Overview
- Lindy Li, a one-time top DNC fundraiser, says Kamala Harris held a donor call on or about July 19, 2024, telling major donors she would stick with Joe Biden while she privately positioned to inherit their support.
- Li says that after Biden suspended his campaign on July 21, 2024, Harris launched an intensive 24-hour charm offensive to consolidate donors and that Biden’s endorsement followed roughly 30 minutes after his withdrawal.
- Several big donors described the donor calls as a "charade" and told Li they felt misled about Biden’s viability, prompting anger and questions about how campaign funds and messaging were handled.
- The allegations come from Li’s book Unburdened and interviews published in right-leaning outlets; Harris’s team did not immediately comment and the reports rely on Li’s account rather than independent corroboration.
- The reporting builds on the backdrop of Biden’s June 2024 debate setback and could spur closer scrutiny of donor communications and succession planning, so reporters and watchdogs should look for independent confirmation and official responses.