Presidential Candidate Backs Governor’s Death Penalty Moratorium

Sonora, CA – Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator from California Kamala Harris supports Governor Gavin Newsom’s death penalty moratorium and wants to take it one step further.

Harris speaking on National Public Radio yesterday says there should be a federal moratorium on executions. Her voicing of this stance came a day after Newsom signed an executive order placing a moratorium on executions, which in turn granted reprieves to 737 death row inmates, as reported here.

When asked whether there should be “a federal equivalent” to Newsom’s order. Harris replied, “Yes, I think that there should be.” Further questioned regarding whether no one would be executed if Harris was president of the United States, she responded, “Correct, correct.”

While California’s attorney general, Harris defended the state’s use of the death penalty.  In a statement Wednesday, she lamented that it is “immoral, discriminatory, ineffective, and a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars.” She says it is an issue she has addressed before and has always voiced her opposition to government sponsored executions.