Harris won’t say how she voted on California measure that would reverse criminal justice reforms

DETROIT (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris connected Sunday declined to opportunity really she voted connected a key ballot measure successful her location authorities of California that would reverse criminal justness reforms approved successful caller years.

Harris punted connected a mobility astir nan ballot inaugural successful comments to reporters while campaigning successful nan battleground authorities of Michigan. She besides confirmed, 2 days earlier Election Day, that she had “just filled out” her mail-in ballot and it was “on its measurement to California.”

“I americium not going to talk astir nan ballot connected that. Because honestly it’s nan Sunday earlier nan predetermination and I don’t intend to create an endorsement 1 measurement aliases different astir it,” said Harris, a erstwhile San Francisco territory attorney, California lawyer wide and U.S. legislator earlier she was elected vice president successful 2020.

The determination by nan Democratic nominee for president not to publically liking retired a position connected nan high-profile inaugural could time off her unfastened to disapproval from Republican Donald Trump that she is being soft connected crime and from immoderate left-leaning voters who would for illustration to spot her speak retired forcefully against what they comprehend arsenic draconian anticrime efforts.

The initiative, if passed, would make nan crime of shoplifting a felony for repetition offenders and summation penalties for immoderate supplier charges, including those involving nan synthetic opioid fentanyl. It besides would springiness judges nan authority to bid group pinch aggregate supplier charges to get treatment.

Proponents said nan inaugural is basal to adjacent loopholes successful existing laws that person made it challenging for rule enforcement to punish shoplifters and supplier dealers.

Opponents, including Democratic authorities leaders and societal justness groups, said nan connection would disproportionately imprison mediocre group and those pinch constituent usage issues alternatively than target ringleaders who hire ample groups of group to steal equipment for them to resell online.

California’s attack to crime is simply a cardinal rumor successful this predetermination cycle.

Beyond nan ballot measure, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, a Democrat, is successful a difficult reelection fight against challengers who opportunity she has allowed nan metropolis to spiral retired of control.

The mean Democratic politician faces 4 main challengers connected nan Nov. 5 ballot, each chap Democrats, who opportunity Breed has squandered her six years successful office. They opportunity she allowed San Francisco to descend into chaos and blamed others for her inability to rein successful homelessness and erratic street behavior, each while burglarized businesses pleaded for help.

Meanwhile, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price faces a callback election, and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón is moving against a rival who has criticized nan incumbent’s progressive attack to crime and punishment.

Crime information shows nan San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles saw a dependable summation successful shoplifting betwixt 2021 and 2022, according to a study by nan nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.

Across nan state, shoplifting rates roseate during nan aforesaid clip play but were still little than nan pre-pandemic levels successful 2019, while commercialized burglaries and robberies person go much prevalent successful municipality counties, nan study says.

Harris, successful nan last days of nan 2024 campaign, has urging Americans successful battleground states to make a voting scheme to get themselves, friends and loved ones to nan polls.

But nan vice president, and her run team, until her comments Sunday, had avoided speaking successful item astir erstwhile she would formed her ballot and had sidestepped questions astir really she would ballot connected nan California measure.

Last month, she suggested to reporters that she would disclose her position connected nan ballot measure.

“I’ve not voted yet and I’ve really not publication it yet,” Harris told reporters astatine nan extremity of an Oct. 16 run extremity successful Detroit. “But I’ll fto you know.”

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Madhani reported from Washington.