Is This Another Sign Kamala Harris' Office Culture Might Be In Trouble?
The office of Kamala Harris has been shaken up once again.
For months, the vice presidency of Harris has come under fire amidst allegations of bullying and fostering a toxic work environment from the veep herself. In fact, a prominent criticism from ex-staffers alleges Harris fails to read off daily briefings, then berates employees in her trek of unpreparedness. One staffer even called Harris' tongue-lashings "soul-destroying."
"It's clear that you're not working with somebody who is willing to do the prep and the work," an anonymous ex-staffer told The Washington Post. "With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence," further adding that "you're constantly sort of propping up a bully and it's not really clear why." With her alleged shoddy leadership, Harris' office has seen a mass exodus of staffers in recent memory.
In November, Vanity Fair reported that communications chief Ashley Etienne would be departing — an alarming sendoff amidst rumored infighting between Harris and President Joe Biden. Staffer Peter Velz was rumored to be stepping down as well, but perhaps the most shocking departure is Symone Sanders — who, as Harris' chief spokesperson, often served to clean up Harris' public missteps. CNN, however, reported that Sanders' departure stems from needing a break and is unrelated to the internal issues allegedly plaguing the Harris administration. Now, a new resignation seeks to rock Kamala Harris' office yet again.
Aide Vincent Evans is the latest Kamala Harris staffer to step down
Vincent Evans, deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs for Vice President Kamala Harris, is now stepping down, CNBC reports. Evans' departure comes at a jarring time as Harris' office faces scrutiny for workplace bullying and a reported rift between the veep and President Joe Biden. Evans, however, is leaving after being named the executive director position of the Congressional Black Caucus.
An inside source told CNBC that Evans is "leaving on great terms" and will continue his relationship with Harris, the first woman and woman of color to be elected to the vice presidency. As Evans' exit comes after the departures of high-profile staffers in Ashley Etienne and Symone Sanders, some questions linger about Harris' leadership. Former Harris staffer Gil Duran, who worked for the veep in 2013, even lambasted her in The Washington Post — asking "Who are the next talented people you're going to bring in and burn through and then have (them) pretend they're retiring for positive reasons[?]"
In response to the departures, White House press secretary Jen Psaki cited the "grueling and exhausting" nature of working in the White House, per the New York Post. "If you look at past precedent, it's natural for staffers who have thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on to a new challenge after a few years and that is applicable to many of these individuals," she further added.