A source once close to Vice President Kamala Harris has revealed details of longstanding tensions between her and former colleague Kimberly Guilfoyle.
The two high-profile figures, who once crossed paths in the San Francisco legal scene, have allegedly carried this discord into their political lives, according to an ex-colleague familiar with both women.
Harris, the former California attorney general and now vice president of the United States, and Guilfoyle, a former prosecutor and now a prominent conservative media personality, both began their legal careers in San Francisco.
According to Fred Gardner, who worked with Harris and Guilfoyle in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, despite their shared professional roots, their interactions were fraught with tension and the friction between the two was palpable during their time as junior prosecutors, as reported by The Times.
Kimberly Guilfoyle at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. A former colleague of Guilfoyle and Kamala Harris has spoken about tension between the two.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Gardner who was press secretary at the time to Harris’ then-boss, DA Terence “Kayo” Hallinan, told The Times the two women had a largely unspoken tension, “both politically, in the office, and in a social way outside the office, in the world they were moving in.”
Speaking to The Times about a farewell dinner for Harris at a Bayside restaurant, Gardner said: “It suddenly became the ‘in’ place to be that day. Even Kimberly Guilfoyle came at the end.”
It would appear that the tension was never directly addressed, and there was no open confrontation, but both women were aware of it and it was obvious to onlookers there was no love lost between them.
Guilfoyle has since accused Harris of trying to obstruct her career after Guilfoyle showed interest in a new position when they worked together.
“She pretended to be a member of the hiring committee, which didn’t exist,” Ms. Guilfoyle said in a telephone interview, according to The New York Times.
Harris’ boss at the time corroborated Guilfoyle’s claims years later, recalling Harris’ “fierce opposition to the move,” as reported by The New York Times, although Harris has repeatedly denied the claims.
Newsweek reached out to Guilfoyle through Kruger Cowne via email on Monday for comment.
Tensions between the two women reportedly intensified as their careers diverged. Harris ascended through the ranks of California politics, while Guilfoyle transitioned from law into media, becoming a notable figure in conservative circles as former co-host of FOX News Channel’s The Five, and eventually joining the Trump family through her relationship with Donald Trump Jr.
Observers note that this professional rivalry took on a new political dimension during the 2020 presidential campaign, when Republican Guilfoyle was a key surrogate during Donald Trump’s re-election effort, while Harris was on the Democratic ticket with President Joe Biden.
Guilfoyle’s support of Trump and criticism of Democratic leaders, including Harris, has deepened the divide. She has frequently taken aim at Harris and publicly supported Trump.
“I know her for 25 years, and let me tell you something, do whatever it takes to keep her out of the White House,” Guilfoyle said at an RPOF (Republican Party of Florida) dinner in 2023, referring to Harris, as reported by the New York Times.
It looks like the history between the two women may continue to play a role in the ongoing battle between the Trump and Biden-Harris camps as the 2024 election cycle ramps up.
Newsweek contacted the vice president’s office on Monday via email for comment outside of normal working hours.
