Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, has been accused of inappropriate and misogynistic behavior during his time at the law firm Venable, according to a report by the Daily Mail. Former colleagues have come forward with claims that Emhoff displayed favoritism towards young, attractive women and retaliated against those who didn’t reciprocate his advances. Multiple former employees stated that Emhoff had a reputation for being “very flirty” and that if women didn’t respond positively, they would find themselves on his bad side.
One staffer revealed that Emhoff hosted men-only cocktail parties in the office, which ran for several years until concerns were raised in 2010. “He had cocktail parties where only men were invited,” the source shared, adding that the events only stopped after the issue was brought to Venable’s attention.
In addition, Emhoff was accused of hiring an “unqualified” part-time model as a legal secretary, allegedly due to her appearance and friendliness with powerful men at the firm. This claim emerged as part of a 2019 lawsuit that also cited sex discrimination by other partners in the Los Angeles office, which Emhoff ran from 2006 to 2017.
A former colleague further alleged that Emhoff had once bragged about shouting expletives at a female partner, telling her to “get the f–k out” of his office and boasting that he had “put her in her place.” Emhoff was also accused of using his position to demand a share of client fees from colleagues who wanted to be staffed on cases he oversaw. “If you wanted to staff your case, you had to give him part of your origination [bonus],” one source claimed.
NEW: Doug Emhoff's former colleagues have come forward, say he refused to promote women who didn't flirt with him & would brag about yelling at women.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 8, 2024
Emhoff impregnated his nanny, is accused of assaulting his girlfriend, and now this.
According to the Daily Mail, Emhoff was a… pic.twitter.com/DV9OnqhGMh
Despite these allegations, Emhoff, 59, has continued to present a public image as a supportive partner to Kamala Harris. In a recent interview, MSNBC anchor Jen Psaki controversially praised him for “reshaping the perception of masculinity.” However, Emhoff’s past has come under increasing scrutiny since his wife’s nomination as the Democratic candidate for 2024, including admissions of infidelity during his first marriage and accusations of inappropriate behavior with a former girlfriend at a gala in 2012. Through a spokesperson, Emhoff has denied the latter claim, but questions around his past actions persist.
