According to a new book on White House drama, tales of discontent with Vice President Kamala Harris led to President Biden threatening to dismiss anyone who leaked anything to the media that made Harris appear bad.
According to an excerpt from the book, in reaction to such claims, Biden summoned top staff to the Oval Office and warned them that if they were discovered to be spreading false information about the vice president, they would be fired immediately.
The first year of the Biden/Harris administration was marred by allegations that Harris’ staff was dissatisfied, as well as a seemingly never-ending stream of aides leaving the vice president’s office.
Ashley Etienne, Harris’ communications director, departed in November to seek other possibilities. That followed rumors of frustration between Harris’ office and Biden’s about Harris’ low approval ratings.
Symone Sanders announced her leave at the end of the year shortly after Etienne’s departure. Sanders, a senior adviser and her chief spokeswoman, will be missed, according to Harris’ office.
Exits continued through 2022. Vincent Evans, the vice president’s deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental relations for over a year, departed in January to join the Congressional Black Caucus as executive director.
Harris’ main wordsmith, Kate Childs Graham, left the vice president’s office in February.
