Kamala Harris’ former colleagues highlight her past as a prosecutor

The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago throughout the week bringing you the latest on the Democratic National Convention.

Colleagues who once worked with Vice President Harris in a law enforcement capacity spoke at the last night of the convention.

Harris' embrace of her time working in law enforcement is a significant change from when she last ran for president in 2020.

During her bid for the Democratic nomination, she shied away from her past as prosecutor. At the time, the base of the Democratic Party was calling for criminal justice reform, which made her resume then a liability for her campaign.

Years later, her campaign is fully embracing her past as a prosecutor in San Francisco.

Amy Resner, a former prosecutor and friend of Harris, spoke at the convention and said Harris used her position as a prosecutor to defend people who were sexually assaulted and abused.

“For Kamala, practicing law was always about protecting the vulnerable and giving the victims a voice,” she said.

Resner said that Harris helped victims “navigate their nightmares and demand justice for their injuries.”

“And she did it all with grit and grace, intelligence and heart,” she said. “She was a remarkable prosecutor and she will be a remarkable president.”

Lisa Madigan, former attorney general of Illinois, also highlighted Harris’ time as the chief law enforcement officer of the state of California.

In particular, she talked about the time she and Harris worked together during the recession to protect homeowners who were losing their homes.

“She demanded big banks provide mortgage relief,” Madigan said.

“For as long as I have known her Kamala Harris has always taken principled positions and never wavered.”