Former Democratic fundraiser Lindy Li claims that Vice President Kamala Harris was privately seeking to secure the support of wealthy donors in the days leading up to President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. Li alleges that Harris held calls with top donors, presenting a united front with Biden while simultaneously positioning herself for a potential future presidential bid.
Li, who detailed these events in her book "Unburdened," stated in an interview with Fox News Digital that Harris imposed a rule on her staff to avoid discussing her potential ascent to the nomination. "It was all charade. She was auditioning for Biden's endorsement, and the way that she did it was by imposing a fake rule on her staff to not talk about her ascending to the nomination," Li said.
According to Li, who served as a fundraiser for both Biden and Harris, these private donor calls were designed to prepare Harris for the eventual withdrawal of Biden. She recalled one specific call on July 19, 2024, two days before Biden announced his decision to suspend his campaign, where Harris reportedly assured donors of Biden's continued viability and her commitment to his campaign.
"I was on the call; she would host calls with donors and pretend to support Biden and say there's no daylight between Biden and herself. All the while she was auditioning for those very donors," Li stated. She added that after Biden's announcement on July 21, Harris initiated an intensive charm offensive to consolidate support within the party, making it appear as though she had Biden's backing.
However, Li suggested that some of the donors on these calls were not convinced by Harris's public stance. "A lot of us have group chats. And the immediate reaction is what an effing waste of time. What a charade, how fake. Like these are like the wealthiest people in the country saying that. They were very aware they were being lied to, that Biden was clearly not okay and to be told that he was okay when he was clearly incapacitated," Li recounted, calling the experience "insulting."
Biden's announcement that he would not seek re-election came after a widely criticized debate performance, which many in the party privately acknowledged as a significant blow to his campaign. Li's account suggests that even those close to the campaign were aware of Biden's declining viability.
Representatives for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding Li's claims.