A California sheriff wasn’t happy to learn that he appeared in a new Kamala Harris political ad in which she promotes border security. He claims this ad distorts facts.
In a statement, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux stated that he was not aware of the use of his image in a political advertisement by Kamala Harris, nor did he endorse Harris’ candidacy for president or any other office.
Boudreaux has worked for 37 years as a deputy sheriff in Tulare County and is the current president of the California State Sheriffs’ Association. She described a trip Harris took to the Central Valley when she served as California’s attorney general in 2013.
Boudreaux, along with other local and State law enforcement officers, were in the Central Valley when Harris visited. He couldn’t remember the circumstances of the visit but did recall her attitude.
“I would like to call out the false information that was presented in this same political advertisement. In the ad, Harris claims that she has spent decades as a “border state prosecutor” fighting violent crime. The truth is, ‘then California attorney general Kamala’ visited the Valley in 2014. She was promoting a long-term investigation into a multinational drug operation with links to Mexican drug cartels, prison gangs, and other criminal organizations.
Boudreaux stated that 11 people, including the suspected “kingpin”, Jose Magana, of Dinuba, were arrested in this particular case.
Boudreaux stated, “The truth is Harris didn’t care about the cartels, and he did nothing to prevent people from crossing the border illegally.”
The Kamala Harris campaign is up on TV with multiple new ads this a.m. —
This spot is focused on border security
Male voiceover:
“As president, she will hire thousands more border agents and crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking. Fixing the border is tough. So is… pic.twitter.com/qb2wS5CLml
— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) August 9, 2024
Boudreaux said that Harris’ appearance was “all smoke and mirrors.”
“We were in the green room.” She never said hello to us. “She walked in, gave her presser, and walked away, never saying hi to any of us,” Boudreaux stated. “I am disgusted because she did not shake hands. She didn’t say hello. She’s taking credit for the work done by locals.”
Tim Ward, the Tulare County district attorney who appears in the advertisement, shared Boudreaux’s response to the video.
“The hypocrisy is beyond all limits,” Ward said that it was disingenuous for her to tout her reputation as an attorney in her campaign ads when she had been the Attorney General during three of the most tragic tragedies that have befallen Californians.
Golden State Justice – Boudreaux’s political action group – also released a statement regarding the new campaign advertisement.
The statement stated that “Kamala Harris, as Attorney General of California, undermined efforts by California law enforcers to prevent criminals from flooding California with guns and drugs over the border.”
The statement said that “she repeatedly defunded and shut down task forces designed for our residents leaving the Valley and state vulnerable.” “Kamala’s sad attempt at portraying herself as tough along the border is pathetic. She implied my support, and that of law enforcement leaders in neighboring states.”
The statement concludes by saying that “a politician crowded at the podium during a press event hasn’t resolved our border crisis.” Kamala Harris hasn’t either.”
The new advertisement, which promotes Harris as a border prosecutor in the state, says she will “hire tens of thousands more border agents, and crackdown on fentanyl, and human trafficking.”
How can you say that you are a border guard when you are eliminating all of these task forces, while all troops are crossing the border? Boudreaux stated, “That made us completely mad.”
Boudreaux stated that at the time, there were many layoffs as well as people searching for work because the Department of Justice eliminated people.
Boudreaux: “When you look at that advertisement and do some research, you will find out that the message she (Harris), is promoting goes against everything that was going on in the world. So when she posted that picture with me, I became very upset. That ad, to me, is nothing but smoke and mirrors.” “I do not support her.”
Ward agreed with Boudreaux, saying that it was only a matter of professional courtesy for them to be informed that they would appear in a campaign advertisement.
We’re easy to find and contact. It would have been a simple professional courtesy to warn us if it was being used. Ward stated that Ward believes it is within his rights to correct the records. “As Sheriff Boudreaux stated, I don’t want this photo to be misconstrued in any way as an endorsement of Harris, either for her current campaign or her past tenure as Attorney General of California.
