Vice President Kamala Harris is currently preparing for the upcoming debate against former President Donald Trump with the help of attorney Karen Dunn. However, Dunn’s involvement in both the campaign and the defense of Google in an antitrust lawsuit by the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) has raised among government transparency advocates.
According to Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public’s Trust, this overlap of roles presents “tremendous potential for abuse.”
He also noted the irony of the situation, stating that if this had occurred in another campaign, there would likely be outrage. Similarly, Pete McGinnis, communications director for the Functional Government Initiative, expressed concern for the American public, who expect objective and unbiased decision-making from their government.
Dunn’s involvement with both the Harris campaign and the Google lawsuit has also been called into question by Matt Stoller, director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project. Stoller stated that it is not possible to serve both sides in this situation and called attention to the lack of ethics rules preventing Dunn from doing so.
Former chief White House ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration, Richard Painter, acknowledged the theoretical conflict of interest but noted that helping with debate preparation is considered volunteering for a campaign and does not violate any formal ethics rules.
He also pointed out that it is common for individuals and organizations to support campaigns that have business before the federal government.
The potential conflict was initially brought up by the Trump campaign in August, with senior adviser Tim Murtaugh stating that Harris will not stand up to Big Tech due to her connection to Google’s top lawyer.
Murtaugh described the situation as outrageous, with the Biden-Harris administration suing Google while Harris takes political advice from their lawyer.
Despite the significant concerns surrounding Dunn’s involvement with both the campaign and the Google lawsuit, she and the Harris campaign have not responded to requests for comment. This raises further questions about the transparency and integrity of the campaign.
Biden-Harris Cabinet Secretary Claims 'Punishing Schedule' Makes It Impossible For Kamala To Answer Questions pic.twitter.com/CvOExXOsg8
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 9, 2024
In conclusion, the potential conflict of interest presented by Dunn’s involvement with both the Harris campaign and the defense of Google in an antitrust lawsuit by the DOJ is alarming.
It raises concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the campaign and the influence of special interests. The American public deserves a transparent and ethical government, and this situation only serves to undermine that trust.