Late last year, Vice President Kamala Harris made almost daily headlines over reports of disorganization and mismanagement in her office.
The news cycle has slowed, but the dysfunction continues.
Vincent Evans — the veep’s deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs — announced his departure from the Harris camp Tuesday, just weeks after numerous other high-profile exits.
“I am deeply honored to be named the executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus,” Evans said in a statement provided to CNBC.
“I started my career in Washington working for a member of the CBC, so I know firsthand the tremendous leadership and impact this caucus has in Congress and across the country.”
Evans worked at the U.S. House of Representatives between 2017 and 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that, he worked primarily in state government.
An anonymous insider told CNBC that Evans is maintaining a working relationship with Harris. The person also said that Harris respects Evans’ decision.
Plus, the CBC seems happy to have him.
“As a leader for effective change, Vincent will help the CBC reach greater heights and make substantive advances in 2022,” CBC chair Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, told CNBC.
“Vincent knows the importance of developing critical relationships when it comes to public engagement, along with a variety of policy and leadership skills.”
But despite public assurances, it seems clear to outside observers that not all is well in the vice president’s office. The Evans exit comes at a time of scandal and turmoil among Harris’ team. In December alone, Harris presided over two resignations: former Communications Director Ashley Etienne and Chief Spokeswoman Symone D. Sanders.
CNBC’s inside source claimed that Evans left to take a new job, not to get away this reported dysfunction.
However, other staffers have, in fact, blamed the dysfunction. One former aide, Gil Duran, called Harris the “common denominator” during an interview with the The Washington Post last month.
He said, “Who are the next talented people you’re going to bring in and burn through and then have [them] pretend they’re retiring for positive reasons?”
One anonymous staffer said that Harris drives staff to quit by berating them for her own shortcomings, like her tendency to skip important readings.
The White House has dismissed concerns about these negative reports — or dismissed the reports as sexist.
“I’ve never had an experience in my long history with Kamala, where I felt like she was unfair,” Clegg told the Post.
“Has she called bulls—? Yes. And does that make people uncomfortable sometimes? Yes. But if she were a man with her management style, she would have a TV show called ‘The Apprentice.'”
At a press conference last month, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has characterized this disorganization as a “natural” turnover in staffing… but that’s a lie.
President Joe Biden still employs all three chiefs of staff from his own vice presidency, which stretched from 2009 to 2017.
By Inauguration Day, Harris was employing only two senior staffers who had worked for her for more than a year, according to the Post.
Evans is leaving Harris after only one year, according to LinkedIn. Previously, he worked in the House for two years and seven months.
The Horn editorial team