Donald Trump tried to score points against Kamala Harris by alluding to her actions during her time as Attorney General of California.
During a press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 15, Trump said that Harris, along with Governor Gavin Newswom “destroyed San Francisco” and California as a whole with their policies.
“She’s going to do the same thing to our country, it was the policies,” Trump said “I didn’t know this, but you’re allowed to rob a store as long as it’s not more than $950.”
He continued, “You can rob a store, and you have these thieves going into stores with calculators calculating how much it is, because if it’s less than $950 they can rob it and not get charged. That was her that did that.”
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Trump was presumably referring to Proposition 47, a California state law passed in 2014 that made non-violent property crimes under $950 count as misdemeanors instead of felonies.
The aim of Proposition 47 was to prevent California prisons from overcrowding further according to the Associated Press, and would spend the newly saved state money on “school truancy and dropout prevention, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and victim services.”
Misdemeanors are considered less serious than felonies, and carry no more than one year’s jail time or $1,000 fines in California. However, contrary to Trump’s suggestion, they are still crimes.
Trump was also likely incorrect in suggesting that Harris and Newsom were involved in the legislation. Factcheck.org reports that Proposition 47 was codified in a 2014 referendum, during Jerry Brown’s reign as governor of California, and there is no record of Harris taking a stance on it, which is typical for California Attorneys General who aren’t expected to weigh in on such measures.
In November, Californians will vote on Proposition 36, which would reverse some of the elements of Proposition 47, and would result in some misdemeanors being treated as felonies, raising charges, and increasing sentencing for certain drug and theft crimes.
Trump has recently made other claims about Harris’ time as Attorney General of California, stating that she and current governor Newsom “destroyed California” during his press conference at Mar-a-Lago on August 8.
Harris served in the position from 2011 to 2017, after which she became the U.S. Senator for California until 2021.
During her time as Attorney General, Harris is known for launching a criminal justice open data initiative, participating in a multi-state effort to fight climate change, and providing protections to California homeowners facing issues foreclosure and mortgages.
In the press conference on August 15, Trump went on to attack Harris and said, “I think I’m entitled to personal attacks. I don’t have a lot of respect for her.”
Newsweek has reached out to Trump and Harris for comment via email.
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