Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy raises concerns about Kamala Harris' inability to retain staff, citing a reported 91.5% turnover rate and accusations of a hostile work environment.
Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has raised concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris' documented struggles with retaining staff, telling Fox News that "nobody lasts very long" while working for her.
McCarthy made the comments during an appearance on "Life, Liberty & Levin" this week, where he highlighted Harris' high staff turnover rate as a red flag. "Even as VP, when she didn't do anything, she could not keep staff," he said. "That is a person that the press will never talk about... How she treats people around her is a real indication of what she'll do in the future."
Kamala Harris' Toxic Work Environment: Staff Turnover Soars Amidst Accusations of Profanity and Bullying
According to OpenTheBooks.com, Harris has experienced a 91.5% staff turnover rate within the Office of the Vice President. As of March 31, 2024, only four of the initial 47 staffers employed during Harris' first year as vice president in 2021 are still working for her without interruption. In the year leading up to that date, 24 of her staffers quit, leaving her with a current staff of 50.
Harris' staff turnover rate surpasses that of President Biden (77%) and former President Trump (72%) during the first to fourth years of their terms. "It's always been a problem," one former Harris aide told The Hill in 2022. "You have to have your people around you."
Kamala Harris' Toxic Work Environment: Staff Turnover Soars Amidst Accusations of Profanity and Bullying
Accusations of a toxic work environment have also surfaced, with reports of Harris berating staff with profanity and expecting them to stand and greet her with "Good Morning General" every day. Terry McAteer, the father of a former intern for Harris, wrote an op-ed in which he described his son's experience as "eye-opening."
"Senator Harris vocally throws around ‘F-bombs’ and other profanity constantly in her berating of staff and others. The staff is in complete fear of her and she uses her profanity throughout the day," McAteer wrote.
Kamala Harris' Toxic Work Environment: Staff Turnover Soars Amidst Accusations of Profanity and Bullying
Another former staffer added, "Politics is about relationships and the relationships with the people around you. I think there's a lot of improvement needed there."
The Harris campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment on these allegations.
Kamala Harris' Toxic Work Environment: Staff Turnover Soars Amidst Accusations of Profanity and Bullying
McCarthy also noted that Harris had refused to meet with him when he was the Majority Leader, despite his repeated attempts. "If I talked to the Democrats inside the California delegation, they didn't care for her because she would not meet," he said.
Harris' perceived inability to build strong relationships and maintain a stable staff raises questions about her leadership abilities and her potential for success in higher office. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, it remains to be seen whether these concerns will impact her candidacy.
