‘October Surprise’ Hits Harris Campaign In Form Of New Allegations

With the presidential election approaching, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are locked in a tight race in the polls, concentrating their efforts on key battleground states. However, a developing controversy has caught the Harris campaign off guard.

Allegations of inappropriate and misogynistic behavior have surfaced against Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, from his time at the law firm Venable, as reported by DailyMail.com. Former colleagues at Venable have accused Emhoff of using profane language, organizing men-only cocktail hours, and revoking work perks from women who did not flirt with him. They also allege that he selectively chose young, attractive female associates to accompany him in a limousine to various events.

Adding to these concerns, a 2019 lawsuit alleges sex discrimination by other partners at the Los Angeles office that Emhoff managed. The lawsuit contains serious accusations that Emhoff, while engaged to Harris, hired an “unqualified” part-time model as a legal secretary based on her being “young, attractive, and friendly with the powerful men in the office.”

Former colleagues from the Venable Los Angeles office, where Emhoff served as managing partner from 2006 to 2017, are now speaking out about his behavior, describing it as “inappropriate” and “a**hole-like” during his tenure. They agreed to share their experiences on the condition of anonymity due to concerns about possible backlash, the Daily Mail noted.

The allegations mark the latest in a series of claims that could significantly tarnish Emhoff’s carefully curated public image as a feminist ally and devoted spouse, as portrayed by the Harris campaign. Earlier revelations from August included accusations that the Los Angeles attorney was unfaithful to his first wife and fathered a child with his daughter’s grade school teacher, who also acted as a nanny. Emhoff acknowledged on Saturday that he had an affair during his first marriage after a British tabloid published details about the alleged relationship.

“During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions. I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side,” Emhoff said in a statement to CNN. The circumstances of the relationship and the details surrounding it were known to Joe Biden’s vetting committee four years ago when Harris was being considered for the vice presidential spot on the ticket, according to a source familiar with the discussions who spoke to CNN. This source also noted that Emhoff had informed Harris about the affair well before their marriage.

A former senior staffer recounted an incident in which Emhoff allegedly “bragged” about his treatment of a female partner at the firm. According to the staffer, Emhoff boasted to his male colleagues that he had “put her in her place” after shouting, “Get the f*** out of my office” at her. “She had to ask him something,” the former staffer explained. “His office door was closed. She asked his secretary if he was on the phone. When the secretary said no, she tapped on the door. He didn’t answer, so she slightly opened the door and peeked in. That’s when he said, ‘get the f*** out of my office.’”

“What’s worse was he bragged about it to the management at Venable and they were aghast. He’s an a**hole. He told them how he ‘put her in her place.’ A misogynist, that’s who does that.” A former female staffer at the firm revealed that Emhoff was widely known to be “very flirty,” and not reciprocating his advances could lead to disfavor. This ex-Venable lawyer accused him of “favoritism,” explaining that the consequences of not engaging flirtatiously with him included missing out on desirable case assignments.  “There were deadlines that, if you were one of his favorite people, wouldn’t apply. But if you weren’t, they would,” she revealed to DailyMail.

Another woman who had spent several years at the company recounted how Emhoff used to host men-only cocktail nights. “He had, for many years, cocktail parties where only men were invited. In the office, on Friday evening,” she stated. When a colleague raised this issue with Venable around 2010, these exclusive gatherings were discontinued.

A female attorney alleged that Emhoff abused his position by demanding a portion of fees from new clients and leveraging his authority to assign staff to cases. “If you bring in a client, you get compensated,” she explained. “He was in charge of the litigation department, so he staffed your cases. To get your case staffed, you had to give him part of your origination [bonus], or it wouldn’t happen. It’s a common practice in law firms.”

Another junior attorney at Venable described Emhoff as showing preferential treatment toward certain staff members at social events.“If there was an event, like the Justice Ball, he would favor certain people. Usually it was young, pretty girls. And he would prefer for them to ride with him. He would get a limo,” she said. “I just don’t think his behavior was appropriate for the position he was in.”