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Attorney General Kamala Harris


We enter a new year with an attorney general,

ready to be “smart on crime.”


By Brian W. Carter,
L.A. Sentinel Staff Writer

Living in California, it is imperative that the people have someone in office who is looking out for the public’s best interest. As the new year begins, voters can rest assured that they have made the right choice in selecting Kamala Harris to be their new Attorney General.

Harris is the first woman and African-American to hold the office of attorney general of California. She is also of Indian-American descent, which gives her a multifaceted view. To be a woman and a minority can be an obstacle in this world in general. Harris has jumped that hurdle to arrive at this point in time.

She began that journey working in the district attorney’s office in Alameda County in the 1990s. Harris eventually became San Francisco’s District Attorney.

Harris has made it a goal to restructure and reimagine a better criminal justice system, and fight crime in a more intelligent way. One of those ways is in addressing the issue of recidivism. She has been an outspoken advocate for reducing the recidivism rate and increasing public safety. Harris has a high conviction rate for the more serious crimes and is against the death penalty.

She also made it an issue to address education and child truancy. Harris believes in addressing issues with youth in order to deter future delinquency. It was part of her campaign to address environmental issues such as safe drinking water, pollution and implementing better protection laws.

The record has continued to show throughout her career that Harris is truly for the people. She has addressed the issues across all divides, color lines and borders. As a staunch supporter of human rights, Harris is against the death penalty, discrimination against immigrants and for LGBT civil rights. She embraces the people and they have embraced her.

Too many times, party politics mar or obstruct the vision of our elected leaders. Harris has and is showing that her vision cuts through the political fog to the heart of the matter.

Harris will not be a one-issue Attorney General, but she’s dedicated in being an every-issue Attorney General. She understands that in order to build a better state, there has to be total involvement. This is why she prevailed against her opponents. From the beginning of her campaign, her focus was on the issues at hand. Harris is about prevention, working to stop problems before they begin, which is being “smart on crime,” as she has stated.