A senior advisor to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) told Business Insider that Harris supports releasing a former aide from a nondisclosure agreement from nearly a decade ago that placed a gag on revealing details of a dispute that ended with a taxpayer-funded $34,900 settlement and the aide leaving her job.
When Carbaugh signed the nondisclosure agreement in September 2011, she was working for Harris, then the California Attorney General, as chief deputy attorney general for administration and policy.
The settlement does not provide any details regarding the claims and disputes, noting only that when the DOJ determined that Carbaugh should leave her job, she “disagreed with that determination and asserted certain disputed claims and damages relating to her employment with the Department.”
One of the terms of the agreement was that neither Carbaugh nor the DOJ “disclose, discuss, or provide the contents or terms of this Agreement to third parties.”
In exchange for agreeing to resign, Carbaugh received a letter of recommendation written by Harris, which describes Carbaugh as “an indispensable member of my executive team and a longtime friend,” praises her leadership style, and credits her legislative expertise for protecting the DOJ from budget cuts. The DOJ also cut Carbaugh a check for $34,900 and the agreement required that she release the Department and its staff from any liabilities and claims, including any for harassment, retaliation, or discrimination.
Harris’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Harris is widely considered one of the front-runners for Joe Biden’s running mate in his bid for the White House in November’s election.