Vice President Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, has refused to disclose the names of the top fundraisers for her campaign, in a significant break from political norms.
According to the Daily Caller, Harris is the first Democratic presidential nominee since 2000 to not name her top fundraisers, a step often taken by presidential candidates in order to preview which political power players may be given roles in their administration should they win. Her refusal to disclose the names comes after the party approved its new national platform on Monday, which included demands for increased transparency in campaign finance.
“Trust in democracy is critical to protecting democracy. Democrats will adopt ethics reforms to ensure every American can feel confident that their government is working for them, not for special interests,” the Democratic platform states. “Democrats will create a federal ethics commission to strengthen good governance laws, like those requiring financial and lobbying disclosure.”
Top fundraisers are often rewarded with either administration positions or frequent meetings with the president. As of January of 2022, about one-third of Joe Biden’s nominees for various ambassadorships were either top campaign fundraisers or their spouses; this is roughly on par with the percentage of top fundraisers appointed to positions by former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
Since becoming the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) earlier this week, the Harris campaign has given luxurious gifts to major supporters, which has included free stays at the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons hotels, as well as free visits to Chicago’s historic Wrigley Field.
However, despite being a long-respected political tradition, campaigns are technically not legally required to reveal the names of major supporters.
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