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Back to Orange County Line

Orange County Line

Kamala Harris and the OC Snitch Scandal

Will her approach to local jailhouse informant controversy harm the presidential ambitions of California's junior senator?

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By Gustavo Arellano • Feb 19, 2019 • 4m Listen

California Senator Kamala Harris has already drawn prominent supporters in her campaign to be the Democrat's presidential nominee for 2020. But in Orange County, she faces loud criticism for her role in OC's so-called jailhouse snitch scandal, which saw the Orange County District attorney's office use illegally obtained confessions from jailhouse informants to convict criminals. As California's attorney general, Harris sided with the OCDA's office in opposing a Superior Court judge's motion to remove the DA from trying cases impacted by jailhouse snitches. Harris told the New York Times in an interview that she knew corruption had happened, but that it was being "handled on a local level." Yet no prosecutor or anyone with the sheriff's department has ever faced any charges for their alleged misdeeds. Will such criticism harm Harris' presidential hopes?

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Gustavo Arellano

    columnist, LA Times

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Benjamin Gottlieb

    Reporter, Fill-in Host

    CultureOrange County
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