Several former staff members of Vice President Kamala Harris have come forward to share their troubling experiences working under her leadership, describing her as a “bully” who often left people in tears with her harsh and degrading behavior. Their accounts have brought attention to the unusually high staff turnover in her office, with only four of the 71 staffers hired during her first year still remaining. The rest either resigned or were dismissed, leading to an extraordinary 92 percent turnover rate.
These revelations were documented by author Charlie Spiering, who interviewed former staffers for the UK’s Daily Mail and compiled their stories in his book, Amateur Hour. The accounts provide a disturbing portrait of Harris’s leadership, revealing a consistent pattern of abusive behavior throughout her political career.
Harris’s reputation for creating a toxic work environment dates back to her time as California’s attorney general in 2010. A professor from the University of California-Sacramento recalled how students who interned for Harris frequently returned from their experience feeling undervalued, many in tears after feeling mistreated.
When Harris was elected as a U.S. senator from California in 2016, her problematic behavior followed her to Washington, D.C. Her office reportedly had one of the highest staff turnover rates among senators between 2017 and 2020. Congressional insiders revealed that Harris would regularly lash out at her staff with expletive-filled tirades, adding to the tense atmosphere in her office.
Not even Republican staffers were immune to her verbal attacks. During the contentious confirmation hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Harris directed a particularly explosive outburst toward a room full of Senate staffers, including those working for GOP senators. Her sharp tone and harsh language during the hearings stood out as an example of her combative style.
The challenging work environment surrounding Harris did not improve after she became vice president. A report from The Washington Post in December 2021 included interviews with current and former staffers, who described the experience of working for Harris as one marked by constant criticism and a lack of confidence in their abilities. Several employees likened the situation to supporting a bully without fully understanding the reason behind her behavior.
Earlier that same year, Politico published a similar report based on insider accounts, detailing the unhealthy atmosphere in Harris’s office. Staffers often felt they were thrown under the bus, creating a work environment that left them feeling unsupported and mistreated.
The stories shared by both former and current staffers paint a troubling picture of Harris’s treatment of those who work for her. It raises concerns about her leadership style and whether she is suited for the high office and responsibilities she currently holds.
