Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is determined to wring every last drop of political opportunity from the fight raging over Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
If she’s not fundraising directly off of her opposition for the judge’s nomination, she’s advancing her political aspirations by collecting potential supporters’ contact information.
On Friday, for example, moments after Sens. Harris, Maize Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., walked out of a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Kavanaugh, the California senator’s team sent out an email asking supporters to sign a petition aimed at opposing the judge’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
Because if you can get enough petition signatures, it means you can’t be confirmed to the Supreme Court. It’s in the Constitution. No, sorry, it’s because Harris wants to bulk up her online fundraising lists ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
“Republicans are rushing Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation with a sham hearing this morning, less than 24 hours after Dr. Ford had the courage to tell her story in front of the entire country. This is a disgrace,” the Harris email reads. “So, instead of sitting through this farce… I walked out.”
The Democratic walkout Friday morning came after the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Harris is a member, voted to move forward with a vote on whether Kavanaugh should be confirmed to the Supreme Court. The vote was put forward by committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. All 11 Republicans on the committee voted in the affirmative
After the vote, Harris, Hirono, and Blumenthal made a show of walking out of the committee.
“Now, it’s up to the full Senate — and that’s why I’m asking: Team: I need you with me in this fight. Can you sign my urgent petition opposing Judge Kavanaugh’s shameful nomination to the Supreme Court before it’s too late?” Harris’ email asks.
In the email, if one clicks on the link that says “SIGN THE PETITION,” the user is then redirected to a page where he is asked to provide his first name, his email address, and his zip code. This information is fiercely sought after by presidential wannabes, and it is bought and sold at enormous prices by campaign operatives in every major election cycle. Even the candidates themselves can make a mountain of cash sharing supporters personal information.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for example, made roughly $504,651 in 2016 renting out his email list, according to Federal Election Commission records. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., made $212,495. Even Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker earned the tidy sum of $142,757 from renting out his lists.
Interestingly enough, data collection isn’t the only point of the Harris email. Once a signatory enters his personal information, he is then taken to fundraising page hosted by the Democratic-aligned ActBlue Charities. The page gives the signatory the option to donate to five sex abuse advocacy groups of his choosing, including End Rape on Campus and the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, both of which vigorously oppose Kavanaugh’s nomination.
The Harris “petition” email concludes, “Things are moving fast. I’ll be in touch soon.”
Oh yes, she will. That you can bet on.
