The Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing for Aimee Harris, the woman who swiped the diary of the president’s daughter, Ashley Biden, and peddled it to conservative media outlet Project Veritas for a hefty sum of money just before the 2020 presidential election, to serve time behind bars.
According to the DOJ, in September 2020, Harris temporarily resided at Ashley Biden’s home in Delray Beach, Fla. It was during this time that she stole a diary filled with highly personal entries, along with tax records, a cellphone, and family photographs. Harris then sought the help of Robert Kurlander to sell the stolen items.
Project Veritas, a media outlet based in New York, compensated Harris and Kurlander with a sum of $20,000 each in exchange for the diary and additional materials obtained by the duo upon their return to Florida. Known for its controversial sting operations, Project Veritas sends its staff undercover to record sources and reveal what they claim to be the authentic narrative behind the headlines.
In November, the Department of Justice conducted raids on two locations associated with Project Veritas and its founder, James O’Keefe.
Project Veritas did not publish the diary, but it was published by a different website. O’Keefe, who claimed to have received the diary from tipsters who discovered it abandoned in a hotel room, explained that he refrained from publishing it due to the inability to confirm its authenticity.
In a letter addressed to Judge Laura Swain on Tuesday, federal prosecutors have urged the court to consider a prison sentence of four to ten months for Harris, along with three years of supervised release. This is a change from their previous request for six months of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to federal prosecutors, they have revised their sentencing recommendation for Harris. This decision was made due to the repeated delays in her sentencing hearing. Harris has postponed the hearing 12 times, with reasons that were deemed insufficient by the prosecutors. Initially, her sentencing was scheduled for December 6, 2022.
According to prosecutors, Harris would often offer explanations for her absence that were later proven to be false. One example of this was when she claimed she couldn’t find childcare. However, it was later discovered that the children’s father, who shares custody with Harris, was actually available to take care of them on the specific dates in question when Harris was supposed to be in court.
The prosecutors were also frustrated by Harris’s inability to obtain a valid identification, something she was aware she needed for travel. Although she claimed to be sick at times, she was unable to provide the court with the requested medical records.
The defendant has consistently employed tactics to deliberately prolong this proceeding, including providing the Court with false information to justify unwarranted adjournment requests, disregarding directives to appear, and failing to comply with court orders to disclose or produce specific information. This repetitive conduct clearly demonstrates the defendant’s utter disregard for the Court’s orders and for the smooth administration of this legal process.
Federal prosecutors expressed their strong belief that the defendant’s blatant disregard for the law, even after pleading guilty, is a clear indication of her refusal to take responsibility for her actions. They argue that this behavior necessitates an incarceratory sentence, as the defendant has demonstrated an unwillingness to comply with court orders and supervision. They assert that probation alone would not be enough to deter the defendant from further violating the law.
Harris and Kurlander both admitted their guilt in a conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines. The stolen property belonged to a family member of a former government official who was running for national office.
