from Your News:
A New York Times plagiarism expert has revised his assessment of Vice President Kamala Harris’s plagiarism scandal, calling it more serious than previously acknowledged.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2009 book Smart on Crime has come under renewed scrutiny after plagiarism expert Jonathan Bailey of the New York Times admitted Thursday that the “plagiarism scandal” is far more significant than initially reported. Bailey, who initially downplayed the allegations, has now revised his stance after reviewing additional evidence.
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Earlier this week, the Times acknowledged that Harris had copied multiple passages from sources such as Wikipedia and the Associated Press in her book, but described the offense as “not serious.” The Harris campaign denied these claims, contradicting media outlets like The New York Times and The New Republic.
Bailey, who initially characterized the plagiarism as the result of sloppy writing rather than malicious intent, has now backtracked on his previous statement in an article for Plagiarism Today. After reviewing a more comprehensive dossier containing 29 plagiarism allegations—18 focused on the book and 11 related to later instances of self-plagiarism—Bailey stated:
“With this new information, while I believe the case is more serious than I commented to the New York Times, the overarching points remain. While there are problems with this work, the pattern points to sloppy writing habits, not a malicious intent to defraud.”
While Bailey acknowledged the seriousness of the claims, he attempted to mitigate the scandal by stating, “I have to dismiss the self-plagiarism allegations out of hand. Politicians repeat themselves, and it’s not surprising to see them reuse words and passages.”
The plagiarism accusations gained traction after conservative journalist Christopher Rufo highlighted research by Austrian plagiarism expert Dr. Stefan Weber, which documented multiple instances of copied content in Harris’s book. Rufo’s report has fueled criticism from conservative media and political opponents.
The Harris campaign, through spokesman James Singer, has responded by accusing political adversaries of desperation. Singer stated, “Rightwing operatives are getting desperate as they see the bipartisan coalition of support Vice President Harris is building to win this election, as Trump retreats to a conservative echo chamber refusing to face questions about his lies.”
As of now, Harris has not publicly addressed the plagiarism allegations, and media figures such as Fox News’s Bret Baier and Charlamagne tha God have not asked her about the claims during recent interviews.
The controversy continues to unfold as questions regarding Harris’s integrity and transparency grow, particularly as the 2024 election approaches.
