Russian interference could cost Democrats US elections, says Kamala Harris

Russian interference could theoretically cost Democrats the presidential elections, party's vice-presidential candidate Indian-American Senator Kamala Harris said. Harris, 55, is a Senator from California. She is the first ever black, African American and a person of Indian descent to be nominated as a vice presidential nominee by a major political party in the United States.

"I am clear that Russia interfered in the election of president of the United States in 2016, Harris told CNN in an interview. "I serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee. We have published detailed reports about exactly what we believe happened. And I do believe that there will be foreign interference in the 2020 election, and that Russia will be at the front of the line, she said responding to a question on the allegations of Russian interference in the presidential elections.

"Could it cost you the White House? she was asked. Theoretically, of course, yes, Harris said.

Also read: US Presidential elections 2020: Indian Americans would vote for me, says Donald Trump

The US presidential election is scheduled for November 3, wherein Democratic party's presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden along with Harris are challenging Trump and Vice President Mike Pence from the Republican Party.

Responding to another question, Harris alleged that there are classic voter suppression at play in this election coming up, where, after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act with Shelby v. Holder in 2013, dozens of states passed laws that were designed to suppress the black vote, to suppress students from voting, to suppress indigenous people from voting, so much so that, in North Carolina, a court of appeals said the law was passed with surgical precision to get in the way of black voters from voting.

Also read: Trump's 'malpractice' made it matter of life or death for Americans during COVID: Biden

"So, we have classic voter suppression. We have what happened in 2016, which is foreign interference. We have a president who is trying to convince the American people not to believe in the integrity of our election system and compromise their belief that their vote might actually count, Harris said.

"These things are all at play. I am very realistic. Joe is realistic about the fact that, until we can win and get in and put some teeth back in the Voting Rights Act, and bring back the public's confidence in the system, that there will be many obstacles that people are intentionally placing in front of Americans' ability to vote, she said.

But we will surpass and surmount and get around those obstacles, Harris said in response to the question.

Also read: Trump has shown reckless disregard for wellbeing of American people: Kamala Harris