Tulsi Gabbard accuses Kamala Harris' campaign of using 'cheap smears'

Patrick Devine
Updated

Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard appeared on both Fox News and CNN Thursday night and defended herself from “cheap smears” made by fellow 2020 candidate Kamala Harris.

The representative from Hawaii raised eyebrows on Wednesday when she called into question the former California attorney general's criminal justice record. Though Harris did not address Gabbard’s pointed question during the debate, she weighed in after, chalking up the attack up to low polling numbers and even accused Gabbard of being an "apologist" for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Gabbard addressed Harris’ follow up comments with Tucker Carlson, saying “the responses from her and her campaign, after the debate, was basically to lob cheap smears and basically say that I am a trader or foreign agent to order Trojan horse."

Gabbard went on to condemn Harris' statements by listing her credentials.

"I am a two-time veteran of the Middle East deployment. I'm a soldier, currently still serving in the army. I'm a sitting member of congress, and she is smearing me in this way. Imagine what she would do to anyone else,” she said.

Representative Gabbard also appeared on CNN's Cuomo Primetime, where she doubled down on her attack on Harris' criminal justice record. Gabbard told Cuomo, "Instead of using the position of power, to be that force for positive change to be a champion for the people she claims to be. Instead, she used to it further oppress people in an already broken criminal justice system."

Cuomo then asked Gabbard why she thought Harris was reluctant to respond, to which the congresswoman said, "She didn't give any answers. Not just to me, but the American people last night on the debate stage. The interviews that she had after the debate, she again refused to address this record that she had as attorney general, that she claims to be so proud of."

Tucker Carlson Tonight airs weeknights at 8 p.m. on Fox News.

Cuomo Prime Time airs weeknights at 9 p.m. on CNN

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