US vice president Kamala Harris is facing allegations of plagiarism in her 2009 book ‘Smart on Crime’, according to a recent report by conservative writer Christopher Rufo. The claims suggest that Harris, who co-authored the book with Joan O’C. Hamilton, lifted multiple sections from uncited sources, including Wikipedia, press releases, and news reports.
Adding to the argument, senator JD Vance posted on X, “Hi, I’m JD Vance.I wrote my own book, unlike Kamala Harris, who copied hers from Wikipedia,” further sparking discussion on social media.
The accusations stem from a review conducted by Stefan Weber, a well-known Austrian expert on plagiarism. He identified more than a dozen instances of what he termed “vicious plagiarism fragments” in the book, with some instances involving minor paraphrasing issues, while others amounted to more serious infractions. These findings have drawn comparisons to other high-profile cases of plagiarism, such as that of Harvard University president Claudine Gay.
In one example, Harris is accused of copying a passage about high school graduation rates almost copied from an NBC News report. Another section discussing the High Point crime-reduction strategy was allegedly lifted from a John Jay College of Criminal Justice press release. According to Rufo, the reproduction of material extends to Wikipedia, where Harris reportedly took long sections without attribution. These instances, he argues, raise concerns about the accuracy and integrity of her work.
Though Harris may have used a ghostwriter, Rufo argues this doesn’t absolve her of responsibility, emphasising that by putting her name on the cover, she remains accountable for the content.
