Sheriff Mike Boudreaux of Tulare County, California, is taking issue with Vice President Kamala Harris after she used his image in a campaign ad without permission. The ad, which highlights Harris’s record as a “border state prosecutor,” has been criticized by Boudreaux as “misleading” and an attempt to rewrite history.
The ad features footage from a 2014 event in California’s Central Valley, where Harris, then the state’s Attorney General, spoke about a major drug operation involving Mexican cartels and prison gangs. The video shows Boudreaux and other law enforcement officials standing alongside Harris, giving the impression that they support her current campaign. However, Boudreaux was quick to clarify that this is not the case.
“In light of a recent political ad put out by Kamala Harris featuring Sheriff Boudreaux, as well as other local law enforcement, the Sheriff wants to make it abundantly clear that his image is being used without his permission, and he does NOT endorse Harris for President or any other political office,” read a statement issued by the sheriff’s office.
Boudreaux went on to criticize the content of the ad, particularly Harris’s claims about her role in fighting crime at the border. He accused Harris of undercutting law enforcement efforts during her time as Attorney General, pointing out that she defunded and shuttered task forces that were critical to their work. “How can you go in and promote that you were this tight border person when all the troops are coming across the border, and you literally are eliminating all these task forces?” Boudreaux said.
Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, who also appeared in the ad, echoed Boudreaux’s concerns. Ward expressed frustration that their images were used without consent and criticized Harris’s portrayal of her record as Attorney General. “The hypocrisy knows no bounds,” Ward said, adding that it should have been a “professional courtesy” to notify them about the ad.
Boudreaux, who is currently the president of the California State Sheriffs’ Association, further emphasized his support for former President Donald Trump, stating that Trump, not Harris, is the best representative of law enforcement values.
