General Discussion

But others described Harris as unpredictable and at times demeaning to her staff over the years. She often hung up on her aides, berated them when she didn't think they were prepared enough for briefings, and had a reputation for churning through interns and lower-level staff, people told Insider.

Harris' turnover in the Senate was on the high end during her four years in the US Capitol's upper chamber. She ranked No. 9 of 114 senators for highest turnover from 2017 to 2020, the congressional database LegiStorm showed.

Barbara O'Connor, a longtime communications professor at California State University, Sacramento, told Insider that at least 20 interns who worked in Harris' attorney general and Senate offices came to O'Connor crying and seeking advice, saying they "felt they weren't valued" in Harris' office. O'Connor helped transfer about five interns out of Harris' office at the time, she said.