Kamala Harris - For California Attorney General 2010

 Prosecutors today charged a 66-year-old San Francisco man with 51  felony counts for allegedly practicing medicine without a license and  defrauding dozens of patients out of about $75,000.

By Donna M Owens

In 2003, San Francisco voters elected Kamala Harris to be the city's first female District Attorney. Overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term, Harris is now aiming for higher office: California Attorney General in 2010.

It's a natural progression for Harris, 45, a California native born to an Indian mother and Jamaican-American father. Harris attended Howard University, and then received a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. After graduating, Harris joined the Alameda County DA's office, where she focused on prosecuting child sexual assault cases. She went on to serve in the San Francisco DA's office, where she focused on fighting violent crime.

Join us for a book reception in honor of the publication of Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safer

Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010

Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Location: Eso Won Bookstore,4311 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA

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Refreshments will be served Please RSVP to EsoWon@kamalaharris.org

CFT Joins former CA Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin in backing Harris’ candidacy.

Today, we are launching a weekly Twitter event called Ask Kamala!

City agencies and nonprofits have joined forces to fight human trafficking in San Francisco, launching Monday a coalition to raise awareness of the issue, develop policy to fight it and support its survivors.

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris joins KQED to discuss solutions to crime, proposed in her new book, "Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safe."

Watch the video here.

A California appeals court on Dec. 17 struck down our state's ban on violent felons possessing body armor. The court said that law was too confusing for the average violent felon to follow. Specifically, defendant Ethan Saleem, on parole for manslaughter and wearing a 10-pound bulletproof vest, couldn't be expected to know whether his particular brand of body armor was illegal or not.

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)  -- This is the time of the year where police normally see a higher rate of identity theft, and San Francisco officials are providing some safety tips for travelers.

"What we know during the holidays in particular is that we see that people are more vulnerable and so for that reason, there's a spike," said San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris.

Today, we have officially launched myKamala.org to give our activists and supporters a place to organize and collaborate.

Spread the word about an event, share pictures and videos with fellow supporters, join an action group for Kamala, or form a new group focused on the issues that matter most to you.

Join in today at myKamala.org!

Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, who represented San Jose in Congress for over twenty years and served in the Cabinets of both Democratic and Republican presidents, today announced that he is supporting San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris for California Attorney General.

The need for political leadership that is at once visionary and practical, courageous and steady, innovative and experienced is crucial,” said Secretary Mineta, whose statement of support can be viewed in its entirety below. “I urge that voters of all philosophies, of various ideological stripes, partisan affiliation, and ethnic backgrounds pay careful attention to Kamala Harris’ record of accomplishment and her dedication to the pursuit of both order and justice. For those reasons, and others, I am happy and honored to lend my support to Kamala Harris in her campaign to become the state’s next Attorney General.”

A discussion of Smart On Crime, and how we can achieve better results. Watch the video here.

If elected California Attorney General next year, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris wants to make truancy in the public schools a very big deal.

Harris, a two-term D.A. and a front-runner in the Democratic primary for the state’s top law officer, helped engineer an impressive 23 percent drop in truancy among elementary students in the San Francisco School District in the past year. She’s taking aim now at the older kids and already showing some signs of success.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco authorities arrested the man described as a "serial stabber" -- responsible for four random attacks.

Police arrested 30-year-old Bobby Brown on Tuesday at 31st and Judah Street in the Sunset District. They say surveillance video from the Muni train, where he attacked a woman on Monday, helped police catch him.

See video by clicking here:

San Francisco's D.A. Talks With ABC News About Her Run for Attorney General of California

Down-ballot candidates for state office typically struggle for attention. But San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, a Democratic candidate for attorney general of California who attended Tuesday's State Dinner at the White House, has become the subject of national attention.

Q: You dedicated Smart on Crime to your mother, Shyamala G. Harris, calling her "the toughest, smartest and most loving person I have ever known." She died this year. Tell me about your relationship and why she inspired you.

My mother was and will always remain my greatest hero. She was a woman who gave herself to my sister and me unconditionally, and was the most inspiring and courageous person in my life. She was active in the Civil Rights Movement, where she met my father. My mother was also the consummate professional, a world-renowned breast cancer researcher and teacher whose work took her to universities all around the world. Despite her 5-foot stature, she had a commanding presence and a sharp wit, a keen sense of humor and endless depth of knowledge.

In case you haven’t heard yet, San Francisco’s District Attorney Kamala Harris is in the race to be California’s next Attorney General.  She was the first female DA in the City, the first African American. She’s been called the “female Obama”, and cited by the New York Times as one of 17 women nationwide who would likely be the first woman to serve as President of the United States.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Police Chief George Gascón, a thirty year law enforcement veteran who has also served as Assistant Chief of the LAPD and Chief of Police in Mesa, Arizona, today announced his endorsement of Kamala Harris for California Attorney General.

“While I’ve long admired Kamala Harris’ record of innovation and success, since my appointment as Police Chief in San Francisco I’ve come to know the District Attorney as a steadfast and effective partner in our efforts to fight crime here in our city,” said Chief Gascón. “I believe that Kamala Harris’ ‘smart on crime’ approach, with its proven track record in San Francisco, is what California needs to get tough and smart on crime.”

Einstein's definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. By that measure, our current approach to criminal justice may need a shrink--and a new way of doing business.

The old approach to fighting crime is well-known. Police and prosecutors are deluged with low-level drug cases, and the public spends billions on prisons to house these offenders. And, every year, prisons release hundreds of thousands of these offenders back into our communities. They're sent back with a bus ticket and a little cash in hand--and that's about it. They have no plan, no skills, nowhere to go, and no other changed circumstances. They pick up right where they left off; within three years of release, seven out of ten California prisoners will re-offend and return to prison.

Just in time for her campaign to become California's next attorney general, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has released a book of strategies to reduce crime and save money doing it.

"Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safer" seeks to debunk preconceived ideas about crime and introduces programs deemed successful in San Francisco since Harris was elected to be the city's top prosecutor in 2003.

How can we successfully rehabilitate prisoners? Can law enforcement better use technology to solve crimes? In her new book “Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor’s Plan to Make Us Safe," San Francisco’s District Attorney Kamala Harris — who has been called “the female Barack Obama” — examines new, unconvential ideas on how our society can reform our broken criminal justice system.

Time to get acquainted with one of the up-and-comers in the world of politics — an African-American woman, who has already been labeled the “female Barack Obama.” She, too, has a name that requires some practice on first reference: Kamala Harris.

Harris has already achieved some “firsts” in her career, including election as the first African American — and the first woman — to District Attorney in San Francisco. She’s planning a run for California Attorney General.

For the first time, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office will have its first stand-alone mortgage and investment fraud unit.

The unit will be funded with a $1.06 million federal grant, which was announced by District Attorney Kamala Harris Tuesday as part of a regional effort to combat financial scams. The unit aims to protect desperate homeowners from mortgage and investment fraud, she said.

The Los Angeles police chief has endorsed San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris in her run for California attorney general. “As a career prosecutor with a proven track record of innovation and success, Kamala Harris knows what it takes to effectively fight crime and keep our streets safe,” said Bratton, who has headed the LAPD, the third largest police department in the U.S., since 2002.

SAN FRANCISCO — Under a bill signed into law by the governor this week and sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, prosecutors hope witnesses in the state's relocation program will be harder to find through Internet searching.

Gang members have targeted witnesses through Internet search engines even when witnesses weren't aware their personal information was online, said Sen. Mark Leno, who authored SB 748 , which was signed Sunday. The new law goes after people or agencies that disclose phone numbers, addresses or other identifying information of protected witnesses.

A San Francisco program started by District Attorney Kamala Harris is now an official example for California counties to emulate.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed AB 750, the Back on Track Reentry Act . The bill, authored by Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass and sponsored by Harris, encourages counties to use the San Francisco model. 

The program, created by Harris four years ago, is meant to reduce recidivism among nonviolent drug offenders by enrolling them in a job-training or educational program.

When Michael was in kindergarten, he missed more than 80 days of school. He was not ill and no one from Michael's family ever called to say why he was not attending school.

When I was elected district attorney, I learned that 5,500 students in San Francisco were habitually truant and - shockingly - 44 percent of the truant students were in elementary school. That is when I partnered with the San Francisco Unified School District to combat school truancy. At the time, many asked why the city's chief prosecutor was concerned with the problem of school attendance. The answer was simple, and as our partnership now enters its fourth year, the reason remains the same: a child going without an education is tantamount to a crime.

Despite his young age, Michael's truancy makes him far more likely to be arrested or fall victim to a crime later in life. In San Francisco, over 94 percent of all homicide victims under the age of 25 are high school dropouts. Statewide, two-thirds of prison inmates are high school dropouts.

Education, public safety, and the economy: three vastly complex issue areas that time and again are proven to be inextricably linked.

By doing what it takes to keep kids in school in every corner of our state, we can save literally billions of dollars in public resources and greatly improve public safety.

Most of us in law enforcement have known this for many years. As San Francisco's District Attorney, I see the direct impact of what happens when kids don't stay in school; young lives are lost to street violence or prison at an appalling rate, our state loses more resources and our communities are less safe.

Cracking down on the parents of truant students is adding up to better attendance. What began as a modest effort in 2006 in which the District Attorney’s Office would take part in mediations involving the school district and parents has grown into a war on school absenteeism with a full-time prosecutor who has taken 20 parents to court.

San Francisco school and city officials will beef up the fight against truancy by expanding intervention and criminal prosecution at the high school level to parents and teenagers, District Attorney Kamala Harris announced Friday.

Previous efforts have focused on the elementary and middle schools, where families play a greater role in a child's attendance. Now it's time to target teenagers, Harris said.

Peace Officers Association comprised of predominantly African American SF cops joins law enforcement leaders across the state backing Harris

Officers for Justice, which since 1968 has represented a diverse association of San Francisco police officers, today announced its endorsement of Kamala Harris for Attorney General.

She’s brilliant, she’s ambitious, she’s tough and she’s unlike anything you’ll see on Law & Order. They call Kamala Harris the ‘female Barack Obama’ and lately a lot of people from Oprah Winfrey to President Barack Obama are singing the praises of the woman who wants to be California’s next attorney general.

The San Francisco Chronicle's politics blog notes that the city's district attorney, Kamala Harris, is at the White House today talking about combating gang violence.

Harris a figure to watch nationally, I think — is running for state attorney general, and they report:

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris' bid for state Attorney General got a big boost today with a plum assignment from the Obama Administration. She's in Washington D.C. Monday with a special invite to talk up the success of her youth and gang violence prevention programs at the White House.

Measure Signed into Law Allows for Multi-Jurisdictional ID Theft Prosecution

SAN FRANCISCO - District Attorney Kamala D. Harris announced today the signing of Senate Bill 226 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday, August 6, 2009.

Since launching campaign for AG last November, Harris has raised more than $1.3 million from 2,400 donors

SAN FRANCISCO – The Kamala Harris for Attorney General campaign raised $1,204,606 during the first six months of 2009, bringing her campaign’s total to over $1.3 million raised from more than 2,400 donors. Harris’ fundraising total exceeds her nearest competitors by more than $200,000, and does not include any funds transferred from other accounts. More than $500,000 of Harris’ total was raised online.

SAN FRANCISCO – Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers and one of the nation’s leading voices for working men and women, today announced her support for San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris’ candidacy for California Attorney General. 

ONES TO WATCH OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY

Kamala Harris

Even in California, a state with a deep and diverse bench of Democratic talent, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris stands out.

A two-term prosecutor whose innovative approach to law enforcement has made her a rising star in progressive politics, she is both the state’s first female African-American district attorney and the nation’s first Indian-American district attorney.

Kamala Harris set off her campaign for attorney general last year with a certain up-and-comer buzz in Democratic Party circles.

DA HARRIS CONTINUES CRACK DOWN ON MORTGAGE SCAMS

Joins City Leaders to Introduce Legislation to Regulate Loan Modification Consultants

Hollywood's Democratic activists may still be uncertain about which way to jump in California's gubernatorial race, but many of the industry's heavy political hitters already are lining up behind San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris in her run for state attorney general.

Across California, a new scam is cropping up.

It goes something like this: A homeowner falls behind on his mortgage and soon thereafter receives a letter from a company promising to help him get a modification of his mortgage. Over time, the homeowner ends up paying hefty fees of $3,000 to the company, and waits, having been instructed not to contact his lender and thinking his mortgage problems are being resolved.

Nearly three years into her battle against school truancy, District Attorney Kamala Harris has something to celebrate: There was a 23 percent drop in the number of elementary school truants at San Francisco schools this year. On the simplest level, that drop means more money for the city: The school district received an additional $372,862 in funds tied to attendance. Any additional money for education is something to be celebrated in these tough times. And on the grandest level, everyone in the city benefits when children go to school.

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco schools showed a 23 percent drop in the number of elementary schoolchildren skipping classes this year as citywide efforts, including parental prosecution, appeared to be paying off, district officials told The Chronicle on Monday.

The most recent numbers follow at least a three-year trend, with the number of the most serious elementary school truants cut in half since the 2005-06 school year.

As I watched the announcement of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's appointment to the United States Supreme Court, I, like many Americans, was struck by the historic picture on my television screen. The nation's first African American president nominating the first Latina as a potential Supreme Court Justice.

Few things have made me prouder as an American than seeing our country put aside age-old prejudices and in choosing hope over fear, elect the first African American President. We elected Barack Obama not because of his race, but because he was the best person to lead our country.

Lifetime Television's Salute to Remarkable Women salutes District Attorney Kamala Harris. Click here to view the full feature.

Chief Lansdowne Praises Harris’ Experience as a Prosecutor, Commitment to Keeping Streets Safe

SAN FRANCISCO – Chief William Lansdowne, Chief of Police for the City of San Diego, today announced his support for San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris’ candidacy for California Attorney General.  In voicing his enthusiastic support, Chief Lansdowne praised Harris’ prosecutorial record and her commitment to protecting Californians.

SAN FRANCISCO – Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, the 12-year NBA veteran, successful businessman and education champion currently serving his first term in office, has announced his support for San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris’ candidacy for California Attorney General. 

Since her election in 2003, Kamala Harris has proved herself to be a District Attorney who not only stands her ground, but breaks new ground in the fight to fix our system of criminal justice.

Her pledge is to move beyond the false choice of being "tough" or "soft" on crime. Kamala Harris is smart on crime...and it's working.

She's put more violent and serious felons in state prison, cracked down on gang and gun violence, and protected neighborhoods from drug dealers and quality of life crimes.

At the same time, she's safeguarded medical marijuana, reached out to keep youth away from violence, and pioneered innovative programs to help men and women released from jail get back on track.

Please take a few moments to see for yourself what Kamala has accomplished, and then get involved in her campaign for change.