Kamala Harris Blasted for Sketchy Decision at Recent Public Event

Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign faces accusations of staging a restaurant event with paid actors, raising questions about the authenticity of political campaigns.

At a Glance

Patrons at Primanti Bros. in Pennsylvania claim they were forced to leave before Harris’s campaign stop
Video showed a full dining room during Harris’ visit, leading to accusations of employing “actors”
Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations
The incident has sparked debate over the transparency of campaign practices

Controversy at Primanti Bros.

Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent campaign stop at Primanti Bros. in Moon, Pennsylvania, has stirred controversy. Patrons claim they were forced to leave the restaurant before Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrived, leading to accusations that the campaign staged the event with paid actors.

Mark Dodson, a patron at the restaurant, described the unusual circumstances: “Around 3:30, the bartender, she goes, ‘It’s last call’ – what do you mean last call?” He added, “They shut down the TVs… so you couldn’t watch the game. I said, this is BS – this is a public restaurant. It was kind of mind-boggling to me.”

Accusations of Staged Events

As the Harris-Walz campaign bus arrived, protesters gathered outside the restaurant, many wearing pro-Trump attire. Video footage showed a full dining room during Harris’s visit, fueling speculation about the use of “actors.” One witness was heard shouting, “Holy hell, all these actors in these vans,” as unmarked Ford Transit vans arrived at the location.

“For Kamala Harris’s visit to Primanti’s this afternoon they kicked out all the customers at 4pm so they could bring in their own audience,” Republican Committee of Allegheny County chairman Sam DeMarco III wrote on social media, sharing video of the crowd.

Campaign Tactics Under Scrutiny

The incident at Primanti Bros. is not the only aspect of Harris’s campaign facing scrutiny. The campaign has been criticized for using Google search ads that resemble real news articles but contain pro-Harris messages. These ads link to legitimate news stories but feature campaign-created headlines, raising concerns about potential confusion and deception.

“What it’s about is confusion and deception,” said Jane Kirtley, a media ethics professor at the University of Minnesota, regarding the practice.

While Google and the Harris campaign defend the ads as legal and previously used by both political parties, news organizations like The Guardian and The Associated Press were unaware of their articles being used in this manner. The Guardian stated they would be reaching out to Google for more information about this practice.

Campaign Response and Ongoing Debate

The Harris campaign has not responded to requests for comment regarding the Primanti Bros. incident. However, they have addressed other allegations, such as a false Craigslist ad claiming to seek paid actors for protests. A Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson confirmed that the ad was false and stated that the campaign does not pay people to attend rallies.

As the controversy continues, it highlights broader questions about the authenticity of political campaigns and the methods used to create favorable media coverage. The incident at Primanti Bros. and the use of misleading online advertisements underscore the ongoing debate over transparency in political messaging and the public’s right to authentic interactions with candidates.