Sean Hannity talking on Fox News with a graphic of Kamala Harris with the caption "She's a riot"

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Right-wing media recycle old attacks on Kamala Harris for linking to a cash bail fund in 2020

Written by Gideon Taaffe

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Following Vice President Kamala Harris’ announcement that she is seeking the 2024 Democratic nomination for president, right-wing media are using many of the same attacks that they used after she was announced as President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020. Right-wing media are using a tweet by Harris in support of the Minnesota Freedom Fund during the George Floyd protests to try and connect her to alleged murderers and demonize bail reform efforts.

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  • Right-wing media previously attacked Kamala Harris for supporting a bail fund, demonizing bail reform and people in jail

    • Bail keeps people in jail that have largely not been convicted of a crime but lack money to leave. One study found the poorest Americans with the fewest resources make up 90% of people in jail who have not yet been convicted of a crime. Those in jail frequently lose jobs, housing, and custody of their children, in part due to the burden imposed by cash bail. [The Commonwealth Fund, 6/17/20; The Center for American Progress, 3/16/20]
    • Back in 2020, Harris was attacked for posting a link to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a bail fund for George Floyd protestors and others in the region. Right-wing media attacked Harris for supporting “violent criminals” and using a few high-profile cases to argue that cash bail protects communities. [Media Matters, 10/6/20]
    • Right-wing media are now using this same attack four years later to discredit Harris on crime policy. For instance, Trump advocates are using the case of Jaleel Stallings, who was arrested for allegedly shooting at police officers. Stallings was found not guilty of shooting at the police by a jury, and one officer that beat Stallings pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges. As Popular Information’s Judd Legum pointed out, the MFF “ensured that a CRIME VICTIM did not spend time in jail FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT.” Legum also noted that the bail system is not intended to be a punishment for crimes, but a method to ensure a court date is attended. [Twitter/X, 7/22/24, 7/22/24]

  • Right-wing media recycle the same attacks from four years ago

    • The X (formerly Twitter) account Trump War Room seemingly referred to the Stallings case, saying, “Kamala Harris helped raise money for a far-left organization that bailed a rioter who shot at police out of jail.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • On Fox & Friends, Trump campaign adviser and Newsmax contributor Jason Miller tried to link Harris’ tweet to a murder. Miller: “In Minnesota, we know Harris infamously raised money to bail out a man who had been arrested and then three weeks later after he was freed went on to kill somebody, is now serving life in prison.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 7/22/24]
    • Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed Harris tried to raise money for “criminals” and “violent rioters” in Minneapolis and linked several alleged crimes to those who were bailed out. He said Sunday: “Four days after that Minneapolis police precinct was burned to the ground by violent rioters — not mostly peaceful, violent — Kamala tweeted out this link to the Minnesota Bail Fund, calling on her following to chip in and help post bail for these criminals.” [Fox News, Hannity, 7/21/24]
    • Fox News contributor Ari Fleischer painted Harris as “weak and soft” on crime, saying she “paid to bail out arsonists.” Fliescher: “This is a vice president, Kamala Harris, who in 2020 after the George Floyd riots paid to bailout arsonists.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 7/21/24]
    • Popular right-wing account End Wokeness tried to tie Harris to a man who pleaded guilty to murder. “This is George Howard. Kamala Harris backed a fund that paid for his bail after he rioted for BLM in 2020. Once he got out, he kiIIed someone.” [Twitter/X, 7/22/24]
    • Right-wing activist Greg Price listed several crimes those who were bailed out by the MFF went on to commit, linking them to Harris’ post. Price posted to X, “After BLM rioters burned Minneapolis to the ground in 2020, Kamala Harris tweeted this fundraiser to help bail them out of jail.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Conservative outlet The First quote reposted Kamala’s link to the bail fund with the caption: “Never Forget: Kamala helped post bail for George Floyd rioters in Minneapolis.” The account added, “Many went on to: Commit murder, sexual assault, armed robbery, and rape.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Conservative activist Will Chamberlain posted to X: “Kamala Harris raised money for a bail fund that bailed out a murderer.” [Twitter/X, 7/21/24]
    • Following Biden’s endorsement of Harris for president, The Post Millennial re-upped its 2020 story on the bail fund. The account posted to X: “Kamala Harris promoted fund that bailed out alleged child rapist and many other violent criminals.” [The Post Millennial, 7/21/24]