2006. Became managing director of Venable’s West Coast offices, with clients including Walmart, Merck, Dolarian Capital, and Taco Bell’s former advertising agency TBWA
joined DLA Piper as a partner in 2017 in the DC and California offices; took leave of absence when wife Harris became VP for 2020 Biden campaign, and permanetly left to avoid conflict of interest
Dec 2020: would join Georgetown University Law Center’s school faculty as a distinguished visitor and distinguished fellow at school’s Institute for Technology Law and Policy
2nd Gentleman of the United States (2021-2025)
part of White House team that launched US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, the country’s first, on May 25 2023
"Speaking about pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses, Emhoff supported the right to protest, but said that "calls for genocide" and the murder of Jews are "completely unacceptable and must be stopped.""
Law clerk for US District Court judge James Ware in Northern District of CA (~1992-?)
San Francisco law firm Jackson Tufts Cole and Black, LLP (1994-1999?)
Adjunct law professor at University of San Francisco School of Law; " She also taught gender discrimination at U.C. Hastings College of the Law, contract law at the now closed New College of California School of Law, and was dean of the small ABA unaccredited Lincoln Law School of San Jose"
Senior Associate at PolicyLink
Executive Director of the Northern California ACLU
VP for "democracy, rights and justice" at the Ford Foundation (2008-2013)
Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress
Visiting Scholar at Harvard Law School
Political and Legal Analyst for MSNBC (2017 - 2018)
Campaign Representative to the Democratic Party Platform Committee for the 2016 Clinton campaign; helped draft the 2016 platform
Campaign chairwoman for [sister] Kamala Harris’s 2020 presidential campaign, until it was suspended
Advisor to the 2024 Harris campaign
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Tony West ("Confidant and/or Relative" - Husband of Maya Harris)
Advisor to the 2024 Harris campaign; "West played a large role in steering the campaign's messaging away from criticism of corporate power and towards a more business-friendly approach" (wiki)
Special Assistant Attorney General - CA Dept of Justice, Office of the Attorney General (Feb 1999 - Nov 2001) (Note: this wasn’t during Kamala Harris’s tenure as CA Attorney General, which was 2011-2017)
Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal) - United States Attorneys’ Offices - in the San Francisco Bay area (Oct 1994 - Feb 1999)
ran for California State Assembly 23rd district; defeated in primary (2000) (wiki)
ran for seat on San Jose City Council, defeated in primary by Cindy Chavez; he still ran against her in the general election, and lost there too (1998) (wiki)
Special Assistant to the Deputy Attorney General - US Dept of Justice (Aug 1993 - Oct 1994)
Chief of Staff to the Finance Chairman - California Democratic Party (Jul 1992 - Nov 1992)
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Chrisette Hudlin ("Confidant and/or Relative" - Close Friend, set up Harris and Emhoff on blind date in 2013)
Not much here, but:
"Harris’s entertainment industry allies have generated millions for her campaigns over the years. Her best friend in Los Angeles, Chrisette Hudlin, is married to Reginald Hudlin, a Democratic donor and former president of Black Entertainment Television and producer of films including House Party and Django Unchained." (FT)
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Minyon Moore ("Confidant and/or Relative" - Close with Harris since she was California AG, one of most trusted confidants)
formerly chief executive officer, before that chief operating officer, of the Democratic National Committee (wiki)
Asisstant to the President of the US, director of the White House Office of Public Liaison, and director of White House political affairs under President Bill Clinton (~1990s) (wiki)
Advisor to the 1984 and 1988 Jesse Jackson presidential campaigns (wiki)
National Deputy Field Director for Governor Michael Dukakis (wiki)
Senior political consultant to 2008 Clinton campaign (wiki)
"Trusted voice" in Clinton inner circle at start of 2016 Clinton campaign (wiki)
on Board of Directors of Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
member of advisory council of Biden-Harris Transition Team (2020-2021) (wiki)
Dewey Square Group - Principal (Jan 2002 - Present [Dec 2024]), Partner (2001 - Present [Dec 2024])
Owner - Partner (of what? when?)
CEO - DNC (2001 - 2002)
Assistant to the President, Director of Public Liasion and Political Affairs - White House (1997 - 2001)
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Jen O’Malley Dillon ("Loyalist and/or New Adviser")
Campaign chair for 2024 Biden campaign, and then the 2024 Harris campaign (wiki)
White house deputy chief of staff in 2020-2024 Biden admin (wiki)
Co-founder - Precision Strategies (May 2013 - ?); through Precision, advised Gates Ventures (a VC firm founded by Bill Gates), the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, GE and Lyft (wiki)
Executive Director - Democratic National Committee (2009 - 2010)
Associate Director of Personnel on 2008 Obama presidential transition team (wiki)
Battleground States Director - 2008 Obama campaign (2007 - 2008)
2007: worked again for John Edwards 2008 presidential campaign as Iowa state director, later deputy campaign manager; after he was eliminated, joined Obama’s team (wiki)
2003: Iowa field director for John Edwards 2004 presidential campaign; when he leaves race → deputy campaign manager for Senator Tom Daschle reelection campaign (wiki)
Field Director for US Senate campaigns of Tim Johnson and Mary Landrieu (wiki)
Field Organizer, Regional Field Director - Al Gore 2000 presidential campaign (wiki)
phone answerer for MA attorney general Scott Harshbarger (~late 1990s/early 2000s?) (wiki)
What can be observed is (A) a battery of attorneys (especially from Jenner and Block, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP), (B) along with close friends and family, many worked with Harris either during her Senate tenure, or for her 2020 presidential campaign (which makes sense), (C), a few strategy firms/NGOs with common membership here (ie Precision Strategies, ONE Campaign), (D) many old advisors to Bill Clinton, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Rod Blagojevich (the one with the corruption scandal), and Barrack Obama, (E) several high-profile private sector leaders (ie Jalisa Washington-Price: VP of iHeartMedia, Tony West: high-level Uber executive), (F) several connections with the tech industry at large.
The latter is really interesting. The most obvious person here is Tony West - husband of Harris’s sister Maya - a top Uber executive. He’s credited with making Harris tone down populist anti-corporate messaging, to attract business support. But it goes much further than this. For example, one of the most interesting advisors here is Laphonza Butler. Her political career began as a union organizer in the SEIU across the country, including California (during which time she befriended Harris, and got the SEIU to endorse her 2010 AG run). In 2018, she joined SCRB Strategies, a political-consulting firm in CA. There, using her experience with the SEIU, she advised Uber on dealing with unions ata time when they were trying to stop pro-union legislation in California. After this, she left SCRB to join Airbnb. Another campaign advisor, Karen Dunn, defended Uber in 2017 in a case with Waymo over stealing tech secrets. She also represented Apple in court twice - the 2nd time, in a high-profile case against Epic Games. Apple’s victory in this case has strengthened tech monopolies’ control over their mobile app stores. Another advisor, David Plouffe, has been caught up in a variety of scandals, including taking paid speaking fees from Azerbaijan. After a career in the US legal system, as well as serving as a policy advisor to then president Obama, in August 2014, he was made Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Uber. The company was then facing regulatory hurdles, and hoped Plouffe would help them get these lifted. In February 2017, he was fined by Chicago for not registering as a lobbyist; he had contacted mayor Rahm Emanuel about helping Uber with regulations. Speaking of Emanuel, Deanne Millison worked directly for him while Chicago mayor.
Another connection: the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, with which both Plouffe and campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon have worked for or with. Dillon advised them while working at Precision Strategies (see (C) above), along with Gates Ventures (a VC firm founded by Bill Gates), GE, and Lyft.
The influence of big capital was reported by New York Times (Oct 14 2024):
Over two days, the pair held meetings across Wall Street, including at the offices of Lazard, an investment bank, and the elite law firm Paul, Weiss. Among the ideas the attendees pitched was to provide more lucrative tax breaks for companies that allowed their workers to become part owners, according to two people at the meetings. The campaign had already been discussing such an idea with an executive at KKR, the private equity firm.
A few days later, Ms. Harris endorsed the idea during her speech in Pittsburgh. “We will reform our tax laws to make it easier for businesses to let workers share in their company’s success,” she said.
The line, while just a piece of a much broader speech, was emblematic of Ms. Harris’s approach to economic policy since she took the helm of the Democratic Party in July. As part of a bid to cut into former President Donald J. Trump’s polling lead on the economy, her campaign has carefully courted business leaders, organizing a steady stream of meetings and calls in which corporate executives and donors offer their thoughts on tax policy, financial regulation and other issues.
The private feedback has, in sometimes subtle ways, shaped Ms. Harris’s economic agenda over the course of her accelerated campaign. At several points, she has sprinkled language into broader speeches that business executives say reflects their views. And, in at least one instance, Ms. Harris made a specific policy commitment — to pare back a tax increase on capital gains — after extended talks with her corporate allies.
They describe a Democratic campaign that is far more open to corporate input than the one President Biden had led for much of the election cycle. Ms. Harris’s team does not take all of the advice it is given. Some pleas for a more robust endorsement of big business have been ignored, for example, while some of the meetings have devolved into executives’ raising specific tax problems their companies face.
The friendlier corporate ties have nevertheless raised questions about whether Ms. Harris’s overtures are campaign-season coalition building — or a sign that she will take a more centrist tack if she wins the White House. On some issues, like a proposed tax on the ultrawealthy, her campaign has been studiously ambiguous, fueling uncertainty about what kind of an economic leader she would be.
...
Charles Kretchmer Lutvak, a spokesman for the Harris campaign, said that if she won, Ms. Harris would continue to listen to the business community as she pursued a “bold, capitalist vision” for the economy. “As president, Kamala Harris will continue to be open and pragmatic about how to deliver that vision for the American people,” he said.
In other words,
Ms. Harris’s first economic policy proposal, made just a few weeks after Mr. Biden dropped out of the race, immediately raised concerns on Wall Street. In response to elevated inflation in the last few years, the vice president announced in August that she would ban “price gouging” for groceries.
Some of Ms. Harris’s donors warned campaign advisers against such a ban, arguing that it would amount to counterproductive price controls. In the days after, Ms. Harris’s team clarified that the plan would apply only during emergencies and would mirror laws already in place in many states — a narrower concept that would not immediately address rising grocery prices.
The price-gouging touched on a broader anxiety among Ms. Harris’s corporate allies, who were worried that her economic policies might cater to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
While Ms. Harris has walked back several left-leaning pledges she made during her presidential run in 2019, many corporate executives have had deep concerns about the Biden administration’s economic policies. Mr. Biden embraced significant tax increases on the rich and appointed ambitious regulators like Lina Khan, the Federal Trade Commission chair, who has made investors feel that deal-making on Wall Street has become increasingly unpredictable by taking a more aggressive approach to challenging mergers.
But the extent of the outreach from Ms. Harris’s team has left many on Wall Street viewing her as a more moderate economic leader than Mr. Biden. Many of the entreaties have been made by Mr. West, who was a top Justice Department official under President Barack Obama and has taken leave from his job as the chief legal officer at Uber to help the campaign.
While Ms. Harris has not criticized Ms. Khan, a popular figure on the left, she has made remarks that indicate a less zealous approach to antitrust enforcement, endorsing “consistent and transparent rules of the road to create a stable business environment.” It was the signal that some of her allies on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, which Ms. Harris represented as a senator from California, had been asking for.
...
The friendlier approach comes as Ms. Harris tries to blunt attacks from Mr. Trump that she is a far-left radical who would destroy the economy, an issue that voters regularly put at the top of their list in the election. Some wealthy supporters have started a website and podcast called “Business Leaders for Harris.”
“You have people who are very successful, very credible out there, saying she’s business friendly,” said Rebecca Patterson, formerly the chief investment strategist at Bridgewater Associates, a hedge fund. “Having them speak on her behalf goes a long way toward gaining trust with that community that she would be centrist or at least not extreme left.”
To be sure, Ms. Harris has endorsed policies that run counter to her business allies’ pecuniary interests, including raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent from 21 percent. And Mr. Trump, himself a billionaire, has endorsed tax cuts that could provide big benefits for the wealthy and corporations.
But Ms. Harris’s campaign has taken it a step further than friendly rhetoric. Under Mr. Biden, the White House prepared plans that chipped away at two dearly held tax preferences for high-income Americans: a lower tax rate on capital gains and the assessment of taxes on investments only after they are sold, or realized.
Ms. Harris appeared to endorse the White House plans early in the campaign by saying she supported Mr. Biden’s budget, creating a panic among her wealthy supporters. Many of them called Ms. Harris’s policy advisers to challenge the White House proposals, according to people familiar with the calls. One proposal would tax capital gains at the same rate as wages for Americans making more than $1 million a year, while the other, called the billionaire minimum tax, would tax unrealized gains for Americans worth more than $100 million.
Ms. Harris has publicly called for billionaires to pay more in taxes, a politically popular idea, and her campaign did not want to explicitly walk back the tax on unrealized gains. But while Ms. Harris has continued to publicly call for a “billionaire minimum tax,” her advisers say the phrase does not necessarily mean she supports Mr. Biden’s version of the idea. People close to the campaign are looking at other ways to raise taxes on the ultrawealthy without taxing unrealized gains.
Ms. Harris was less shy about the other capital gains proposal. In a speech in New Hampshire, she said she would raise the top capital gains rate to 28 percent, an increase from the current top rate of 20 percent, but below Mr. Biden’s proposed increase to 39.6 percent.
That statement, a single line in a longer speech on the economy, has helped fuel support from big-money donors. At an event at the ritzy Cipriani Wall Street in late September, Ms. Harris raised $27 million. Among the event’s attendees were Mike Novogratz, the chief executive of Galaxy Digital; H. Rodgin Cohen, the senior chair of the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell; and Andy Cohen, the media executive behind the “Real Housewives” franchise. Her campaign has raised $1 billion in just a few months.
On the other hand, the tax change raised eyebrows on the left. “We all noticed it,” said Felicia Wong, the president of the Roosevelt Forward, a progressive group. “I also would note that in the exact same set of policy proposals, she continued to propose tax reforms that would raise rates on the wealthy.”
‘I Am a Capitalist’
The night before Ms. Harris was set to deliver her economic speech in Pittsburgh, her campaign gathered roughly two dozen donors and supporters to brief them on the outlines of her remarks and preview the 82 pages of economic plans that were being released the next day.
The speech and plans toured through many of Ms. Harris’s existing proposals, including expanding tax breaks for start-up businesses and offering a subsidy to first-time home buyers. It also included new commitments to offer subsidies to a wide range of technology industries. More broadly, she laid out an overall economic philosophy that tried to nullify Mr. Trump’s criticism.
“Look, I am a capitalist. I believe in free and fair markets,” Ms. Harris said. Later on in the speech, she added: “I believe that most companies are working hard to do right by their customers and the employees who depend on them. And we must work with them to grow our economy.”
Here’s our golden boy, Mark Cuban:
Sitting in the crowd was Mark Cuban, the celebrity billionaire, who has become an avid supporter and surrogate for Ms. Harris. Since she took over the top of the ticket, Mr. Cuban said, he had been sending her team “a never-ending stream of texts and calls and emails” with ideas on a wide range of public policy issues. Before she took the stage in Pittsburgh, Mr. Cuban said, he spent about 15 minutes with the vice president, a discussion that he said was largely “niceties.”
Among the issues that Mr. Cuban said he had been pushing was support for artificial intelligence, which Ms. Harris in turn pledged to support with tax subsidies and funding for a research center.
“The list is endless, and in all those areas I’ve seen something pop into her speech at some level,” he said. Mr. Cuban said he had not donated money to the Harris campaign.
Ms. Harris also said during the speech that she would support cryptocurrency, saying the United States should remain “dominant” in the blockchain.
Paul Grewal, the chief legal officer at Coinbase, a crypto exchange, said he had spoken several times with top aides to Ms. Harris. He, along with other crypto executives, sat down with Mr. Nelson, Ms. Harris’s confidant, on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August.
The Harris aides have largely listened as Mr. Grewal and others have complained about what they see as regulatory overreach by financial regulators in the Biden administration. While she has not committed to any specific policy steps, Ms. Harris has made several public remarks supportive of digital assets.
“To get the attention of Kamala’s inner circle relatively early, relatively soon after she took over the top of the ticket, I thought was, in and of itself, a win,” Mr. Grewal said. “In so many other industries, they give their right arm to be mentioned even once by a major-party nominee. We’ve now heard from the vice president multiple times.”
For now, Democrats in the progressive wing of the party have largely stayed quiet as Ms. Harris has catered to industries with her campaign talk. If she wins in November, though, they are likely to push her to continue what they see as crucial victories under Mr. Biden on taxes and financial regulation. In a social media post last week, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, said there would be an “an out and out brawl” if Ms. Khan’s leadership of the F.T.C. was put into doubt.
Mr. Cuban, for his part, sees Ms. Harris as a total break from Mr. Biden’s Democratic Party.
[Mark Cuban:] “She says she’s open to inputs from independents and Republicans, she means it. She truly is open minded. I’ve put some wild things in her direction that they don’t laugh at,” he said. “People are trying to say, ‘Here are the progressive and liberal principles that have always been the principles of the Democratic Party.’ Those are gone. It’s Kamala Harris’s party now.”
This is no fluke. Here’s Mark Cuban’s remarks, in an interview with Astead Herndon on Oct 1 2024:
(1) Astead Herndon: So should she be saying that? Because she hasn’t really communicated more directly, hey, I’ve learned and I have changed from that thing. I mean, she’s tried to make a everything-for-everyone case. We talked to, actually, Bernie Sanders on this exact point, and he’s someone who’s making the argument that the Kamala Harris administration would be one that has a robust populism that progressives would have a voice in. And so I guess I’m asking, how can a Mark Cuban economy and a Bernie Sanders economy both exist under the same — It seems like both sides are pitching to me that the Kamala Harris administration would be one of them.
Mark Cuban: I hear you loud and clear.
Astead Herndon: Yeah.
Mark Cuban: But one was a month ago, and you haven’t heard about it since.
Astead Herndon: That’s fair. You’re saying she’s tacking towards you closer than she’s tacking towards them.
Mark Cuban: Right. I mean, she’s giving economy speech after economy speech. She’s talking about the things because if the number one issue is economy and the way to solve people and make people feel good about what she’s doing is to talk business and talk economy and talk opportunity, and that’s what she’s talked about. And I think you have to be in the middle to do that.
Astead Herndon: I hear that. You endorsed Nikki Haley in the Republican primary. And one question I wanted to ask, and it’s to get at the idea of what’s driving your support. But if she was the Republican nominee, would you still supporting Harris in this way? I asked to say like, is this about the affirmative advocacy for Harris and her policies or is this about rejecting Trump and his policies?
Mark Cuban: So if it was Nikki Haley versus Joe Biden, I probably would have voted for Nikki Haley.
Astead Herndon: OK.
Mark Cuban: Given that what I expect her policies would have been. And I’m socially liberal, but conservative fiscally. And so it depends on abortion and those things because that’s important to me. But with Vice President Harris, I think she’s truly on point with our mission. So this is an anti-Trump vote for me. I really like where she’s going. I mean, she’s very thorough. She’s very precise. She’s very well thought out. She takes an idea, she evaluates it. She may agree or may not agree with you, but you know it’s going to be completely and thoroughly thought through.
In short: (1) while progressives and big capital both claim that there’s room for their economic policy in a Harris campaign, but "one [the progressive argument] was a month ago, and you haven’t heard about it since". And (2) this ringing endorsement is coming from someone who said they would support Nikki Haley against Joe Biden! Throughout the interview, you can easily detect his malice towards Biden’s policies.
Perhaps the big bright spot - for working Americans and progressives at least - is the Tim Walz pick. How did this happen? It appears that, somehow, Martie Walsh and Harris became friends while Harris served as Senator, from 2017-2021. Recall that Walsh was favored by Sanders as Biden’s Labor Secretary pick. And he apparently helped vet running mate candidates, which perhaps explains how Tim Walz ever became the VP pick.
You’d think the big capital blob that gobbled up the Harris campaign would hate him. Yet in early August, Cuban praised the Tim Walz pick publicly. So what gives? In short, Cuban didn’t think he mattered - consider that Harris is young and healthy, after all. In this interview, you can tell how dismissive he is of Walz:
(5) Astead Herndon: This will come out on Tuesday, so this is partly why I ask this question. Are you going to watch the vice presidential debate?
Mark Cuban: I don’t care. I really don’t care. I really don’t care.
Astead Herndon: Just because VPs aren’t people who matter most? Or why don’t you care?
Mark Cuban: Well, yeah. I mean, yeah, there’s the heartbeat away thing. But beyond that, they’re already picked. We can’t change it. There’s nothing we can do there.
And I mean, what do they do? I mean, what is it that Mike Pence said in his VP debate with the vice president that changed the course of history or really had an impact? And you go before that, what Biden said. Whatever it is, nobody remembers any of it.
Astead Herndon: I’m with you that it’s not usually an electoral point, but we are in a moment that should show how VPs end up mattering. Obviously, Harris ascended and all of that. There were so many questions last year about whether that was the right choice or not. I was just wondering whether any of the number twos impact some of your decision making, or is this for you a question of Harris and Trump?
Mark Cuban: This is Harris versus Trump. That’s the whole election. Who do you trust? Because the Republicans are going to say you had 3 and 1/2 years, which is not necessarily true when you’re second in command. And you can’t trust her. Why do you believe her now when you didn’t believe her then?
And it’s the same with Trump, right? You’ve been lying about everything you’re saying. You’re going to say you did this, and you didn’t do it. Why do I trust you? That’s what this election is about. Who can generate the most trust to the most number of people and get them to vote for you?
Whether Tim Walz — I think he’ll be — the reason to watch it, he’ll tell some great stories. And you want to see if JD Vance steps in something. But you also know JD Vance is going to be super intellectual. And it’ll be interesting to see if that works against him.
I think if I have a hope for Tim, it’s that he just comes across as a good, respectable guy and he doesn’t take the bait for anything. Because you know JD Vance is just going to try to just zing him, zing him, zing him, zing him, zing him like he’s in a school debate class. And I’m sure the governor has been through that before.
Some choice quotes: "Well, yeah. I mean, yeah, there’s the heartbeat away thing. But beyond that, they’re already picked. We can’t change it. There’s nothing we can do there". And "This is Harris versus Trump. That’s the whole election." And "I think if I have a hope for Tim, it’s that he just comes across as a good, respectable guy and he doesn’t take the bait for anything". In other words, while Cuban can’t do anything about the fact that Walz is the pick, he doesn’t think he’s important in the election. And if he does what’s right, he’ll just be a "good, respectable guy" - that’s what he means by "if I have a hope for Tim".
As Herndon summarizes:
(6) Astead Herndon: So like I said to Mark Cuban, one of my big takeaways from our conversation is somewhat related to this open question of defining Kamala Harris and what she believes in. He thinks her ideology is clear, that Harris is no left winger, and that particularly when it comes to the economy, she’d be more open to business and billionaires than the Biden administration ever was, which is the exact opposite of what I heard from progressive leaders who cited things like Harris’s selection of running mate Tim Walz as a sign that the left would have a voice in a Harris-led Democratic Party.
Tonight, Walz and Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance will face off in what could be the final debate of the 2024 cycle. We’ll be watching from Tim Walz’s former congressional district in Southern Minnesota. But we’ll also be listening to see which version of Kamala Harris does Tim Walz present, the progressive ally, as described by Bernie Sanders, or the pro-business moderate, as described by Mark Cuban.
Perhaps Cuban was right to be dismissive - in that debate, Walz showed little signs of the progressive background which excited the left-wing of the Democratic Party. He had been completely subordinated.
