Publisher Scrambles After Report Of Kamala Harris’ Alleged Plagiarism Surfaces

Chronicle Books, the publisher of Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2009 book Smart on Crime, is reportedly in damage-control mode following accusations of plagiarism. The controversy erupted after conservative journalist Christopher Rufo exposed several passages in Harris’ book that appear to have been lifted from other sources without proper attribution.

Rufo shared on X that Chronicle Books accidentally sent him an internal email, revealing the publisher’s plan to address the issue. The email, intended for internal use, instructed employees not to comment on the allegations and to forward all inquiries to higher-ups in the company. “Please do not respond or comment on any inquiries regarding Smart on Crime,” the email stated, marking the situation as sensitive.

Rufo’s revelations have ignited a media storm, with several outlets picking up the story. However, the mainstream media’s response has focused more on criticizing Rufo than the plagiarism allegations themselves. The New York Times ran a headline that read, “Conservative Activist Seizes on Passages From Harris Book,” seemingly downplaying the seriousness of the claims.

Critics were quick to point out that even though the New York Times consulted a plagiarism expert who confirmed that passages were copied, the expert labeled it a “harmless error” rather than intentional fraud. Rufo and others were outraged by this response, accusing the media of covering for Harris by spinning the story as an attack on conservatives.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) took a jab at Harris, saying, “I wrote my own book, unlike Kamala Harris, who copied hers from Wikipedia.” The plagiarism scandal has added another layer of controversy to Harris’ already embattled presidential campaign as she faces questions about her integrity and leadership.